Asphalto, California Explained

Asphalto
Settlement Type:Former settlement
Pushpin Map:California
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in California
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:California
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Kern County
Coordinates:35.3047°N -119.6008°W
Elevation M:284
Elevation Ft:932

Asphalto is an archaic place name in Kern County, California. Asphalto, also known as La Brea,[1] was located on the railroad 3miles northeast of McKittrick, at an elevation of 932 feet (284 m). Asphalto still appeared on maps as of 1932. The name comes from the local asphaltum deposits.

Asphalto was originally the site of the Aguaje de La Brea, a watering place on El Camino Viejo. The site has fossils in the asphalt deposits here, similar to other places in the vicinity of McKittrick.[2] A post office operated at Asphalto from 1893 to 1894, and from 1898 to 1900, when service was transferred to McKittrick.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bailey, Richard C. . Kern County Place Names . Merchants Printing and Lithographing Co. . Introduction by Ralph F. Kreiser . 1967 . 1st . Annual Publications of the Kern County Historical Society and Kern County Museum (No. 29) . Bakersfield, Calif. . 17 . en-us . 74018077 . 158106 .
  2. https://books.google.com/books?id=wYGaAAAAIAAJ William N. Abeloe, Mildred Brooke Hoover, H. E. Rensch, E. G. Rensch, Historic spots in California, 3rd Edition., Stanford University Press, Stanford, 1966 William N. Abeloe, Mildred Brooke Hoover, H. E. Rensch, E. G. Rensch, Historic spots in California, 3rd Edition., Stanford University Press, Stanford, 1966; p.128