Desert Spring, California

Desert Spring
Former settlement
The California Historic Landmark plaque for Desert Spring
The California Historic Landmark plaque for Desert Spring
Desert Spring is located in California
Desert Spring
Desert Spring
Location in California
Desert Spring is located in the United States
Desert Spring
Desert Spring
Desert Spring (the United States)
Coordinates: 35°18′06″N 117°57′15″W / 35.30167°N 117.95417°W / 35.30167; -117.95417
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyKern
Reference no.476

Desert Spring is a former settlement in Kern County, California, United States, in the Fremont Valley, south of Red Rock Canyon State Park. It was located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of Cantil.

The place, with natural springs, was important as a source of fresh water to the Native Americans, explorers, prospectors, and others in the Mojave Desert. Visitors included Joseph R. Walker in 1834, John C. Fremont in 1844, and migrants entering California in 1850 who had used the El Paso Range route. Later in the 19th century the water source was used by "ore freighters and prospectors".

The site is now registered as California Historical Landmark #476.

California Historical Landmark reads:

NO. 476 DESERT SPRING - This spring was on an old Indian horse thief trail and later (1834) Joe Walker Trail. The famished Manly-Jayhawk Death Valley parties (1849-50) were revived here after coming from Indian Wells through Last Chance Canyon. This was also a station on the Nadeau Borax Freight Road.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 1012. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  2. ↑ Bailey (1967), pp. 6–7.
  3. ↑ Bailey (1967), pp. 7.
  4. ↑ "Desert Spring". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  5. ↑ californiahistoricallandmarks.com Landmark chl-476
  6. ↑ Cal California parks Historical Landmarks

Sources

  • Bailey, Richard C. (1967). Kern County Place Names. Annual Publications of the Kern County Historical Society and Kern County Museum (No. 29). Introduction by Ralph F. Kreiser (1st ed.). Bakersfield, California: Merchants Printing and Lithographing Co. LCCN 74018077. OCLC 158106.