Tehachapi, California

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Looking northwest along Route 58 in Tehachapi after a light dusting of snow

Tehachapi (IPA: [tʰə·ˈhæ·tʃɨ·pʰi]) is a city incorporated in 1909 located in its namesake Tehachapi Mountains between Bakersfield and Mojave in Kern County, California. The area is known for its Tehachapi Loop, electricity generating wind turbines, proximity to Edwards Air Force Base, and excellent environment for gliding. A California state prison has long been located in the area. The population was 10,957 at the 2000 census. As of 2006 the total population of the Tehachapi area is estimated at 35,000 including surrounding areas. The populated places in the vicinity of the incorporated City of Tehachapi include Golden Hills, Old Town, Bear Valley Springs, Stallion Springs, Oak Knolls, Alpine Forest Park, Mountain Meadows, Cummings Valley, Brite Valley, Old West Ranch, Sand Canyon, Keene, and Hart Flat. The Greater Tehachapi Area has a 25 mile radius. Tehachapi's Elevation ranges from 3,969 feet to 7,981 feet (Double Mountain).

The headquarters of the United Farm Workers, a national farmworker's organization that was founded and led by Cesar Chavez, is located 10 miles to the west at Keene. In April 2004 the National Chavez Center opened to the public.

The area in and around the city is also known for its apple orchards, though these have decreased in the last few decades. Its four seasons climate and rural ambiance has of late attracted retirees to the city. The late actor Jack Palance of City Slickers fame lived on a ranch just north of the Stallion Springs area.

While less than 120 miles to the north-east of Los Angeles, Tehachapi maintains a distinctively rural atmosphere. Currently, there are only five traffic signals within or near the city limits. Ranches with horses as well as homes on large acreage are common in the areas surrounding the city of Tehachapi. In addition, a number of flora and fauna reside in the area and include the California Poppy (state flower), quail (state bird), Mojave green rattlesnake, mountain lion (cougar), bobcat, deer, and wild boar to name just a few.

Migrations of turkey vultures use the Tehachapi Pass, and are counted annually by the Tehachapi Mountains Birding Club. This annual count is the inspiration for the TMBC club song.

Tehachapi Airport(KTSP) is rapidly becoming a favorite stop for that "$100 hamburger" run. Also, fuel prices, both for Jet A and 100LL are consistently lower than surrounding airports (and, as they say- "We truck it to 4000'MSL so you don't have to!")

1 Area history
2 Geography
3 Weather
4 Earthquakes
5 Media
6 Film Productions
7 Business & Employment
8 References
9 External links

[edit] Area history

Tehachapi was preceded by a settlement a few miles west of it called Williamsburg or "Tehichipa" which was in existence in the 1870's. After the Southern Pacific (SP) railroad (now merged into the Union Pacific) established its line through the mountains in 1876 Williamsburg saw its business taken away by the SP's newer location, eventually called Tehachapi Summit. Later its name was shortened to simply Tehachapi. The original SP railroad depot, still standing, helped start the beginning of the downtown core. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest building built in downtown Tehachapi.

The limestone mine and cement plant at Monolith, located northeast of the city, has been in operation since 1908. Cement from this operation helped build such engineering works as the 1913 Los Angeles Aqueduct—its first project—as well as the massive Hoover Dam dedicated for use in 1936.

The Dust Bowl migrants—known regionally here as Okies and made famous by John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath came through the area on their way to the southern San Joaquin Valley, especially in and around Bakersfield, at the time of the 1930s Great Depression. In fact, Tehachapi is directly referenced in The Grapes of Wrath.

On July 21, 1952 Tehachapi was devastated by a magnitude 7.5 (Richter scale) earthquake (USGS, SCEC) on the little known White Wolf fault. Unreinforced brick buildings resulted in major building destruction at that time, but have now long since been outlawed in California building codes.

The origin of the name Tehachapi is in dispute. Possibilities include Native American words expressing:

sweetwater and acorns (from the area's many oak trees)
windy place

hard climb (from Kawaiisu ~ Nuwa word tihachipia according to Tomo-Kahni Resource Center)

[edit] Geography

Tehachapi is located at 35°7′43″N, 118°26′56″W (35.128558, -118.448899)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.8 km² (9.6 mi²). 24.8 km² (9.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.10% is water.

[edit] Weather

Tehachapi is known for its four-season climate, which can be considered special in California. For example, it can be sunny and relatively warm in the morning, cloudy and windy by noon, and snowing by nightfall. The wet season is generally November through May, although thunderstorms are likely during the summer. Average temperatures range from 87 °F (30.6 °C)/57 °F (13.9 °C) in July to 51 °F (10.6 °C)/30 °F (-1.1 °C) in January. The area typically collects 15-20 inches of snow each winter.

[edit] Earthquakes

Downtown Tehachapi is 15 miles from the White Wolf Fault, 6 Miles from the Garlock Fault and 30 miles from the San Andreas Fault. Tehachapi is best known for the 7.5 quake on the White Wolf Fault in 1952. At the time, the earthquake was the largest in Southern California in the twentieth century since 1872. It was felt as far away as Reno, Nevada. Twelve people died in the quake and severe damage was done to buildings and rail lines in the area.^[1] The 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake on the San Andreas Fault had an estimated magnitude of 7.9 but there is no record of the local affects of this quake. ^[2] The Garlock Fault has not ruptured in historic times.

[edit] Media

The city's local main source of media is the local newspaper, The Tehachapi News.

[edit] Film Productions

Tehachapi's famous mountains have been known to host some past hollywood productions and independent films. Star Trek: Generations actors Patrick Stewart and William Shatner filmed a scene of the movie in the relative mountains, for example. Also, the popular animation, Batman: Revenge (The Batman LEGO Film), was filmed in this city in 2003. The fourth season of the teen-geared television series, Endurance, produced by the Discovery Kids Network was filmed in Tehachapi (Endurance: Tehachapi) and aired from 2005-2006.

A Christina Applegate vehicle to be called Tehachapi. Her character moves to Tehachapi because her lover was in prison here. The movie was not released under that title, however, but as Across the Moon (1995).

Perhaps the best known film reference to Tehachapi is Sam Spade (played by Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon, telling a female criminal, "Well, if you get a good break, you'll be out of Tehachapi in twenty years and you can come back to me then. I hope they don't hang you, precious, by that sweet neck. Yes, angel, I'm gonna send you over. The chances are you'll get off with life. That means if you're a good girl you'll be out in twenty years. I'll be waiting for you. If they hang you, I'll always remember you." In the book, the reference was not to Tehachapi but to San Quentin.

Referencing the women's prison was a common manner in which Tehachapi was mentioned in film, including of the most acclaimed of all noir films, Double Indemnity. Fred MacMurray's character tells of one woman who killed her husband: "All she collected was a three-to-ten stretch in Tehachapi."

Bugs Bunny in 1001 Rabbit Tales, in answer to the snotty little sultan's query to what happened to Hansel and Gretel's witch, told him they sent her to Tehachapi.

Nocturne (1946) featured a housemaid mysteriously referred to as the "Tehachapi Debutante" and 1948's The Hunted has a heroine fresh out of Tehachapi after four years for a jewel theft.

In The Story of Molly X (1949), Molly X is the leader of a San Francisco gang who is sent to Tehachapi for her role in a burglary attempt but would have been sent to San Quentin for execution if only the law knew the truth about her. Most of the film then takes place at the prison, as Molly goes from being trouble to a model prisoner.

Perhaps the first movie to be filmed in Tehachapi was The Lady of the Dugout (1918), which starred former outlaws Al and Frank Jennings playing themselves. The brother outlaws were well known to Americans of the time.

Other movies filmed in Tehachapi include Face to Face (2001), Fault (2002), The Gentleman Don La Mancha (2004), I.F.O. (Identified Flying Object) (1985), Motor Mansions (2005) and The Legend of Mary Worth (2006).^[3]

[edit] Business & Employment

Tehachapi has seen a sizeable increase in businesses entering the city:

Home Depot (Opened: November 30th, 2006)
Wal-Mart (Coming Soon)
Carl's Jr (Coming Soon)
Coldstone Creamery (Opened: March 2007)
Que Pasa (Coming Soon)
Starbucks (Opened: March 2007)
Panda Express(Tucker and Conway|Spring 2007)

Perhaps the largest employer in Tehachapi is the California Correctional Institution (CCI), which is a high-security prison for males. The prison held only female criminals prior to the 1952 earthquake. At one time land east of the city along Highway 58, designated "Capital Hills", was envisioned to become a site for cutting edge research and technologies development as well as new residential areas. Such plans never came to fruition, however, and the area has yet to develop or attract businesses involved in technology and research.