Historical Timeline
Pre-1800s: The Antelope Valley, where Palmdale sits today, was home to Indigenous peoples for over 11,000 years. It was a crossroads for trade and travel between the coast, the Central Valley, and the deserts beyond.
1772: Spanish explorer Pedro Fages passed through the region, and in 1773, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza and Father Francisco Garcés crossed the desert on their way to Monterey. These early expeditions helped open the California interior to settlers.
1886: A group of Swiss and German immigrants from the Midwest came west and set up a village they named “Palmenthal.” They mistook the spiky Joshua trees for palm trees, hence the name.
1888: A post office opened in Palmenthal, giving the settlement a bit of permanence. But dry farming conditions and drought soon sent residents searching for better ground.
1899: The settlers moved closer to the new Southern Pacific rail line, reestablishing the community under the name Palmdale. The railroad brought hope, supplies, and a lifeline to the outside world.
1913: The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct brought much-needed water into the region, which helped local farming efforts and supported future growth.
1915: Palmdale got its first newspaper, the Palmdale Post. It served a small but determined farming community.
1921: The first major road connecting Palmdale and Los Angeles opened — Mint Canyon Road, which would become part of U.S. Route 6. This helped bring in goods, visitors, and eventually commuters.
1924: The Little Rock Dam and Harold Reservoir (now Lake Palmdale) were built to store water for agriculture, giving farmers a better chance of survival in the high desert.
1933: Muroc Air Base (later Edwards Air Force Base) was established just north of Palmdale. Over time, this would dramatically influence the town’s economy and population.
1952: The U.S. Air Force established Plant 42, an aerospace testing and manufacturing facility. This cemented Palmdale’s role as a key player in aviation and defense.
1953: Lockheed Martin set up shop at Plant 42, kicking off decades of high-tech work in stealth aircraft and advanced aviation projects.
1956: The infamous “Battle of Palmdale” happened — an out-of-control Navy drone had to be shot down by fighter jets. It caused some unexpected damage, but no one was hurt.
1957: Palmdale High School opened, giving local kids a place to learn closer to home.
1962: Palmdale officially became a city on August 24, the first incorporated community in the Antelope Valley.
1964: The Antelope Valley Freeway (Highway 14) opened, offering a faster route to Los Angeles and sparking a wave of growth and commuters.
1971: The LA/Palmdale Regional Airport opened, intended to bring passenger flights and business to the area.
1977: Palmdale opened its first public library — a sign the town was maturing and growing culturally as well as economically.
1980s–1990s: Affordable housing and space to grow brought thousands of new residents to Palmdale. It became a commuter town for people working in LA but wanting more space and less cost.
2000s–Present: Palmdale now has over 169,000 residents and remains one of Southern California’s key aerospace and energy hubs. The city continues to balance growth with its desert roots, aviation history, and forward-looking vision.