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Yes, before television and drive in theaters dominated the local night life, old Bakersfield had some really great "hot night spots".

Spawned by the heavily traveled Golden State Highway, motels and restaurants began springing up in the 30's when motorists traveling between Los Angeles to San Fransisco found our city a convenient all night rest stop and watering hole.

The pioneer of them all was "The Bakersfield Inn" was built in 1929 and located at California and Union Avenues. This beautiful Spanish style motor hotel was the beginning of "motel row" or "Union Avenue Strip", as the area of the neon encrusted showplaces were called back then. The reason this strip of highway through Bakersfield was graced with these night spots was that Union Avenue was the only road through town in those days, it funneled all the north and south through traffic right by these businesses.

Although The Bakersfield Inn was the business communities "company party spot", weddings, club meetings, Christmas party's and scores of other local functions, it wasn't generally recognized as a "night club". This motel received many expansions due to the increase in motor traffic over the years. The last addition, in 1949, was built on the east side, across 99 Highway. To access the new wing, for guest's convenience, an arched walkway was constructed over the highway to which the big letters "Bakersfield" were attached.

Many movie stars of that era were frequent guests at the Inn. In 1953 I worked at the Standard Station adjacent to the Inn and recall a few stars, Jimmy Durante, Clark Gable, Fred MacMurray, Gary Moore and some less known celebrities would leave their car, credit card and keys with the station attendant with instructions,"give her the works", knowing the car would be serviced and ready the following day when they were leaving the motel, they always left a big tip for us employees.

The El Adobe Motel, south of the Bakersfield Inn, at Union and Terrace Way, was unique in that the Restituto family had their motel built in 1936 using adobe blocks, made on site, of clay from that property. The El Adobe was one of the first to import "not quite ready for prime time entertainers" from Hollywood to perform in the lounge. This "night club" atmosphere was enhanced, in it's early days, with lively gambling in the back room and some of the finest Italian, Mexican and domestic food in town. This hot spot ushered Bakersfield into the "night club"era. The local crowd had been given a taste of dinning, dancing, cocktails and live entertainment and they filled the place nightly.

In 1946, the next famous night spot to appear on the "Union Avenue Strip" was designed as a night club from the beginning by the Restituto family. Located on Union Avenue at Planz Road, it was named "The Crystal Inn". The bar featured a large glass fish tank in which, at unannounced times, a live "mermaid" would appear to be swimming around the aquarium smiling at the patrons, of course it was done with mirrors but it attracted spectators for years. The spacious ballroom contained a huge, beautiful, terrazo dance floor and featured top notch music and live entertainment. Some of the greats from movies of the past who appeared were The Marx Brothers, The Three Stooges and scores of musical groups breaking in new acts for Las Vegas appearances.

Special occasion's were very often celebrated at the Crystal. Anniversary's, birthdays, office party's, all were nightly affairs in the many brightly wallpapered banquet rooms throughout the Inn. The atmosphere seemed right out of a Hollywood movie as the "photo girls" visited the tables taking pictures and even making a voice recording of your party if desired. Features such as this were a real novelty to the local party crowd of the 50's.

My employer and I were fortunate to witness a performance of the celebrated fan dancer"Sally Rand" at the Chrystal Inn one night in 1956. After watching her perform the beautiful "ballet with ostrich feathers", under pale blue lighting, to the soft strains of Debussy's"Clair De lune", I could understand why she was recognized as the entertainer, viewed live on stage, by more people, than any other in America during the 20th century. My boss invited Sally to our table after her performance and to my amazement she accepted and sipped a Pepsi as she signed autographs and talked to us about her long career. Entertainment such as this is the reason the Chrystal was the class of night spots in town for many years and their seating for 500 was often reserved far in advance. Tragically the Crystal burned to the ground in 1958.

A totally new kind of night club, restaurant was opened on the 99 Strip in 1950. Named "Maison Jaussaud's", Bakersfield had never before experienced such a swanky place as this. It's French cuisine, headliner entertainment and French chateau like interior styling made a couple feel like really dressing up and spending the evening dinning and dancing at "Joso's", as it was called for short.

The all male staff of up to 60 waiters wore tuxedos which sort of coaxed patrons to "dress up" in their Sunday best when going out to Joso's for their anniversary or the Company's Christmas party. A real cultural boost for Bakersfield's usual leisurely dressed crowd. Over the years Joso's hosted many celebrities including California Governors Pat and Jerry Brown, Senators Ted Kennedy and Alan Cranston, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, Charles Laughton and the Shaw of Iran.

The food was the best Bakersfield had ever experienced. The extensive menu included over 70 items and specialties such as "rack of lamb"prepared by real French chefs was delicious. The wine cellar was stocked with nearly 100 varieties of French and domestic wines. The restaurant and showroom could seat 1000 people and on occasions when famous personalities or orchestras were featured as entertainment, they played to a full house.

One comedian by the name of Johnny Carson had just had his Los Angeles local TV show cancelled from lack of interest and Joso's hired him at $400 per week to entertain the patrons as a stand up comedian and magician. Within a few nights patrons felt he was in the wrong business and frequent negative remarks from the audience followed by Johnny's snide responses to these remarks were material Johnny used for years thereafter on his "Tonight Show". This gem he slipped in one night at Joso's; "this must be the Dust Bowl dumping ground" and another response to a heckler,"go water your potatoes Zeke". Johnny sought revenge on Bakersfield for years drumming it as a hick town and with a nightly audience of more than 15 million viewers, most of the world began to believed it. "You have won an expense paid weekend in Bakersfield" was slipped into his monologue many times. But, in reality, he knew Bakersfield was his first step up as two agents saw his heckling act at Joso's and signed him to other acts that led finally to "The Tonight Show".


Other hot night spots sprang up in the 50's such as "Freddies On The Hill" where A great night club and restaurant were combined with a bowling alley on the hill on north Mount Vernon Avenue. It became "The" place to go in East Bakersfield to enjoy great food such as their fabulous "steak and lobster" as you listened and danced to the most romantic saxophone artist to ever play in Bakersfield, Joe De Giuli and orchestra. And also in East Bakersfield the Tam OShanter on Alta Vista Drive was considered the only night spot for hundreds of La Cresta residents.

And another hot spot, "Edison Highway Strip" was beginning to draw a huge following of people who enjoyed dancing to country western music. "The Lucky Spot" and "Clover Club" were located on Edison Highway where the world famous "Bakersfield Sound" was being born in the 50's. Some of the most talented musicians in the west played and wrote top chart songs at these two clubs and their other weekly club date was playing at "The Blackboard Cafe" on north Chester Avenue. All three of these night spots are now gone.

In the late 1950's, television began to keep the night clubbers and restaurateurs at home and as each year passed the old hot spots began to fade away due to financial difficulties. In 1963 the 99 freeway opened, bypassing Bakersfield. The flow of traffic along the old strip was cut off over night. Big motel chains moved in along the strip and even many of our beloved cafes were forced to resort to "all you can eat for a dollar" style businesses to take up the slack created by the home television revolution that featured TV dinners served on TV trays.

I still fondly recall those good times when my wife would ask; " Shall we go to Joso's or The Crystal tonight dear"?

                        Copyrighted by George Gilbert Lynch, Feb 12, 2009