COLONEL BAKER’S FIELD
His name was Thomas Baker,
He was a brilliant lawyer,
A leader of the state of Ioway.
But he had a restless spirit,
A heart for bold adventure,
That drew him here to Californ-i-ay.
He settled in this valley,
He drained the swamp around him,
He planted fields of grain and fields of hay.
He gave free food and water,
To travelers and their horses,
As they journeyed between Frisco and L.A.
He was a man of faith,
A man of noble purpose,
With vision bright as sunlight at mid-day.
He watched for special people,
And whenever he would find them,
He’d give free land to encourage them to stay.
But he had one main condition,
That when they finally prospered,
They’d help the town succeed in every way.
They all worked hard together,
They built a friendly place,
For families, neighbors, strangers day to day.
We still greet weary travelers,
We still raise happy families,
We still work hard to do our best each day.
It’s still a place of goodness,
A place of honest handshakes,
A place we do things in our own sweet way.
It’s a place where God’s still reverenced,
Where Christ is lifted up,
Where we honor what the Bible has to say.
That’s the story of our city,
And of Colonel Baker’s field,
Who made this town what it is today.
~ Don Clark
Don Clark, 77, has had a life-long career in all phases of journalism, including newspapers and magazines on the East Coast and radio and television reporting and anchoring on the West Coast. He has begun a new career in guiding people toward secure financial retirements. He writes prolifically for Don Clark’s America. He lives on a ranch south of Bakersfield. He can be reached at [email protected]
