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Gordon's Ferry is both a geographical location and a historic site in Bakersfield, California. It is located where China Grade Loop crosses the Kern River and meets with Alfred Harrell Highway in Northeast Bakersfield. It is named after a ferry that used to cross the river near the existing bridge. It was one of the only eastern crossings, until 1877, when the Jewett Avenue bridge was constructed further west.[1] It is a California Historical Landmark #137.[2]
History
The 49ers on their way to the Gold Fields during the California Gold Rush, used this place as a ford crossing. In 1853, as the Kern River Gold Rush began, Major Aneas Gordon begin operating a ferry at the crossing of the Stockton - Los Angeles Road. It was an overhead cable type, with a flat bottom boat. With a growing number of settlers coming to the region, the ferry experienced much traffic.
Butterfield Overland Mail
In 1857, the Butterfield Overland Mail 1st Division was established and used the ferry on its San Francisco to Saint Louis postal route. The stage company would establish a station at that location (one of six in Kern County) which was called the Kern River Station.[1][3]
Butterfield Overland Mail continued to use the ferry until the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861. Because the original route crossed into the Confederacy, the U. S. Postmaster directed Butterfield to change to the Central Overland Route. Kern River Station would continue to be used by other stagecoach companies until the railroad made them obsolete. The ferry, would continue to be used by settlers and residents until 1877, when the Jewett Avenue bridge was constructed to the west.[1]
Oilfield and bridges
As a river crossing, Gordon's Ferry sat empty for many years. However, oil was discovered in the Kern River Oil Field in 1899 (the first oil discovery in Kern County). The oilfield was just north of Gordon's Ferry. Oil was hauled out by trains, which were located in Sumner and Bakersfield, which is south of the river. As a result, in 1901 a wooden bridge was constructed at the previous ferry crossing.
It would later be replaced with the concrete bridge which exist today.[1] In 1937, the site would be declared California Historical Landmark. It would be the first historical landmark declared in Kern County.[4]
References
^ abcdHistory. Panorama Vista Preserve. Accessed: 04-11-2011.
^"Gordon's Ferry". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
Fort Tejon – Located 15 miles southwest of Sink of Tejon Station, north of and below the summit of Tejon Pass.
Reed's Station – Located 8 miles southeast of Fort Tejon, near, to the south of the summit of the Tejon Pass.
French John's Station – Located 14 miles east southeast of Reeds Station, in the vicinity of the mouth of Cow Springs Creek Canyon.
Mud Spring, a later station operating in 1860, 14 miles east from French Johns and 13 miles north from Clayton's Station (formerly Widow Smith's Station). [1]
