Trona in San Bernardino County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Trona Unified School

Trona High School

Photographed by Craig Baker

1. Trona Unified School Marker

Inscription.
Constructed during the years of 1941 and 1942.
Dedicated to the students and citizens of Searles Valley on March 31, 1942, by R.W. Mumford, president of trustees.

"The fate of empires depends on the education of youth."
-Aristotle

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1942.

Location. 35° 46.215′ N, 117° 22.168′ W. Marker is in Trona, California, in San Bernardino County. It is on Trona Road north of Verbena Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 83600 Trona Rd, Trona CA 93562, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles,

in the Mojave Desert,

in the Peninsular Ranges,

and specifically in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Austin Hall (approx. 0.8 miles away); Old Guest House Museum (approx. 0.8 miles away); Searles Lake Borax Discovery (approx. one mile away); Valley Wells (approx. 4½ miles away); Epsom Salts Monorail (approx. 6.3 miles away); John & Dennis Searles Wagon Routes (approx. 6.3 miles away); Famous Trona Pinnacles (approx. 6.3 miles away); Welcome to the Trona Pinnacles (approx. 10.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Trona.

Regarding Trona Unified School. Fewer than 100 students

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were enrolled at Trona High during the 2014-15 school year. Its sports teams compete as the Tornadoes. The school's football field has received national attention as the only dirt football field in the United States. It is a dirt football field because the searing heat and highly saline soil kills grass. The school maintenance crew keeps the field free of stones, and they regularly drag the field to keep the surface from getting too hard. The field is watered on game day to ensure that the playing surface is safe for all participants.

Trona High School was abandoned after it was damaged by the Ridgecrest Earthquakes on July 4 & 5, 2019, with magnitudes 6.4, 5.4, and 7.1.
The new high school is at Athol Street and Argus Avenue.

Additional keywords. Ridgecrest Earthquakes

Trona School and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, November 7, 2024

2. Trona School and Marker

Trona High School image. Click for full size.

3. Trona High School

Buildings Demolished in 2025 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, March 28, 2025

4. Buildings Demolished in 2025

Photographed by Craig Baker, November 7, 2024

5. Trona High School

Trona High School Gym image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, November 7, 2024

6. Trona High School Gym

Still in use after the 2019 Ridgecrest Earthquakes.

Dirt Football Field image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, March 28, 2025

7. Dirt Football Field

courtesy Trona-ca.com

8. Trona High School

Credits. This page was last revised on March 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 208 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 1, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 3. submitted on March 19, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4. submitted on March 29, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 5, 6. submitted on December 1, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 7. submitted on March 29, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 8. submitted on March 19, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.