The town of Isabella was founded by Steven Barton in 1893 and named in honor of Queen Isabella of Spain while her name was popular during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Lake Isabella was created in 1953 by a dam on the Kern River, forcing the town to move about south of the original site. The Isabella post office, which had opened in 1896, operated at the new site; the name was changed to Lake Isabella in 1957.
The town of Isabella was founded by Steven Barton in 1893 and named in honor of Queen Isabella of Spain while her name was popular during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Lake Isabella was created in 1953 by a dam on the Kern River forcing the town to move about south of the original site. The Isabella post office, which had opened in 1896, operated at the new site; the name was changed to Lake Isabella in 1957.