One measure of a city's economic prowess, and thus its place in the American landscape, is its access by air to and from the world beyond its borders. By that measure, Bakersfield ranks somewhere between Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Bismarck, N.D. That is to say, just a few notches above irrelevance.

By other important measures, Bakersfield is very much somewhere. It's an agricultural behemoth and the West Coast's most important oil town. It's got a tourism-worthy musical heritage, a culinary culture of some renown and, for what it's worth, a congressman with the president's ear.

Contact The Californian’s Robert Price at 661-395-7399, rprice@bakersfield.com or on Twitter: @stubblebuzz. His column appears on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays; the views expressed are his own.

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