Mural Stories: The Roots of the Basque Mural
Sponsored by Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County
by Mary Anne Radmacher, Arts Council of Kern
Sponsored by Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County
by Mary Anne Radmacher, Arts Council of Kern
Apr 30, 2026
Photo by Heather Hafen Photography
Gathering strangers and regulars alike around long tables and a sense of belonging, three generations have presented French Basque hospitality in Bakersfield. What began in 1947, when two immigrants from France, Mayie Etchebarne and JB Maitia, met and dreamed, became a restaurant in 1954, that still opens its doors with that same intention. Their daughter, Jenny, and granddaughter, Christiane continue the family welcome. Legacy, in this family, is practiced and it is plated. It is spoken aloud in greetings and held quietly in rituals repeated weekly. Just outside, that legacy extends on a mural.
Thanks to Bob’s Auto Glass, wall space was offered for homage to those Founders. Granddaughter Christiane says, “This mural is incredibly special to me because it features my grandparents’ faces, still greeting our patrons after more than 70 years. When I look up at their smiles, I know they would be so proud.”
Thomas Zachary was selected as the muralist. His artistic process demands more than skill; it requires listening. Research. Reverence. Repeatedly he returned to a single detail: the hat worn by the founder. “That was the hardest detail to get right,” he shared. Only after more stories were gathered and a photograph surfaced did the hat finally settle into place, accurate, earned. Artist Pierre Igoa also painted Mayie’s face.
Then there was the sheepdog, the beloved companion to the Maitia family.
Guests were told, with a wink, the dog WAS Rosie. While painting, Zachary noticed a truck pull into the parking lot. The driver strode inside. In its bed stood a dog who looked strikingly familiar. The dog studied him and the mural, then barked with recognition. Zachary laughed at what seemed a coincidence.
What was once speculation found its truth closer than expected: Rosie, it seems, did not just belong to the past. She arrived, bridging memory and moment. That truck belonged to daughter, Jenny, who often came to work while her sheepdog watched the parking lot. The dog was of Rosie’s line.
Murals tell a story. Sometimes, if we’re paying attention, they tell us that legacy is still alive and looking back at us. Just ask Rosie.
Where to See it:
Wool Growers, 620 East 19th St., Bakersfield
Find more of KCFM's Mural Stories Series below:
Mural Stories: A Slice of Bakersfield History
Mural Stories: Dream Center Youth Mural
Mural Stories: Nine Parks, One Mural
Mural Stories: EASTCHESTER: One Word, An Artful Direction
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