Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
KINGSBURG: A LITTLE SWEDEN IN THE VALLEY
The quiet hamlet of Kingsburg has a vibrant ethnic heritage. Around 1873, when it was es-
tablished as a rail stop called 'Kings River Switch,' two Swedes arrived. Their countrymen
soon followed, and by 1921, 94% of Kingsburg's residents, as it had become known, were
of Swedish heritage.
Draper St, the main drag, is decked out in vibrant Swedish Dala horses, a holy symbol.
Inside the cutesy Tudor buildings are gift shops and little bakeries stocked with buttery
pastries. The restaurants serve Swedish pancakes, Swedish meatballs and Swedish lin-
gonberry soda, just eat early, because many close after lunch. Diane at
Diane's Village
Bakery & Cafe
( 559-897-7460; 1332 Draper St, Kingsburg Village Mall; mains under $8.25;
8am-2:30pm Mon-Sat) in the back of the Village Mall cooks with her grandmother's recipes.
Dala Horse
( 559-897-7762; 1531 Draper St; mains $7.25-10.25; 6am-2:30pm, to 2pm Sat, to
1pm Sun) is liberal with their lingonberry jam. Pick up Nordic decor and insight on the town
from June, town icon and proprietor of
Svensk Butik
. Sure the town plays up its heritage
for the crowds, but there is genuine pride in every 'Valkommen!'
The town has also gone through pains to preserve its oldest structures. Under the
24hr) is a quick stop. On the east end of town, a general store, schoolhouse and windmill,
as well as artifacts and farm equipment make up
Kingsburg Historical Park
(
www.kingsburghistoricalpark.org
; 2321 Sierra St; 1-4pm Fri).
Good times to visit are during the holiday explosion that is the
Santa Lucia Festival
(first Saturday of December) and the
Swedish Festival
(parades, maypole dancing, and
a real smorgasbord) in May. The
Chamber of Commerce
(
559-897-1111;
www.kingsburg-
chamber-of-commerce.org
; 1475 Draper St;
9am-5pm) keeps a calendar.
Sleeping & Eating
Chain motels sprout like weeds off the highways near Bakersfield. Old-school budget mo-
tels, starting from about $47, line Union Ave south heading south from Hwy 178, but can
be shady. Great meals though are easy to find. Bakersfield is blessed with a Basque culin-
ary tradition, where food is served family-style in a procession of courses including soup,
salad, beans, thin slices of tangy beef tongue and cottage cheese, which all come
before
the main course.
