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| Landmark #732 | Kern County | Visited: January 26, 2013 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | A plaque leaning up against a fence! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: Near this spot stood the last home of Elisha Stevens, noted American pathfinder and scout. Born in Georgia April 5, 1804, he learned blacksmithing during his youth – then, drifting west, he became a trapper on the upper Missouri for more than two decades. In 1844 he led the 50-member Murphy-Townsend wagon train safely from Council Bluffs, Iowa to Sutter’s Fort. During the Mexican War he served as an ordnance mechanic under Commodore Stockton. For a time he lived in Santa Clara County, then settled here on a 38-acre tract, the first permanent settler in the Bakersfield district. He died September 9, 1887 and is buried in Union Cemetery.
OTHER TIDBITS: The trail that Mr. Stevens blazed leading the Murphy-Townsend Party became one of the three major branches of the Overland Emigrant Trail into California, the other two being the Applegate-Lassen and Beckwourth Routes! His was the first, though, and despite the odds, no one in his wagon train died crossing the snowy Sierras! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: NW corner of W Columbus and Isla Verde Sts Bakersfield, CA 93305 ANNOTATIONS: From Los Angeles: ~116mi (187km) — 2hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |