Bakersfield Inn Tower (Removed)
Bakersfield, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Cruising Union Avenue in Bakersfield, the Bakersfield Inn once gave highway travelers something big to look for. Two towers stood on opposite sides of the road, connected by a covered walkway with giant neon “BAKERSFIELD” letters stretched across it. Quite a way to announce arrival in town. For those out with the camera, the towers and overhead sign were a roadside attraction all their own.
The inn opened in 1929 along the original Highway 99 route. As automobile travel grew, so did the place, eventually spreading to both sides of Union Avenue. In 1949, a new west wing brought the need for a way to get guests across the busy highway. The answer was the elevated footbridge, anchored by those prominent towers. No waiting for a break in traffic to get back to the room.
Bakersfield Inn (Closed)
Bakersfield, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The bridge also made a handy place for a sign. With the city name glowing above the roadway, the Bakersfield Inn became part hotel and part gateway. Imagine coming through after dark and finding that much neon overhead. A little more memorable than a small vacancy sign beside the office.
Close-up of tower and "inn"pillar
Bakersfield, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Things changed when Highway 99 moved west in 1962. Travelers could bypass this stretch of Union Avenue, taking much of the passing business with them. Fires in the following years damaged large portions of the inn, and the once-busy complex began losing pieces of its old appearance.
The towers and bridge lingered as reminders of the highway days, but their condition continued to worsen. By 1999, structural safety concerns brought an end to the original crossing. The walkway and west tower were dismantled, leaving a gap where the Bakersfield name had once hung above traffic. The lower portion of the east tower remained with the surviving motel buildings.
The Bakersfield Inn was located along the old Highway 99 in the Central Valley town of Bakersfield. Built in 1929, the Bakersfield Inn grew its business and expanded throughout the next few decades, even building another wing across Union Avenue, next to the famed Bakersfield Arch.
Bakersfield Inn / Kennemer Center
Bakersfield, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Fortunately, the big blue porcelain letters got another chance. Buck Owens helped support their rescue, and they were incorporated into a new arch on Buck Owens Boulevard near his Crystal Palace. The old inn's lettering found another road to watch over, adding a little Bakersfield history to a stop already associated with the Bakersfield Sound.
The "inn" pillar has been removed
Bakersfield, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: The original Union Avenue arch and west tower were removed in 1999. A surviving eastern portion of the inn was renovated for use as the Kennemer Center. The rescued “BAKERSFIELD” letters became part of the replacement arch near the Crystal Palace, giving the camera another place to catch the familiar name overhead. 09-26
However times changed. According to the Bakersfield Californian, the businesses along Union (old 99) saw traffic and visitors really slow down when Highway 99 was moved a couple of miles west in 1962. Eventually, fires at the location destroyed both the newest west wing as well as the main building. After the fire, the Bakersfield Inn stopped being an inn.
Bakersfield Inn Tower (Removed)
Bakersfield Inn (Closed)
Close-up of tower and "inn"pillar
Bakersfield Inn / Kennemer Center
The "inn" pillar has been removed
