1965 First Ever Well-Pulling Contest

In 1965 William L. Warne, Director of the State Department of Water Resources, was Grand Marshall. Warne, Mayor Pete Gianopulos and Assemblyman John Williamson participated in the "ground breaking" ceremonies for the excavating the over 9 million cubic yards needed for the Buena Vista Pumping Plant and the ribbon cutting for the dedication of the State Department of Water Resources Field Headquarters at 601 Gardner Field Road. Another "Oildorado Special" train made the round-trip from Bakersfield to Taft. The first ever well-pulling contest was held at a well located at 4th and Calvin Streets. Over 30,000 people lined the streets to view the parade. A scene from the parade is pictured below. Clarence Williams was the president of Oildorado that year and Jena Free was the Oildorado Queen.