Mettler, CA

Mettler, often called Mettler Station, is a tiny rural community in Kern County, about twenty-five miles south of Bakersfield at the southern tip of the San Joaquin Valley. Surrounded by wide-open farmland and orchards, the area was first settled by the Mettler family back in the 1940s. Today, it serves mainly as a quiet stop near the foot of the Grapevine, right where travelers connect between Interstate 5 and Highway 99.

ATTRJey0h ( talk ) / CC BY 3.0

The area also holds a well-known spot in California roadside history. On September 30, 1955, James Dean received a speeding ticket along this stretch of old U.S. 99 just hours before his fatal crash near Cholame. It remains a memorable footnote for road-trippers and highway history buffs passing through the valley, giving this small farming crossroads an enduring place on the map.