BASQUE CLUB HISTORIOGRAPHY
By Jo Frances Ansolabehere - Read Part 2 | Part 3

After many years of meeting socially, probably at one of the various Basque hotel and restaurants that lined the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks on Sumner Street, on March 20, 1944 five men met to draw up Articles of Incorporation and By-laws for the group thereafter to be known as THE KERN COUNTY BASQUE CLUB, INC. These men were: John Ansolabehere, Frank Maitia, Sr., Felix Etcheverry, Raymond Castanchoa and Inocencio Jaurena.
The Club was organized for the purpose of perpetuating the Basque culture, which is first the people, then their social events, the eating, drinking, laughing, dancing, singing and whatever God may have desired for the Basque and their friends to take pleasure in and enjoy.
After two years of borrowing the old Swiss Hall on Stine Road, the property was purchased and held until 1958 when it was sold and the $3,500 deposited in a savings account known as the Building Fund. A picture of the original hall has been donated to the Basque Club and now hangs in the club-house at 2301 South Union Avenue. Make a point to look for it on the trophy wall.
From 1944 until 1972 the Club was active on a limited scale. However, in 1972 many younger Basque, with the backing of the older members, decided to buy property, build a handball court and become more active. This became a reality in August, 1974 when President Jean Erassarret Jr. and Secretary-Treasurer Jo Frances Ansolabehere signed escrow papers for the Corporation. The original building fund, plus added interest and current funds were used to purchase the Union Avenue property, known as The Rainbow Gardens, for sixty thousand dollars. A down payment of $15,000 was made leaving a mortgage of $45,000. The building has been remodeled inside by donated labor, donated supplies and donated equipment. Estimates have been given that property is worth more than one half again the purchase price in just this short time.
During 1974 the Club realized a net income of over $13,000 which was invested in a money making project of building a concession booth at the Kern County Fair Grounds that you can read about on another page of this program brochure. Hereafter all monies realized from this Festival, our fair project and other events will be put into the building of the handball court, completing the kitchen at the club-house and beautifying the exterior of the new hall. With the will and sheer determination of the Kern County Basque colony, and their friends, there is no doubt that this can and will be done soon.

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