Woody | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 35°42′15″N 118°50′03″W / 35.70417°N 118.83417°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Kern County |
Elevation | 1,654 ft (504 m) |
Population (2008) | |
• Total | 135 |
Time zone | UTC-8 ( PST) |
• Summer ( DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
ZIP codes | 93287 |
Website | [2] |
Woody (formerly, Weringdale) [3] is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California, in the United States. [1] It is located in the foothills of the Greenhorn Mountains, 25 miles (40 km) north-northeast of Bakersfield [3] at an elevation of 1,654 feet (504 m). [1]
Woody was named after Sparrell Walter Woody, who homesteaded with his wife at the foot of Blue Mountain in 1862. [3] The Woody School District was founded in 1873 and a post office opened in 1889. [3] Copper was discovered near Woody in 1891 by Joseph Weringer, who founded the Greenback Mine and built the nine-room Weringdale Hotel. Quartz gold was found on Blue Mountain in 1894, and the population of the town, then known as Weringdale, grew to over a hundred. By the time the townsite was subdivided by Weringer in 1909, the community's name had reverted to Woody. [3]
A small ranch town, the total population of Woody has changed little since the mid-1890s. The post office, fire department, and Blue Mountain Graveyard are situated on the outskirts of town. There is also an elementary school and a community hall where the Woody residents have gatherings and events. There used to be a restaurant/ bar in Woody, but financial problems caused it to close.[ citation needed]
A local legend states that the outlaw Joaquin Murrieta once had a cave/hideout in the area that he used while on the run.[ citation needed]
Just outside of Woody is California Historical Landmark number 589, the Mountain House Station. The spot was a Butterfield Overland Mail Stagecoach stop and station from 1858 to 1861. The location of the Mountain House station was on Dry Creek, on Bakersfield-Glenville Roads about 6.3 miles from Woody. [4]