Kern County Hall of Records
Encyclopedia
The Kern County Hall of Records is a government building in Bakersfield
, California
. It is the repository of records for Kern County
. The building is located in the Civic Center
, Downtown
. Constructed in 1909, it is the longest continuously used government building in the county. It is also one of the few government buildings to survive the 1952 earthquake
.
There was a flaw in the design. The large windows and rotunda would collect and trap heat. By 1939, it was decided to remodel the structure. The county also changed its architectural standards for government buildings. In 1939, architect Frank Wynkoop was hired. The structure would be remodeled into the PWA Moderne style. The rotunda was covered up and the statues on the roof were removed. The size of the windows were reduced and replaced with an increased use of electric lighting. Most of the intricate exterior design features were covered over.
In 1988, the building was renovated. Architect Bill Tuculet and Klassen Corporation was hired for the reconstruction. The building was repainted in the original multi-color design (at some point it was repainted completely white). Also, storm doors were added to the front of the structure.
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is the repository of records for Kern County
Kern County, California
Spreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
. The building is located in the Civic Center
Civic Center, Bakersfield
Civic Center is a district in Downtown Bakersfield, California. It is the center of government for the City of Bakersfield and the County of Kern, containing a collection of buildings used by the city, county, state, and federal governments. The district also contains all of downtown's sporting...
, Downtown
Downtown Bakersfield
Downtown in the central business district for Bakersfield, California. Located in the heart of the city, it is easily accessible from all its other parts. It is also reemerging as the center of Bakersfield’s arts, culture and entertainment sectors...
. Constructed in 1909, it is the longest continuously used government building in the county. It is also one of the few government buildings to survive the 1952 earthquake
1952 Kern County earthquake
The 1952 Kern County earthquake occurred on July 21, 1952, in Kern County, California, with a magnitude of 7.5Mw. It was the largest earthquake to strike Southern California since the Fort Tejon earthquake of 1857 and the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake, causing immense and widespread damage. The main...
.
History
Originally the Kern County Courthouse was the repository of records in the county. However, by the mid-1900's, more room was needed to store the records. The Hall of Records building was constructed in 1909, across the street from the courthouse (which is where City Hall is located today). The structure was designed by Robert Train and Robert Williams, in the Beaux Arts style. The structure had large windows, and a rotunda.There was a flaw in the design. The large windows and rotunda would collect and trap heat. By 1939, it was decided to remodel the structure. The county also changed its architectural standards for government buildings. In 1939, architect Frank Wynkoop was hired. The structure would be remodeled into the PWA Moderne style. The rotunda was covered up and the statues on the roof were removed. The size of the windows were reduced and replaced with an increased use of electric lighting. Most of the intricate exterior design features were covered over.
In 1988, the building was renovated. Architect Bill Tuculet and Klassen Corporation was hired for the reconstruction. The building was repainted in the original multi-color design (at some point it was repainted completely white). Also, storm doors were added to the front of the structure.