Overview of the Project

The Kern County Museum has been collecting historic buildings since 1948 as part of its mission to provide “interpretive experiences through historical objects to tell significant stories about Kern County life to its visitors.” The museum has a tremendous opportunity to add an important structure to its collection, one that will further help showcase “the unique importance of the region in shaping the history of California and the nation in ways that enrich lives and shape a better future.”

The 1909 Lopez Home was offered to the museum by the family of the late Lavern Hill, and was accepted for the museum’s permanent collection on March 13, 2007, providing that the funds necessary to move and restore it can be raised in the community. This home was originally situated at the southwest corner of Chester and California Avenues as the home of Jose J. (J.J.) Lopez, long time manager of the renowned Tejon Ranch.

As was common through Bakersfield history, the home was moved when commercial development of downtown encroached on its originally residential area. It has occupied the southwest corner of Rosedale Highway and Calloway Drive since 1953. The home was purchased by Lavern Hill and her husband in 1966. Mrs. Hill used the home as her residence and as an upholstery shop. She lived in the home until she died in 2005. It was her dream for the home to move to the museum and she steadfastly refused offers to purchase it for commercial development.

Lavern Hill’s daughters, Glenda Rankin and Dianne Sharman, have taken a particular interest in seeing that the home is moved to the museum, fulfilling their mother’s dream. They have donated countless hours to researching the home’s history in archives and through first person research with family descendents. These sisters plan to continue their work with fundraising until the house is moved and restored at the museum. Thanks to these ladies, J. J. Lopez's great grand-daughter Nancy Tinnen has developed an interest in the project and is willing to donate her great grandfather’s Ludwig upright piano, desk, recliner, binoculars and pictures from the home. Mrs. Tinnen also has numerous photographs of Lopez and his wife, Mary Winters, which she will make available to the museum for reproduction.

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