1897 brought the Sante Fe Railroad into central California, and Marshall Hartranft to the local political scene. Using land grants secured by the Kern County Land Company, Hartranft persuaded hundreds of families to move to the fertile valley.
The bright sunshine and large, open fields generated a huge interest in agriculture. Cotton, potatoes and other economic staples thrived quickly, but the big money came when William Bonham moved from Oregon. His wife brought a collection of rare and exotic flowers with her, planted them, and watched history grow before her eyes.
Now, coupled with an early contact by a transdimensional civilization, Wasco is a huge region sprawling from would-be Bakersfield down to the border of Mexico. Mostly agricultural, it retains its core “home-town” feel thanks to the fact that most of the employees live off-world.
Roses, however, grow in abundance and are available to anyone. Look closely and you’ll probably find a stand giving them away for free.