A brief history of the Antelope Valley

A brief history of the Antelope Valley

California has a very rich and colorful history – and the Antelope Valley is no different.

Californian history is full of tales of the founding of Spanish Missions and Spanish explorers. The valley has no missions however, it served as a crossroads for Franciscan padres and explorers seeking to discover more rich land, as well as the migrating native American Indians and the pioneers.

The first known inhabitants of the valley were native Indians known as Kitanamuks. They lived predominantly in the Tehachapi Mountains however, they came down to the more arid valley lowlands in the cooler seasons. Traveling in small bands, they hunted small game and gathered nuts and berries to survive.

In 1772 a Spanish soldier by the name of Captain Pedro Fages, crossed the southern part of the Antelope Valley in pursuit of deserting sailors. He reported seeing Indians crouching in date palms. Actually, they were crouching in what is now known as Joshua trees – known to grow only in Israel and in some parts of the Californian desert.

In 1773, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza and Father Francisco Garces led a colonizing expedition from Mexico to Monterey, crossing the Mojave Desert with 136 settlers. This was the first opening of California to overland travel.

By the 1800’s and before the railroads came, the valley was settled by immigrants from Spain and Mexico who set up large cattle ranches. Tehachapi’s first settlers were farmers who owned large tracts of land. The Elizabeth Lake region and the Tehachapi foothills were chosen for first settlement because of the soil, composed of decomposing granite and vegetable silt, making farming easier.

In 1827, Jededia Strong Smith was the first American to explore the Antelope Valley. He was reportedly awed by the desert and described it as “having everything from alkali flats to tule grass marshes to broad fertile fields growing with wildflowers”.

The area became known as the Antelope Valley because of the enormous herds of antelope that once populated it. Estimates of 60,000 head had been touted until the herds were decimated by severe winters in the late 1800’s and by hunters who slaughtered thousands of the animals. (Nobody knows exactly when the last antelope was seen in the valley.)

As usual, the building of the railroad sparked the most growth in the valley. Around 1867, Southern Pacific established a route through the Antelope Valley with a stop in Lancaster. This meant that trade with the outside world was now possible, so settlers began to trickle into the area. Over the next 20 years or so, Lancaster and the Antelope Valley became so prosperous that settlers and land seekers moved into the eastern end of the valley with the intention of raising grain and fruit.

In 1874, the Western Hotel was built in Lancaster. This building still stands and is now a historical museum. It is believed that it is the oldest building in the valley.

Following the railroad was the gold rush, and the valley was again rewarded with great growth. Gold was first discovered in Acton in 1876, but it wasn’t until a major gold strike was found in Rosamond that the real serious mining began. Miners working the gold fields in Rosamond used to sail across Muroc Dry Lake, going to and from work, on a “V” shaped wagon with sails!

In 1898 borax was discovered in the surrounding mountains, and although gold was mined until the beginning of World War II, borax mining continues to this day at the world largest borax mine located at Boron, California.

Between 1905 and 1913 the Los Angeles-Inyo aqueduct was built, and by 1921 the opening of Sierra Highway meant improved travel to and from Los Angeles. With secure water supplies and improved travel, commerce flowed into the valley.

The Great Depression hit in the late 1920’s and early 30’s. Farming and business in general suffered greatly and the prosperity that the valley had known for some time did not return until the beginning of World War II.

In the 1930’s the airplane came to the valley. During World War II many defense personnel came to work in the valley, with many of them staying on to settle after the war. Their children became the labor pool that supported the rapidly growing aviation and aerospace industries in the valley. They built the airplanes and spacecraft that have given the Antelope Valley it's own place in history – and their children are continuing the tradition today by building the spacecraft of tomorrow.

The Antelope Valley is rich in it's history and retains this heritage today. As an aerospace center, it is unsurpassed, although relying less on aerospace for employment opportunities than it has in the past.

With bustling cities that are expanding with the population, and ample room to grow, the cities of the valley are looking to the 21^st Century as a time of expansion and prosperous economic growth.

Enjoy learning about our valley? If you have any questions about our facilities in the valley or any general questions, feel free to drop us a line. The team at AV HomeConsultants would love to answer any questions you may have. After all… we think the valley is a wonderful place to live!