Fort, The
Why it's listed
Built between 1938 and 1940 in Taft, California, The Fort is a massive adobe-brick government center modeled on John Sutter's original fort in Sacramento. It covers nearly three acres, measures 360 by 200 feet, and has walls about 14 feet high, a mission tile roof, heavy timber gates and two-story bastions at the east corners. Inner buildings along the walls hold county, state and federal offices around landscaped courtyards. Kern County and the Work Projects Administration built it jointly, with W. Francis Parsons as architect. An average of 83 men worked on the project daily, and the county spent $51,701.60 while federal funds paid roughly twice that in wages. The nomination presents it as one of the largest WPA projects in the southern San Joaquin Valley, an important source of Depression-era jobs, and a civic center that once also contained a hospital unit. The central auditorium was rebuilt after earthquake damage in 1952.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it was one of the largest WPA projects in the San Joaquin Valley and helped stabilize the local economy during the Great Depression by providing jobs. It also housed county, state and federal offices and medical facilities, giving the community a civic focus. It is presented as a notable example of WPA-era architecture and of California's 1930s response to historic imagery.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 81000151, listed July 22, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Ash and Lincoln Sts., Taft |
|---|---|
| County | Kern County |
| Listed | July 22, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000151 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1938-1940 |
| Architect / builder | W. Francis Parsons, AIA (architect); County of Kern; Federal Works Administration |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition and publicly owned; it houses county, state and federal offices. A 1952 earthquake required reconstruction of the central auditorium building. |
| Acreage | 4.1 |
| Coordinates | 35.15058, -119.46605 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 81000151.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14684107
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.