Buttonwillow, California
Buttonwillow is a community of 1,163 people in Kern County, California.
Why visit Buttonwillow
Townapedia lists 1 park or trail, 9 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Buttonwillow Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 98°F; December lows average 36°F.
Weather in Buttonwillow
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Buttonwillow
Buttonwillow is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California, United States. Buttonwillow is 26 miles (42 km) west of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 269 feet (82 m). The population was 1,337 at the 2020 census, down from 1,508 at the 2010 census. The center of population of California is located in Buttonwillow.
From the Wikipedia article Buttonwillow, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes9
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.5 mi
20673 Tracy Avenue, Buttonwillow
Su 04:30-22:00; Mo-Th 04:00-21:30; Fr,Sa 04:00-22:00
Tacos El Paraiso
Fast food · Mexican · 2.4 mi
20645 Tracy Avenue, Buttonwillow
Su-Fr 09:00-22:00, Sa 09:00-15:00
Where to stay3
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Churches and places of worship4
History
The town was originally called Buena Vista when it was founded in 1895, but the name quickly became Buttonwillow.
Buttonwillow was named for the buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). A lone buttonbush served as a landmark on an old trans-valley trail and was used by the indigenous Yokuts people as a meeting place, later becoming the site of settlers' stock rodeos. The Miller & Lux holdings company eventually established a headquarters and store near the tree. This tree is listed as California Historical Landmark No. 492. This landmark is now known as the Buttonwillow Tree.
.NO. 492 BUTTONWILLOW TREE - This lone tree, which gave the town of Buttonwillow its name, served as a landmark on an old trans-valley trail. An ancient Yokuts Indian meeting place, it later became the site of settlers' stock rodeos. Miller and Lux established their headquarters and store here about 1885."
The first United States Post Office at Buttonwillow was established in 1895.
From the History section of Buttonwillow, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Buttonwillow Union Elementary School District Office
School · 2.1 mi
42600 McKittrick Highway, Buttonwillow
Map of Buttonwillow
30 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 38°F | 1.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 64°F | 41°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 70°F | 45°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 76°F | 49°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 84°F | 56°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 92°F | 62°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 98°F | 68°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 97°F | 66°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 91°F | 60°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 81°F | 50°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 67°F | 41°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 58°F | 36°F | 1.0 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Buttonwillow (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Kern County has had 28 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-07-27: Borel Fire (Fire)
- 2023-11-21: Tropical Storm Hilary (Hurricane)
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2021-08-25: French Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Shafter Airport (MIT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Wasco 13 mi north, about 22 min by car
- Rosedale 13 mi east, about 21 min by car
- Shafter 14 mi east, about 23 min by car
- McFarland 21 mi northeast, about 34 min by car
- Bakersfield 23 mi east, about 37 min by car
- Oildale 23 mi east, about 37 min by car
- East Bakersfield 26 mi east, about 42 min by car
- Delano 27 mi north, about 43 min by car
- Potomac Park 27 mi east, about 43 min by car
- Hillcrest 27 mi east, about 44 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Buttonwillow, Jey0h ( talk ), CC BY 3.0
- Buttonwillow tree in Buttonwillow, California, Mx. Granger, CC0
- Buttonwillow, CA, USA - panoramio (5), Clotee Pridgen Alloc…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buttonwillow, CA, USA - panoramio (6), Clotee Pridgen Alloc…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buttonwillow, CA, USA - panoramio (1), Clotee Pridgen Alloc…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buttonwillow, CA, USA - panoramio (2), Clotee Pridgen Alloc…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buttonwillow, CA, USA - panoramio (3), Clotee Pridgen Alloc…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buttonwillow, CA, USA - panoramio, Clotee Pridgen Alloc…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buttonwillow, CA, USA - panoramio (4), Clotee Pridgen Alloc…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Midway steam plant site 1921, San Joaquin Light and Power Corporation, Public domain
- McDonald's (11512945084), Clotee Pridgen Allochuku from Sherman Oaks, California, United States, CC BY 2.0
- ISS046-E-3331 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Cyphomyrmex wheeleri casent0005664 dorsal 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Cyphomyrmex wheeleri casent0005664 head 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- ISS059-E-36208 - View of Mexico, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Cyphomyrmex wheeleri casent0005664 profile 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- ISS055-E-91014 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-3329 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-3330 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS055-E-91013 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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