Burial at Bakersfield National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Bakersfield National Cemetery

Set in a beautiful, natural landscape, Bakersfield National Cemetery in the White Wolf area of the Tehachapi Mountains is nestled amidst wide-open stretches, mountain vistas and rolling grazing land where both cattle and camels once roamed. Dating to the days of the land grants when California was still part of Mexico, the land has hosted vaqueros and cowboys, as well as the short-lived U.S. Army Camel Corps that was based in nearby Fort Tejon from 1857 to 1863.

The cemetery land was originally part of a Mexican grant that dates to November 24, 1843, when Mexican Governor Manuel Micheltorena gave the land to the original owners, Jose Antonio Aguirre and Ignacio del Valle. They called the property Rancho el Tejon.

In the 1850s and 1860s, General Edward Fitzgerald Beale, hero of the Battle of San Pasqual and former superintendent of Indian affairs and surveyor-general of California, purchased Rancho el Tejon and three other land grants and assembled them into what he called the Ranchos el Tejon, now known simply as Tejon Ranch. Rancho el Tejon was the largest of the four land grants. The White Wolf area, where the cemetery is located, was historically used for grazing and that practice continues today. It was so named because of the packs of white wolves that roamed the area. The vaqueros reported seeing them as late as 1875.

Through the National Cemetery Expansion Act of 2003, Congress authorized the addition of six new national cemeteries, including one in the Bakersfield area. The Tejon Ranch Company, which owns the largest contiguous tract of private property in California—between Los Angeles and Bakersfield—quickly offered to donate land for use as a cemetery. It offered a choice of several locations in the White Wolf area and the National Cemetery Administration chose the 500-acre site located just south of Highway 58 and west of Highway 223. The cemetery is surrounded by the 422-square-mile Tejon Ranch.

Notable veterans buried at Bakersfield National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration documents the following veterans of note buried at Bakersfield National Cemetery, listed by section and site as recorded in the cemetery's official register.

• Charles L. Napier, a veteran character actor of both TV and film, his granite jaw and toothy grin often earned him roles as tough-guys and heavies. By the time Napier found his niche, he had been a high school art teacher, parking lot attendant, typist and truck driver. Born April 12, 1936, in Mount Union, KY, he served in the Army before earning a bachelor's degree in art in 1961 from what is now Western Kentucky University. He died at the age of 75 and was interred at the Bakersfield National Cemetery on October 13, 2011; Section A, Row D, Site 15.

Eligibility for burial at Bakersfield National Cemetery

Planning ahead for a Veteran's or loved-one's final resting place can eliminate unnecessary delays and reduce stress on a family at a difficult time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs covers the grave plot, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-furnished headstone or marker, and a U.S. burial flag at no cost to eligible families.

Visiting hours

Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays. VA will continue its practice of honoring special requests for weekend burials for religious purposes, in cases of service members killed in action and on at least one day of any three-day Federal holiday weekend at all open VA national cemeteries.

How to schedule a burial at Bakersfield National Cemetery

1. The funeral home or family contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 (24/7 for active funeral arrangements).
2. Provide the veteran's full name, date of birth, social security number, dates of service, branch, and date of death.
3. Fax or email the DD-214 to the cemetery's interment office for verification.
4. Once eligibility is confirmed (typically 30–60 minutes for complete documentation), the cemetery assigns a date, time, and committal shelter.
5. The funeral home transports the deceased to Bakersfield National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Bakersfield National Cemetery sits in the California cemetery system

Bakersfield National Cemetery is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in California. The cemetery is currently accepting new in-ground and columbarium interments. Families should verify status before planning.

For families considering alternatives, the nearest veteran cemeteries appear in our cemetery sidebar. If Bakersfield National Cemetery is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.