Site information:

Caliente-Bodfish Rd (P.M. 27.9), Havilah

35.518347,-118.516027

Plaque information:

Private plaque at site, S side of 1866 county courthouse.

State plaque in front of Bodfish post office, NE corner of Miller St and Kern River Canyon Rd, Bodfish.

35.590284,-118.495991

Private plaque text:

Havilah

Gold deposits at Havilah were discovered in 1864. After Kern County was organized in 1866, Havilah was the county seat until 1872, when the government was moved to Bakersfield. Havilah was an active mining center for more than 20 years. There are still some operating mines in this vicinity.

Dedicated June 12, 1938. Bakersfield Parlor No 42 N.S.G.W., El Tejon Parlor N.D.G.W., Kern County Historical Society, Kern County Chamber of Commerce.

State plaque text:

Havilah

Founded in 1863 by Aleck Harpending, who named it from verse in Genesis as "a place rich in gold". Made Kern County seat, 1866. A station on stage lines running between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Declined after county seat moved to Bakersfield, 1872.

Department of Public Works - Division of Highways

Registered 3/29/1933