Historical Timeline
1800s – The area that would become Valyermo is home to Native American groups, including the Serrano people, who travel seasonally through the valley, hunting and gathering in the San Gabriel Mountains and desert margins.
1850s–1880s – American settlers arrive following California statehood. The land is used primarily for ranching and farming. The remote valley, nestled at the foot of the mountains, remains quiet and sparsely populated.
1912—The land surrounding St. Andrew’s Abbey was first developed as a cattle ranch, later known as Hidden Springs Ranch. The valley’s fertile soil and spring-fed water make it suitable for agriculture.
1920s–1930s – The area grows modestly. A few more families settle, farming and living in the quiet mountain shadow. Roads remain rough, and access is limited.
1955 – A group of Benedictine monks from Belgium purchases the old ranch to establish St. Andrew’s Abbey, a Roman Catholic monastery. They convert the land into a religious retreat center. The abbey becomes the heart of Valyermo’s identity.
1960s–1980s – The abbey gains recognition as a peaceful destination for spiritual retreats, art, and religious study. The monks run a ceramics workshop that becomes well known for hand-crafted crosses and pottery. The surrounding valley remains largely rural.
1990s – Valyermo’s identity as a quiet, spiritual retreat community continues. The population stays small, and development remains minimal. The natural beauty and open spaces attract artists, writers, and those seeking solitude.
2000s–2010s – The community of Valyermo maintains its character as a secluded rural pocket in the Antelope Valley. St. Andrew’s Abbey expands its programs for visitors and guests. Conservation-minded residents work to preserve the land and prevent overdevelopment.
2020s–present – Valyermo remains a quiet, rural gem tucked into the Mojave’s edge. The abbey still operates, and the community stays small and close-knit. Visitors come for spiritual retreats, hiking in the nearby Devil’s Punchbowl and tasting high desert peace and quiet.