The Great Bakersfield Fire of 1889 is a conflagration in Bakersfield, California.

The fire burns for three hours and destroys most of town (later reincorporated as a city).

In total, one hundred and ninety-six buildings are destroyed, one man is killed and fifteen hundred people are homeless.

The fire marks the transition of Bakersfield from a frontier town to a metropolitan city

Before the fire, Bakersfield can best be described as a frontier town.

Most of the buildings are constructed out of wood in a low density configuration.

Buildings are also set back from the sidewalks

The town does have a network of fire hydrants.

Water is delivered by Scribner's Water Tower.