Thousands of years prior to the European discovery of America, Indian
aborigines fished and hunted on the shores of immense lakes covering the major portion of
the present Mohave Desert. They camped at the eastern foot of the Calico Mountains to
fashion tools, leaving tantalizing treasures for modern archaeologists as evidenced by the
Calico Early Man Site located a few miles east of Barstow.
By the time Spanish conquistadors ventured into Southern California to
colonize the coastal region in 1769, the lakes had dried up and the Mojave River had
become the desert thoroughfare to primarily two Indian groups, the Piutes and the Mojaves.
The first written evidence of a trek through our area came in the
journal of a Spanish Franciscan priest, Francisco Garces who traveled in search of a
practical immigration route from Southern Arizona to the northern Spanish mission in
California, and for a trading route between missions in New Mexico. He passed the future
site of Barstow in 1776.
By 1847, most of the New Mexican and Anglo traffic occurred over the
"Old Spanish Trail" which forked northward from the Mojave road just a few miles
east of present Barstow. These early travelers were raiders, mission escapees, slave
traders, fur trappers, soldiers, explorers, stockmen, merchants, guides, gold seekers and
immigrants.
In the early 1860's, Anglo pioneers began settling along the Mojave
River and derived their income from the road traffic. They established way stations,
keeping on hand emergency supplies for man and animal; their most lucrative trade item was
liquor. They also started agricultural and stock raising ventures.
Gold mining began in 1850 at the south end of Death Valley. However,
grand scale local developments didn't start until 1881 in spite of much earlier
discoveries. The costly freight charges, crude mineral recovery methods, scarcity of water
and lack of local subsistence were the main reasons for the delay.
Rich silver deposits gave birth to Calico and Waterman Mines, and the
Daggett Mills, and were subsequently boosted by the non- metallic mining industry, which
still represents a significant portion of the desert's commercial enterprises.
Meanwhile in 1853, Congress authorized exploration and surveys "to
ascertain the most practical and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi
River to the Pacific Ocean." The desert portion of this route was built by Southern
Pacific in 1882-83 when it completed the line from Mojave to Needles.
In 1886, the California Southern, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe Railway Co., completed its line from National City near San Diego through
Cajon Pass to join the transcontinental line. The junction of the two lines first known as
Waterman was changed to Barstow in honor of Santa Fe's president, William Barstow Strong
when the construction of a depot-hotel-eating house on the south bank of the Mojave River
was announced that same year.
The Casa del Desierto (House of the Desert), or "Harvey
House" as it is more commonly known was completed in February 1911 after a series of
ownership changes left it in the hands of the Fred Harvey Company. The building was
designed by Francis Wilson and represented one of the few Harvey-operated facilities not
designed by architect Mary Colter. The beautiful building is now on the national registry
of Historical places.
Santa Fe became the lifeline of the desert communities, the main
employer and an indispensable link across the continent until modern transportation
changed our way of life.
Barstow like many communities suffered growing pains in its initial
years. Originally located north of the railroad tracks, Barstow moved south and uphill in
the mid 1920's as Santa Fe repeatedly expanded its rail facilities.
As the state highway system began to take shape, local prominent
businessmen pressured officials to locate the intersection of routes 66 and 91 near First
Street, the result being a tremendous overpass above the Santa Fe railyards and the Mojave
River bridge built in 1930-31.
As a result of continued rail developments, employment and services,
Santa Fe was indirectly responsible for the present highway locations and the manner in
which they converge in our area, as well as the later establishments of nearby military
reservations in the 1940's.
Barstow incorporated as a city September 30, 1947, and during the next
four decades continued to grow, progress and expand to its present day status of a
"Mini-Metropolis," strategically located to serve business and commerce in the
high desert.
