Bakersfield is an unincorporated community

Unincorporated area

In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...

 in Pecos County

Pecos County, Texas

Pecos County is a county located in Texas which is named for the Pecos River. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 16,809. The county seat is Fort Stockton....

, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. According to the Handbook of Texas

Handbook of Texas

The Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...

, the dispersed community had an estimated population of 30 in 2000.

Georgraphy

Bakersfield is located at 30°53′29"N 102°17′52"W (30.8912672, -102.2979149). It is situated at the intersection of FM 11

Farm to Market Road 11

Farm to Market Road 11, Farm Road 11, or FM 11 is a Farm to Market Road maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation located in Ward, Crane, and Pecos counties in west Texas...

 and Interstate 10

Interstate 10

Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...

, approximately 36 miles east of Fort Stockton

Fort Stockton, Texas

Fort Stockton is a city in Pecos County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,846 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pecos County.-Geography:Fort Stockton is located at ....

 in eastern Pecos County.

History

The community was established in 1929 after the discovery of oil in Taylor-Link field. The community was named after J.T. Baker, a promoter who had hoped to develop the townsite. A post office opened in the community that same year. Bakersfield grew rapidly and the population was estimated at just over 1,000 in 1930. The period of rapid growth was short lived, however, as oil production and prices declined during the 1930s. Buildings were sold for the lumber or moved off site. By 1945, Bakersfield had an estimated population of 50 residents and two businesses. The number of inhabitants had further declined to around 30, a figure that remained unchanged throughout the later half of the twentieth century.

Education

Public education in the community of Bakersfield is provided by the Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District

Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District

Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District is a public school district based in Iraan, Texas .In addition to Iraan, the district serves the communities of Sheffield and Bakersfield....

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