Historical Timeline
Pre-1800s: For thousands of years, the Antelope Valley was home to Native peoples who lived off the land and traveled through the region for trade. Lancaster sits on ground once crisscrossed by ancient paths connecting the coast, the Central Valley, and the deserts beyond.
1876: The Southern Pacific Railroad laid down tracks through the valley, and a simple stop along the line became known as Lancaster. The trains tied together San Francisco and Los Angeles, and the town began to grow around the tracks.
1884: Moses Langley Wicks bought land from the railroad and laid out the town. He sold off parcels to settlers, mostly in 160-acre chunks, planting the seeds of the community.
1888: The Western Hotel opened its doors. It became the heart of town life and later housed workers building the Los Angeles Aqueduct — a project that would reshape Southern California.
1898: Gold was found in the nearby hills. Prospectors rushed in, and Lancaster got another burst of energy as miners came through for supplies and rest.
1929: Lancaster Airport was founded and would soon play a key role in aviation. It served as a pilot training site during World War II, preparing young aviators for action overseas.
1941–1945: War Eagle Field, west of Lancaster, became the Allied forces’ major flight training ground. The desert skies buzzed with student pilots learning to fly under wartime pressure.
1950s–1960s: Veterans returned home and settled in Lancaster. With jobs available in nearby aerospace industries and plenty of open land, Lancaster quickly expanded into a thriving desert suburb.
1977: Lancaster was officially incorporated as a city, giving locals more say in how their town would grow and function.
1990: The city created the Aerospace Walk of Honor to celebrate the brave test pilots who flew cutting-edge aircraft in the skies above the Antelope Valley.
2010: The city launched “The BLVD” project — a downtown revitalization effort that transformed the main street into a lively center for shopping, dining, and community events.
2013: Lancaster made national headlines by becoming the first city in the U.S. to require solar panels on all new homes. It was a bold step toward becoming a net-zero energy city.
Present Day: Lancaster is now a city of over 170,000 people, known for its aerospace heritage, solar power leadership, and creative downtown. It’s a desert town that continues to evolve, balancing its pioneer past with a high-tech future.