Taft, California: The Great Mouse Invasion - West Kern Oil Museum
RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report
West Kern Oil Museum
- Address:
- 1168 Wood St., Taft, CA
- Directions:
- From I-5 go west on Hwy 119 to Taft, through the stoplight and over the old railroad tracks. Turn right onto Wood St.
- Hours:
- Th-Sa 10-4, Su 1-4. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 661-765-6664
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
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The Great Mouse Invasion - West Kern Oil Museum
History of Taft and a region once dotted with 7,000 wooden derricks. Outdoor derrick, equipment...site of the largest rodent infestation in US.
Roadsideamerica.com Report... [02/22/2015]Visitor Tips and News About The Great Mouse Invasion - West Kern Oil Museum
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The Great Mouse Invasion... Nov. 26, 1925
A room festooned with rubber mice at the the West Kern Oil Museum pays tribute to the worst rodent infestation in U.S. history. It began 95 years ago on November 26, 1926, when an army of 50-100 million scurrying critters invaded the town of Taft, California. At its peak, the mouse-to-citizen ratio was estimated at 20,000 to 1. Winter rains and hungry birds eventually ended the plague.
[RoadsideAmerica.com Team, 11/26/2021]West Kern Oil Museum
The museum tells the story of when 44 million mice invaded West Kern, setting off the largest rodent infestation of the U.S. The three month mouse war ended with the help of seagulls and hawks and a change in the weather.
There is also a model of "Gail," a Chevron drilling production platform off the coast of Santa Barbara. Plus tons of fun stuff to see. If you are lucky, Olive will be there to give you a private tour. Be ready for the pop quiz about an item in the museum's theater.
[Dorrie Hall, 07/07/2015]Nearby Offbeat Places
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