Desert Spring, California

Former settlement in California, United States
35°16′20″N 118°37′34″W / 35.27222°N 118.62611°W / 35.27222; -118.62611CountryUnited StatesStateCaliforniaCountyKern County
California Historical Landmark
Reference no.476

Desert Spring is a former settlement in Kern County, California in the Fremont Valley, south of Red Rock Canyon State Park.[1] It was located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of Cantil.[1]

The place, with natural springs, was important as a source of freshwater to the Native Americans, explorers, prospectors, and others in the Mojave Desert.[1] Visitors included Joseph R. Walker in 1834, John C. Fremont in 1844, and migrants entering California in 1850 who had used the El Paso Range route.[2] Later in the 19th century the water source was used by "ore freighters and prospectors".[3]

The site is now registered as California Historical Landmark #476.[4]

California Historical Landmark reads:

NO. 476 DESERT SPRING - This spring was on an old Indian horse thief trail and later (1834) Joe Walker Trail. The famished Manly-Jayhawk Death Valley parties (1849-50) were revived here after coming from Indian Wells through Last Chance Canyon. This was also a station on the Nadeau Borax Freight Road.[5][6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 1012. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  2. ^ Bailey (1967), pp. 6–7.
  3. ^ Bailey (1967), pp. 7.
  4. ^ "Desert Spring". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
  5. ^ californiahistoricallandmarks.com Landmark chl-476
  6. ^ Cal California parks Historical Landmarks

Sources

  • Bailey, Richard C. (1967). Kern County Place Names. Annual Publications of the Kern County Historical Society and Kern County Museum (No. 29). Introduction by Ralph F. Kreiser (1st ed.). Bakersfield, California: Merchants Printing and Lithographing Co. LCCN 74018077. OCLC 158106.
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