Military in the Mojave
19th Century
Camp Cady - 1863, Rudolph D'Heureuse
Mojave Road
With increasing westward exploration and settlement in the 19th century, the route became a military wagon road in 1859 when Fort Mojave on the Colorado River was established. The U.S. Army improved the road in the late 1860s and established outposts for the safety of supply wagons, mail, and travelers.Other Camps & Forts
Bitter Springs
From one of the first places to be recorded in historical journals, Bitter Springs evolved into today's Fort Irwin.Fort Tejon
The post was intended to guard the pass through the Tehachapi Mountains, to control the areas tribes, and to protect ...Camp Independence
Never officially designated a fort, it was established to provide protection for the area's miners, who were troubled by ...Camp Resting Springs
This desert outpost was intermittently occupied during 1859-60 by regular troops to protect a precious waterhole on the old Spanish Trail between ...Camp Eldorado
San Bernardino Camps
Military History in the Mojave Preserve
Conflict between Native Americans and Euro-Americans was the catalyst for the establishment of a lasting federal legacy in the Mojave desert. The Mojave attacked emigrant wagon trains in 1858, prompting a substantial military response. ...The Military Era
Expeditions
Camel Corps
Paiute War
The Mojave Route in 1863
Forts & Outposts
