Potomac Park: A small pocket of culture in east Bakersfield
Potomac Park is a small, residential community in Kern County with a population of 9,000, four miles from downtown Bakersfield. Nearly 90% of the area’s population is Hispanic or Latino, and its residential landscape includes mostly 20th-century homes. “Americano-Latino culture is a huge deal here,” says William Gordon, a Realtor with Watson Realty who has been selling homes in the area for over 15 years. “It’s an older area with mostly starter and mobile homes, but it also has cute little pockets here and there with newer homes.”
Potomac Park is just 3 miles from Metropolitan Recycling, a large waste management center that produces a strong odor. Smog is also common in the area because of air pollution caused by emissions from nearby farms and industrial businesses. “It’s a very blue-collar area because there’s some heavy industrial nearby,” Gordon says.
Most of the homes in Potomac Park have moderately sized lots.
Metropolitan Recycling provides services the communities in and around Potomac Park.
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Traditional homes and ranch-style properties
Potomac Park has traditional homes from the early 1900s and ranch-style homes from the 1990s. Metal fences separate most properties, and traditional homes have small front porches and manicured lawns. Some ranchers have paved walkways that lead to sidewalks and one-car garages. The median home price is $275,000, lower than the national median of $420,000, and properties stay on the market for an average of 42 days, compared to 45 days nationally.
Some of the older homes in Potomac Park are smaller ranch and Craftsman style.
Many of the newer homes in Potomac Park have a Spanish style with tile roofs.
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Highly-rated school districts
Children in Potomac Park attend two public school districts: Bakersfield City School District earns a C from Niche and serves about 28,000 students, while Kern High School District has receives a B-plus and is ranked No.2 among Bakersfield's best school districts. City churches include the Apostolic Assembly Church, Valley Baptist Church and the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Two miles south, the Bakersfield Adult School offers high school diploma and GED programs.
Virginia Avenue Elementary School is the home of the Vikings.
Our Lady of Guadalupe provides a great education for Bakersfield students.
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Annual food festivals in Kern County
Across the street from some neighborhood homes is Potomac Country Park, a small space with a playground, picnic tables and a large grassy field. In the center of the community, Virginia Avenue County Park has large green fields and tennis courts. The Kern County Fairgrounds is 6 miles away, known for its annual fair and Latino Food Festival every May. The festival includes live mariachi performances and authentic Mexican meals.
On the north side of Potomac Park, the Mercado Latino shopping center has a mixture of stores and restaurants. It’s a Latino bazaar inspired by the market squares of various Spanish-speaking countries, with merchants selling jewelry, eateries like La Cascada and El Ranchito Restaurant serving Mexican food and live music performances. Nearby is El Rancho Grande Night Club, a popular nightlife spot. Super Q Market, Fiesta Food Market and Potomac Market are small, local convenience stores. For larger grocery hauls, there’s a Walmart at the southeast corner of Potomac Park, near Blue Star Memorial Highway.
Potomac Park residents can get their last minute items a the Super Q Market.
Potomac Park is in the process of updating features for residents to enjoy.
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Commuting and crime
State Route 58, also called Blue Star Memorial Highway, is a major east-west Bakersfield freeway. Edison Highway runs along the north side of Potomac Park and leads to downtown Bakersfield. Kern Transit system helps commuters get around. Bus stops are located along Potomac Avenue on the city’s west side. “The area is very walkable and has easy access to the highway,” Gordon says. “The 58 can get you anywhere you need to go.” The Meadows Field Airport is 14 miles north. For health care services, the Kern Medical Hospital is 2 miles north.
Incidents of violent crime increased by 10% in Kern County between 2021 and 2022, according to data from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
Written By
Chloe Hawkins
Photography Contributed By
Mark Huddleston
Video By
Scott Wiggins
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