The communities of the Kern County foothills have a rich history that ranges from mining to ranching to recreation. Today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots, we look at the small hamlet of Woody, and why it’s home to a slice of California history that has almost vanished elsewhere.
Located on Highway 155 about 27 miles east of Delano, Woody is situated in the foothills of the Greenhorn Mountains. In 1776, the Catholic priest Francisco Garces performed the first baptism of a Native American in the San Joaquin Valley about three miles from present day Woody.
In the 1860s the area around today’s town was settled by Dr. Sparrell Woody. He came to California in 1849 to mine for gold, before settling near present-day Bakersfield. His farm near the Kern River was destroyed in a flood in 1862. He left the valley floor in search of higher ground and wound up in the foothills, building a successful ranching operation. In 1891, Joseph Weringer opened the Greenback copper mine a few miles away. He founded the townsite of Woody, which was originally named Weringdale. But the name didn’t stick, and instead it came to honor the respected early rancher and doctor.
Today Woody retains its rural character, and one other throwback to the 19th century – its school. Blake Elementary School is one of the smallest school districts in California, and serves students from grades K-8. It opened in 1899, and has been in its current location since 1917. It’s one of the last one-room school houses left in all of California.
