Delano offers a clear cultural and historical focus: the history of the Delano grape strike can be understood through a range of events and places. The Filipino Community Hall is associated with the strike; The Forty Acres later became the headquarters of the United Farm Workers of America. The Delano Golf Course adds another focus. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider whether you are primarily interested in labor movement history or golf.
The events of the Delano grape strike
On the evening of September 7, 1965, predominantly Filipino farmworkers gathered at the Filipino Community Hall and voted to strike against grape growers in the Delano area. The Filipino Community Hall served as a shared union hall and strike kitchen for the strikers.
On September 8, Larry Itliong and other Filipino leaders of the predominantly Filipino Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee led a walkout at table grape farms. This walkout is now known as the Delano grape strike. During the strike, the two groups joined forces and founded the United Farm Workers of America. The sequence of events distinguishes the strike vote on September 7 from the walkout the following day and the union’s later founding.
The Forty Acres and the development of the union
In 1966, The Forty Acres in Delano, California, became the headquarters of the United Farm Workers of America, the first agricultural union in the United States to exist on a permanent basis. The buildings, park, roads, and landscaping at The Forty Acres remain intact today. This brings together two distinct points in time: the events of September 1965 mark the start of the strike; its role as headquarters in 1966 represents a later phase in the history of the union.
Those interested in the development of the labor movement can use this sequence as a thread for exploring Delano: from the strike vote to the walkout, to the founding of the union and its later role as headquarters. The named places and events play different roles in this history rather than describing a single moment.
Golf and getting around town
The Delano Golf Course is a 9-hole course in Kern County Memorial Park. This adds a clearly defined sporting option to the historical themes. When choosing your travel focus, this is a different approach from exploring the events of 1965 and the later history of the union: golf is a separate activity you can consider when deciding whether to visit Delano.
Getting around town is another point to consider when planning. DART operates four fixed routes throughout Delano. This information can help you get oriented to the city’s transit network; for specific journeys, it is a good idea to check the relevant route in advance.
More topics in the wider Kern destination
If you compare Delano within the broader Kern destination, other topics come into view. Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park is open to the public only as part of guided tours; check tour dates before your trip. Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area is in eastern Kern County next to State Route 14, on the western edge of the Mojave Desert. Recreation at Lake Isabella is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. These destinations broaden the range of topics to explore in Kern without replacing Delano’s local highlights.
Discover more destinations: Bakersfield, Lost Hills, Ridgecrest, Mckittrick, California City, Wofford Heights, Taft, Kernville.
See the broader travel guide: Kern.
