Garcés Memorial Circle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Garcés Memorial Circle |
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Sculpture of Padre Francisco Garcés in Garcés Memorial Circle
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| Location | |
| Bakersfield, California | |
| Coordinates: | 35°23′13″N 119°01′08″W / 35.387°N 119.019°W |
| Roads at junction: |
 SR 204 (Golden State Avenue)Chester Avenue 30th Street |
| Construction | |
| Type: | Traffic circle with an overpass flyover |
| Opened: | 1932 |
| Maintained by: | Caltrans, City of Bakersfield |
| Map | |
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Garcés Memorial Circle is a special kind of road intersection in Bakersfield, California. People sometimes call it Garcés Circle or just The Circle. It's a traffic circle, which is a round intersection where traffic flows in one direction around a central island.
This circle is where Chester Avenue, Golden State Avenue (State Route 204), and 30th Street all meet. There's also a bridge, called an overpass, that goes over the circle. This bridge lets cars on Golden State Avenue drive straight through without having to go around the circle.
The Garcés Memorial Circle honors a Spanish priest named Francisco Garcés. He was a missionary and explorer who traveled through this area a long time ago. The circle is also a California Historical Landmark. This means it's a place with important history. It's believed that Garcés visited a Native American village, called a rancheria, near this spot on May 7, 1776.
The History of Garcés Circle
The Garcés Memorial Circle was built around 1932. It was originally part of a major road called US 99. Imagine a busy highway, and this circle was a key part of it!
Inside the circle, there is a large sculpture of Father Francisco Garcés. This statue was created in 1939 by an artist named John Palo-Kangas. It helps everyone remember the important explorer the circle is named after.
The Garcés Memorial Traffic Circle is about 280 feet wide in its inner part. It's like a smaller version of another famous traffic circle in California. The Long Beach Traffic Circle in Long Beach is a bit bigger, at 360 feet wide, and was built in 1930.
A Special California Landmark
The Garcés Memorial Circle is recognized as a California Historical Landmark. This means it's a place that tells an important story about California's past. A special plaque at the site explains its history.
The plaque, known as California Historical Landmark No. 277, says:
- NO. 277 GARCÉS CIRCLE - This is the approximate site of the Indian rancheria visited by Franciscan friar Padre Francisco Garcés on May 7, 1776. Padre Garcés named this spot San Miguel de los Noches por el Santa Príncipe.
This means that around this very spot, Padre Francisco Garcés visited a Native American village. He gave the place a Spanish name, "San Miguel de los Noches por el Santa Príncipe." This name roughly translates to "Saint Michael of the Nights by the Holy Prince." It reminds us of the early history and explorations in the area.
See also
