Mojave Desert History
(Please note as this page is being revised the previous contents are temporarily listed at the bottom of this page)Introduction
by Walter Feller
History is a record or narrative aggregate of past events. In human history, specifically, the history of the Mojave Desert, we can arrange these events in a chronological order grouping them into more generalized periods according to the people during these times. We identify these people through their concerns and activities in general or specific locations. These points of historical interest become the geographic focus in history as well as events that have happened enroute between these locations.
History in these categories overlap. Few periods are defined with a start and finish, some haven't yet come to an end and are still evolving (ie: Desert Indians). The best that can be done is to assemble these histories so they can not only be studied in a chronological order, but also sideways (so to speak), according to theme, as somewhat simultaneous events and occurances in a variety of regional locations.
Period Groups in Mojave Desert History
- Paleo-Indians
- Native Americans
- Spanish Explorers
- American Explorers
- Mormons & Pioneers
- Military
- Prospectors and Miners
- Ranchers
- Railroads
- Homesteaders
- Route 66 & Hoover Dam
- Modern Communities
Important Names in Mojave History
Brief biographies and character profiles of individuals noted in Mojave Desert historyMojave Desert History by Geography
- Death Valley History & Culture
- East Mojave
- Mojave River
- Ghost Towns
- Gold Mines
Routes and Transportation in History
- Old Spanish Trail
- Mojave Road
- Railroads
- Route 66
Timeline
Feature Books, Diaries and Journals
- Diary of Fr. Francisco Garces
- The Journal of Jedediah Smith
- Death Valley in '49
- Pioneer of the Mojave
Summaries
Early People SummaryNo one is sure when man first came to the Mojave. Recently, Mojave Desert petroglyphs (rock pictures) have played an important role in ...
Pinto Culture
As the Pleistocene Epoch drew to a close ten thousand years ago, and the rivers of glacial ice melted, people lived in an environment ...
Prehistoric Man and Desert Indians in the Mojave
About 11,000 years ago, the region's ecological zones were one thousand feet lower in elevation than today due to the cooler and ...
Desert Indians Summary
Several tribal groups have lived in the Mojave Desert within the past 2,000 years. The northern and eastern portions, for example, ...
Native Americans of the Mojave
For millennia, American Indian peoples lived within the area, using the resources and lands to sustain their lives and cultures. ...
Death Valley Indians
These lands have been and continue to be subject to active, often dramatic, and ever-changing natural forces that can alter ...
Death Valley History Overview
A collection of articles relating to Death Valley in history.
Death Valley Ghost Towns
The who, what, when, where and why of Death Valley ghost towns.
Military History
The camps and outposts of the Mojave Desert and the men and stories behind them.
Mining History
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, usually (but not always) from an ...
A Brief History of the Cajon Pass
The Cajon Pass is the valley that separates the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountain ranges. At one time these ...
Pioneer of the Mojave
He had barely settled in before his ranch was raided by Indians. Other attacks followed throughout the years, and once he was even forced to leave the desert temporarily. Also a constant danger was the ...
Cerro Gordo
Also see:
Ghost Towns
Desert ghost towns are ghost towns simply for one reason; money. If the money isn't there, there is no reason for people to stay. ...
Gold Mines
Gold is where you find it. Of course it helps if you know about where to look. ...
Mountain Meadows Massacre
In the early morning hours of September 7th, a party of local Mormon settlers and Indians attacked and laid seige to the encampment. For reasons not fully understood, ...