Historical Timeline
Before 1800 – Native Life and Ancient Trails
Before Barstow had a name, Native people like the Vanyume, Mojave, Chemehuevi, and Serrano lived along the Mojave River. They traveled by foot along established desert routes, following water and trade paths that crisscrossed the region. These ancient trails later became vital to everyone who came afterward.
1776 – Garcés Crosses the Desert
Spanish missionary Francisco Garcés passed through the Mojave River area using Native routes. He named the river “Rio de las Ánimas” and described the desert in both spiritual and survivalist terms. His journals gave future travelers clues on how to make the crossing.
1826 – Jedediah Smith Comes Through
American trapper Jedediah Smith followed the Mojave River from the Colorado River westward, using guidance from the Mojave people. He was the first American to make the overland journey into California from the east.
1830s–1840s – Old Spanish Trail and Mormon Road
Mexican traders opened the Old Spanish Trail through the area, followed by American settlers and Mormon wagons after 1848. The Barstow area—still unnamed—was a key water stop along the river, often called “Fish Ponds” or “Grapevines” by passing wagon trains.
1850s–1860s – Grapevines Camp and Beale’s Mojave Road
The U.S. government ordered surveys and improvements to overland routes to secure travel across the desert. One of the best-known efforts was Beale’s Wagon Road, laid out in 1857–1858 by Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale. His mission: survey a wagon route from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Los Angeles—and test out camels along the way.
Beale followed part of the Old Spanish Trail and overlapped the Mojave Road from the Colorado River through the Mojave River corridor. Near Barstow, he likely passed through the Grapevines camp, using the same shaded stretch of river that had served Native peoples for centuries. Beale’s Mojave Road helped formalize a transcontinental route and gave the government a clearer picture of the land’s value.
Later, the military used this same road to move troops and protect settlers during increasing tensions with Native tribes. In 1860, Camp Cady was built about 20 miles east of present-day Barstow as an Army post along the Mojave Road. The Barstow area (still not yet a town) became a well-used midpoint along this corridor.
1880s – Railroads and Silver Fever
The 1880s changed everything. Railroads moved in—first Southern Pacific, then Santa Fe. A small camp at the river junction became a full-blown railroad stop called Waterman Junction, later renamed Barstow. At the same time, silver and borax were discovered nearby in the Calico Mountains, launching a desert mining boom. Barstow, Daggett, and Calico worked as a trio: one ran on ore, handled freight, and kept the trains moving.
1886 – Barstow Gets Its Name
Santa Fe Railroad named the new depot town after its president, William Barstow Strong. With the name came a post office, businesses, and permanence. Barstow began to eclipse Daggett and Calico as the region’s main center.
1890s–1900s – Mining Slows, Rail Keeps Rolling
As mining faded, the railroad kept Barstow alive. Calico was mainly abandoned by 1907, but Barstow held on as a shipping and transport town. The desert may have emptied, but trains kept coming.
1911 – The Harvey House Shines
The Casa del Desierto opened in 1911. This fancy Harvey House hotel and depot served rail passengers with meals, lodging, and class. It became Barstow’s pride and stood as a desert icon for decades.
1920s – Barstow Becomes a Highway Town
With cars replacing trains for many, Barstow shifted from a rail town to a highway town. In 1925, Main Street was rerouted to better serve autos instead of trains. Then in 1926, U.S. Route 66 was designated and passed through town.
1929 – Brief Brush with the Sky
Barstow joined the early air travel history with a short-lived desert airport picked by Charles Lindbergh’s airline. Though it didn’t last, it was a sign of Barstow’s connection to every new frontier—rails, roads, and even the skies.
1940s – The Military Moves In
World War II brought the military to the Mojave. The Army opened Camp Irwin north of town for training, and the Marine Corps opened a logistics base near Barstow. These bases brought families, jobs, and a new phase of growth.
1947 – Barstow Becomes a City
In 1947, Barstow officially incorporated. It was no longer just a camp or a depot—it was a proper desert city.
1950s–1962 – Crossroads of the Desert
Route 66, U.S. 91, and U.S. 466 all ran through downtown Barstow. The town boomed with gas stations, motels, and diners. In 1960, Barstow College opened. In 1961, Camp Irwin became Fort Irwin, a permanent base. By 1962, Barstow stood proud as the desert’s “Crossroads of Opportunity,” with a deep history rooted in ancient trails, bold explorers, wagons, rails, and desert grit.