Nestled against the foothills about 15 miles southeast of Bakersfield, the city of Arvin is surrounded by highly productive farmland and orchards with part of the pastoral Tejon Ranch to its south and east.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are shipped from the many packing houses in the city. Grimmway carrots, Gold Ribbon potatoes and Di Giorgio grapes, peaches and plums are just some of the crops grown in and around Arvin to help feed the world.
The Garden in the Sun Visitor Center at 141 N. A St. — a joint venture of the city and the Arvin Chamber of Commerce — provides a map detailing points of interest.
Be sure to check out:
Garden in the Sun Park, 201 Walnut St., is Arvin’s newest park and provides a playground, restrooms and space for community celebrations, farmers’ markets, art fairs and other special events.
Arvin happens to be among the areas in the southern San Joaquin Valley visited by Padre Francisco Garcés when he was seeking a new route from Mexico to California in 1776. You’ll find his statue in the courtyard of Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, 350 E. Bear Mountain Blvd.
Arvin’s place in Dust Bowl history is well-documented. The most famous of the camps set up to house families migrating to California was the Arvin Farm Labor Supply Center, now known as the Sunset Camp or Weedpatch Camp. Three original buildings from the camp are still standing at 8701 Sunset Blvd. in Bakersfield, about 5 miles northwest of Arvin).
Views from Bear Mountain Boulevard (Highway 223) to the east of the city are magnificent. In the springtime, the roadside and hills to the east are bright with wildflowers; much of the rest of the year you can see fields of the San Joaquin Valley looking like a patchwork quilt. You’ll want to stop at “The Cross,” a waypoint about 5 miles east of the city.
Bakersfield National Cemetery is located at 30338 E. Bear Mountain Blvd., about 11 miles northeast of town. The 500-acre cemetery in a serene valley at the base of Bear Mountain provides a respectful final resting place for veterans and their spouses.
Information online at https://bit.ly/3xaNdAC.