Historical Timeline
Pre-1858: Long before the railroad or highways, the Serrano people — especially the Vanyume band — lived along the Mojave River. They followed the seasons, hunted, gathered, and traded with other Native groups across the desert.
1858: Army veteran Aaron G. Lane set up a way station called Lane’s Crossing along the Mojave River. It became a lifeline for travelers between San Bernardino and Nevada — a place to rest, water livestock, and pick up supplies.
1860: Early census records show just ten people living along the Mojave River, including Lane and some Mormon families who had settled there.
1867: A Mormon settler named Lafayette Meacham built a new wagon road across the Mojave, Stoddard Wells Road. It brought more wagon traffic and helped establish Mormon Crossing just upstream.
1870s: Heber “Pete” Huntington, a nephew of Brigham Young, opened Huntington Station at Mormon Crossing. That helped turn the area into an early transportation hub in the desert.
1885: The California Southern Railroad pushed through the area and set up a telegraph station called “Victor,” named after railroad official Jacob Nash Victor. This marked the beginning of a permanent settlement.
1886: A formal town plan for Victor was laid out — about 200 acres mapped with streets and blocks. The town slowly began to take shape.
1901: To avoid confusion with Victor, Colorado, the town changed its name to “Victorville.” That same year, the post office made it official.
1917: The Southwestern Portland Cement Company opened a plant in Victorville. It gave the town an industrial boost, and cement became a major part of the local economy for decades.
1926: Route 66 was established and passed through town along D Street and Seventh Street, attracting travelers, tourists, and roadside businesses.
1940: Hollywood came to the desert — screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz wrote early drafts of Citizen Kane while staying at the Kemper Campbell Ranch in Victorville.
1941: The Victorville Army Airfield was built just before the U.S. entered World War II. It trained thousands of pilots and later became George Air Force Base.
1947: After the war, the base was renamed in honor of Brigadier General Harold Huston George. It remained an active part of the U.S. Air Force for decades.
1960: Victor Valley College was founded, bringing higher education to the High Desert and helping the region grow.
1962: Victorville was officially incorporated as a city on September 21. Its population is just over 8,000, and there is still a lot of open space.
1976: The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum moved from nearby Apple Valley to Victorville, attracting Westerns and cowboy legends fans.
1992: George Air Force Base was closed during a nationwide military downsizing. Its closure had a big impact, but also freed up space for future development.
1995: The California Route 66 Museum opened downtown Victorville, preserving the town’s deep connection to the “Mother Road.”
2003: The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum packed up and moved again to Branson, Missouri.
2007: Victorville hosted the DARPA Urban Challenge at the former air base — a cutting-edge competition for self-driving vehicles navigating a simulated city.
Present Day: Victorville has grown into one of the largest cities in the High Desert. It’s a mix of old and new—railroad roots, Route 66 history, a post-war military legacy, and modern-day development all tied into one place.