Editing McFarland, California (section)

==History==
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In the early 1900s, an educator named James Boyd McFarland moved to the [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]] area from [[Zanesville, Ohio]], to try his hand at real estate and walnut farming.

McFarland visited Kern County in 1907 and was impressed with the land's crop-growing potential near a community called Hunt's Siding, which was a small agriculture and livestock-based community that served about 50 families. With help from [[Bakersfield, California|Bakersfield]] real estate businessman William Laird, McFarland bought 50 acres at the location of what is now McFarland.

The first post office opened in 1908.<ref name=CGN /> The town was founded in 1909 (and later became incorporated in 1957). McFarland grew tremendously during the Great Depression of the 1930s, then the population tapered off during World War II.

In 1950, the Highway 99 expressway and later freeway (then U.S. Route 99), the major corridor of the Central Valley, was constructed, which ended up dividing the town into an east side and west side. McFarland incorporated as a city in the summer of 1957.<ref name=CGN /> The name honors J.B. McFarland, the city's founder.

In 2009 the city re-established its police force after decades of relying on the Kern County Sheriff.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/how-did-this-california-police-department-hire-so-many-officers-with-troubling-pasts|title=How did this California police department hire so many officers with troubling pasts?|last=Rusch|first=Katey|last2=Du Sault|first2=Laurence|date=November 11, 2019|website=The Mercury News|language=en-US|access-date=December 23, 2019}}</ref>

In 2015, the movie [[McFarland, USA|''McFarland USA'']] was released, based on a true story that occurred at [[McFarland High School (California)|McFarland High School]].<ref name=CGN /> ''McFarland USA'' follows the McFarland Cross Country team and their coach [[James White (cross-country)|James White]] (portrayed by [[Kevin Costner]]). The cross country team would go on to win 9 state titles.