Trona in San Bernardino County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
John & Dennis Searles Wagon Routes
1875 - 1895
Erected 2000 by Billy Holcomb Chapter No. 1069, E Clampus Vitus in cooperation with Searles Valley Historical Society. (Marker Number 101.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Natural Resources • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list.
Location. 35° 40.884′ N, 117° 23.475′ W. Marker is in Trona, California, in San Bernardino County. Marker is at the intersection of Trona Road (California Route 178) and Pinnacle Road, on the right when traveling east on Trona Road. This marker is located on the southeast corner. This site is about 16 miles east of Ridgecrest and 7 miles south of Trona. It is 7.3 miles east of where SR-178 is joined by Trona Road coming up from Red Mountain and US 395 to the south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 78625-78639 Pinnacle Road, Trona CA 93562, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Epsom Salts Monorail (here, next to this marker); Famous Trona Pinnacles (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Welcome to the Trona Pinnacles (approx. 4.6 miles away); Searles Lake Borax Discovery (approx. 5.3 miles away); Old Guest House Museum (approx. 5˝ miles away); Austin Hall (approx. 5˝ miles away); Valley Wells (approx. 10.7 miles away).
Regarding John & Dennis Searles Wagon Routes. In 1860 John and Dennis Searles discovered borax while searching for gold with the Dr. S.G. George party. In 1870 the brothers saw Borax Smith mining borax in Nevada and were reminded of their earlier findings. They rushed back to what is now Searles Dry Lake and staked their claims, then quickly sold enough borax to earn themselves $200,000 to finance improvements. Later, railroad tracks were laid to haul the ore. Many different rare materials are beneath the surface of the dry lake and should last for many years.
SOURCE: Billy Holcomb Chapter 1069 35th Anniversary Plaque Book by Phillip Holdaway
Also see . . . John Wemple Searles. Son of George and Helen Wemple Searles was born at Tribes Hill, Montgomery county, New York. He inherited fortitude and tenacity from ancestors who won renown with the American army in the Revolutionary war. He came to California to find gold, but found riches and and built a legacy of benefits and blessings through the discovery of the glittering borax crystals in the lake bed which now bears his name. (Submitted on December 7, 2011, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on December 6, 2011, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. This page has been viewed 1,373 times since then and 34 times this year. Last updated on November 3, 2014, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 6, 2011, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. 4. submitted on June 20, 2010. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.