Delano

While the center of Delano around the 99 freeway brings in travelers and new workers, East Delano is where long-term residents reside. “I still see people I went to high school with,” says Realtor Vincent Lara, whose father was a broker in town and whose brother Anthony is a Realtor, too. “People stay in Delano to raise kids. Many have been here for 50 years or longer. It’s a nice small-town community.” In East Delano, families grow up together, business owners remember playing sports with their associates, and high school friends find themselves working together many years later. Single-family homes in East Delano sell for between $220,000 and $670,000. “Many are ranch-style homes and contemporaries,” Lara says. “Some are two stories with three or four bedrooms.” Here, homes with Spanish-tile roofs feature two-car garages, large driveways and fruit trees in the backyard, which are often spacious and filled with secondary buildings or pools for entertaining. Manufactured homes also sell on this side of Delano in the Cypress Gardens subdivision for between $95,000 and $150,000. The DART (or Delano Area Rapid Transit) bus service runs Monday through Friday and Saturday to move residents from outlying areas like East Delano to the downtown and popular destinations like the Aviator Casino and the public golf course. Delano is also just 30 miles from Bakersfield, accessible by bus through Kern Transit. Amtrak’s San Joaquins Line stops in Bakersfield, and passenger flights leave from Meadows Field Airport. Residents shop at the Vallarta supermarket on Cecil Avenue for everyday needs. A Rite Aid is nearby, across the parking lot. Several restaurants line the Cecil Avenue, one of the main streets that take residents east and west. On the northern tip of the neighborhood, next to the 99 freeway, Generals Café & Grill is a local favorite, serving made-to-order breakfasts, Latin-inspired lunches and down-home dinners. Tony’s Barber Shop is next door, the place to stop for a cut and conversation. The 9-hole Delano Golf Course is located at Kern County Memorial Park and helps residents improve their game with a driving range, putting green and chipping area. The clubhouse includes a pro shop and the Hole in One Café. Memorial Park features several baseball fields, a children’s playground and picnic shelters. Also nearby is the Adventist Health Community Garden, a place for residents to plant fruits, vegetables and herbs free of charge. Veneto Park, on the eastern edge of town, is the newest, offering basketball courts and a brand-new jungle gym with slides and soft flooring. All the schools that serve East Delano received a B from Niche. They include Morningside Elementary, recently recognized by the city for the school’s cross-country team that competed at a national competition in Tallahassee, Florida. La Vina Middle has started using a new digital platform to communicate with parents, keep them informed, and help them participate in their student’s school experience. Neighborhood students also attend Delano High, whose Titan marching band has taken first place at several local tournaments. In July, the Philippine Weekend is a monthlong celebration of cultural pride, celebrating the local Filipino population and featuring food vendors, basketball tournaments, singing and dance competitions. One of the highlights of the weekend was a performance by the “UFO” dancers (or the “United Filipino Organization”) from the local high school. Celebrating its 50th year, the Delano Campus of Bakersfield College has given the local community access to BC’s programs and services now for half a century. What began with an enrollment of 400 students in the 1970s has turned into nearly 4,500 in recent years. The campus has moved once due to growth and has begun construction on a new 40,000-square-foot, two-story building to expand its course offerings and services. “With Bakersfield College right here,” Lara says, “students don’t even have to leave home to get their degree. It’s a win for our close-knit community.”

West Delano is the site of one of the most successful boycotts in American history. During the 1965 Delano Grape Strike, led by labor activist Cesar Chavez, farm workers fought and won to have better working conditions. “The strike put Delano on the map,” says John Lara, broker for San Joaquin Realty, who has been in real estate for 17 years. “My parents were involved and knew Chavez; I even have a photo of my dad and Chavez in my office.” This small-town community relies on its past as a foundation for the future and continues to embrace its roots with namesake parks and schools honoring the activist. A land rich in pistachios and grapes, the city of Delano is also building new commercial areas that will create jobs for residents. “We’ve been growing ever since,” says Lara, who grew up in the area. “We can still see the history today with the improved conditions for workers.” Homes in the West Delano area include classic California Mediterranean and Spanish-style homes. There are recently built homes in the north of the neighborhood that range from around $360,000 to $470,000 for a four-bedroom and 2 ½ bath home. In town, a single-story Mediterranean or Spanish style house can cost around $140,000 for three beds and two baths and can cost as much as $375,000. The median price of homes in West Delano is $310,000. Delano is about 30 miles from Bakersfield, with state route 99 bisecting the city east and west. The Delano Area Rapid Transit (DART) provides bus routes all around the city, as well. While here is a municipal airport on the southern town limits, it is mostly used for military, air ambulances and other similar services. Residents can drive to the Bakersfield Meadows Field airport, just over 25 miles away, for mainland and international flights. There are two Vallarta Supermarket’s in town. Residents can also head just over two miles south to the Walmart Supercenter or Aldi’s for groceries. In line with the city’s mission to create employment opportunities, the Delano Marketplace, a new 47-acre outdoor commercial area with a Home Depot, Ross and 35 other retail and dining establishments, provides job opportunities for residents. The city of Delano is looking to develop the area even more, with an additional five areas of commercial land already secured for that purpose. Taco Bell and Jollibee add fast food options within Delano Marketplace. For more local food, Jenny’s Café, a Mexican restaurant in business since 1976, serves up carnitas, huevos rancheros, camarones a la costa and more. Albany Park is next door to Albany Park Elementary School and has covered picnic tables, a play area and a large grassy field. The 11th Avenue Community Center is also in the middle of building a new play area, to include two playsets. The larger one has several slides and climbing structures, while the smaller set has one slide. Cecil Park, less than a mile east of highway 99, has a skate park in addition to play structures, basketball courts and a gazebo. There are several high schools in the area, but students can begin their education at Fremont Elementary School. From there, students can attend Almond Tree Middle School with a 16:1 student teacher ratio. Both schools earned a B- on Niche. Robert F. Kennedy High School, offers Advanced Placement classes, as well as many clubs and sports, such as band, football, book club and wrestling. Niche gave the school a B. “The city is looking to build more elementary and middle schools as the city grows,” Lara said. To the west of the city is Forty Acres, the site of Chavez’ workplace during the 1965 strike, where he dedicated a public fast to address how workers were being treated. The area is now a dedicated United States historical landmark and event venue. “They do Day of the Worker, right around Labor Day to celebrate the employees,” says Lara. “It’s a day of appreciation.” Throughout the year, Delano holds holidays and other events in town, such as a Christmas parade and Harvest holiday celebrations. There are two prisons to the west of the city, which the city claimed were the top two employers in 2021. There are also industrial warehouses and distribution centers being built, which should also lead to more jobs in the area.