If you find yourself in Taft, a visit to the Oilworker Monument is a powerful way to connect with the region’s rich oil heritage. Unveiled in 2010 during Taft’s centennial and the Oildorado festival, this striking installation honors the countless laborers—drillers, tool dressers, roustabouts—who fueled California’s oil boom. The monument was created by Benjamin Victor, a nationally acclaimed sculptor and former Taft College student, who became the youngest artist ever to have a piece in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Victor’s deep ties to the region and understanding of its working-class spirit are evident in every detail of the monument. His design features the largest bronze sculpture in California, rising over 40 feet and depicting life-sized oil workers atop a replica 1910-era cable-tool rig. Each figure is meticulously posed in the middle of tough, physical labor—an homage to the skill, danger, and determination behind oilfield work.

Located at the corner of South 6th Street and Supply Row, near the Rails to Trails path in downtown Taft, the monument is easy to find and free to visit. Surrounding its base are engraved bricks and plaques bearing the names of local families, oil companies, and workers—many purchased through the Taft Chamber of Commerce as a lasting tribute to loved ones and community roots. The site is wheelchair accessible, and while there are no on-site facilities, restrooms and restaurants are just a few blocks away.

Whether you stop by in the afternoon for sharp bronze-shadowed photo ops or come at dusk when the monument glows under soft lights, it’s a striking scene. Visitors who time their trip with the Oildorado festival, held every five years in October, are treated to a parade, live music events, and industry competitions that bring the town’s oil legacy vividly to life. A typical visit to the monument takes 30 to 60 minutes and pairs well with a short walk to the nearby West Kern Oil Museum, which dives deeper into the stories, tools, and people of Taft’s oil past.

More than just public art, the Taft Oilworker Monument is a symbol of identity and resilience. It stands as a lasting tribute to the working men and women who built the town from the ground up—capturing their struggle and triumph in bronze. Thanks to the vision and craftsmanship of Benjamin Victor, this monument doesn’t just commemorate history—it tells it, powerfully and permanently.