Our Vision
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Our vision is to promote recreation, tourism and community events. Help in business retention/attraction, relocation services, economic development, location filming, and the cooperative marketing of the Kern River Valley’s numerous assets. A prime consideration in those efforts will be the preservation of historical values and properties that are unique to the Kern River Valley.
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Our Mission
“To serve and support its members; to attract visitors, new residents and job creating businesses to the area; to pursue valley wide economic development; and to manage and improve the various community properties entrusted to its care.”
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Our History
Back in 1952-1957 when the old town of Kernville was settling in a new location, the business men who surrounded Circle Park got together and formed the Kernville Downtown Businessmen's Association. At Circle Park was the main market, Archie's Hardware, Jim's Museum, the Drug Store, the Odd Fellows Hall, the Westerner, and a few others.
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These business men were the one's who came up with Whiskey Flat Days which was first held in 1957. The first mayor of Whiskey Flat was Ardis Walker. And on October 11, of that year, the Downtown Business Association became the Kernville Chamber of Commerce. It was in 1964, that the County of Kern sold the property now known today as the McNally Rodeo Arena, to the Kernville Chamber of Commerce. The building housing the chamber office and meeting rooms was purchased from BLM and in 1972 the construction began and was overseen by Leland Scott, a local contractor. All workmanship was donated by town folks.
Money raised from the Whiskey Flat Mayors race over the years was collected by the chamber to help finance the building and materials of the chamber meeting room and office.
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Kernville has always had a great sense of community and to this day that still continues. - Cheryl Borthick.
Executive Officers
President - Orion Sanders
Vice President - Monica O'Brien
Treasurer - Deb Hess
Secretary - Kat Barnum
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Board of Directors
Cheryl Borthick
Bruce Cargal
Jenny Hanley
Gary Ananian
Jess Donoho
Beth Niehaus
Linda Tincher
Dan O'Brien
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Administrative Staff
Mickie Phillips
Let's Make A Change Together
The areas of focus of the Kernville Chamber of Commerce will be to promote tourism and events. Help in business retention/attraction, relocation services, economic development, location filming, and the cooperative marketing of the Kern River Valley’s numerous assets. A prime consideration in those efforts will be the preservation of historical values and properties that are unique to the Kern River Valley.