Jefferson Park (Bakersfield) facts for kids

Jefferson Park is a fun public park located in Bakersfield, California. It's a great place for families and friends to enjoy outdoor activities.

How Jefferson Park Began

The city of Bakersfield bought the land for Jefferson Park on May 24, 1921. A few months later, on August 22, it officially became part of the city's park system. This happened on the same day that Central Park also joined the system. A company called MacRorie and McLaren was chosen to help build and design the park.

Jefferson Park was also an important part of developing East Bakersfield. This area used to be called Sumner and Kern City before it became part of Bakersfield in 1910.

Fun Things to Do at Jefferson Park

Jefferson Park is one of the best-equipped parks in Bakersfield. It has many cool features for everyone to enjoy!

Picnic and Play Areas

You can find a picnic area that you can reserve for parties. It has lights, a barbecue, and a covered serving spot. There are also many other picnic areas for smaller groups, usually with a barbecue too. Kids will love the playground, and there are clean restrooms available.

Sports Courts and Fields

If you love sports, this park is for you! It has four basketball courts with lights, so you can play even after sunset. There are also two lit tennis courts and horseshoe pits. A big open grass area is perfect for playing all sorts of lawn games.

Swimming and Water Fun

Jefferson Park has two swimming pools. One pool is for everyone to use, and the other is just for kids. There's also a fun spray park where you can cool off on a hot day!

Outdoor Amphitheater

The park also has an outdoor amphitheater. This is a special stage area where performances or events can take place. It has simple terraced seating on the grass, which means the ground slopes up like steps for people to sit on.