Boron in Kern County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Twenty-Mule Team Borax Wagon

Photographed by Denise Boose, April 4, 2026

1. Twenty-Mule Team Borax Wagon Marker

Inscription. Before you is an original set of 20-Mule Team Borax Wagons. They were introduced in 1883 by Borax Magnate William Tell Coleman to haul Borax from his Harmony Borax works in Death Valley to the railroad at Mojave, 165 miles away. A round trip took 20 days. Between 1883 and 1888 wagons like this transported 15-20 million pounds of Borax without a single breakdown or loss of a single animal. The first 5 sets of wagons, bigger than any used before, were constructed in Mojave. The rear wheels are 7 feet in diameter, with 5-foot front wheels, both 8 inches wide. The wagons boxes are 16 ft by 4 ft by 6 ct deep. They weighed 7,800 lbs empty and cost $900 each in 1883. The normal outfit consisted of 2 wagons carrying 45,000 lbs of Borax, at that time worth about $13,000, and a third wagon hauling 1,200 gal of water. Despite the name, the rigs were typically drawn by 18 mules and 2 horses, with the larger, stronger horses hitched to the lead wagon to bear the weight of the heavy wagon tongue. When operations ceased at Harmony in 1888 most of the wagons were sold off. In 1890, 2 of the original outfits were refurbished to haul borax

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from borate, near Calico, to Daggett, where 2 additional sets were constructed by Seymour Alf. One of the pair is on display here. They operated until replaced by the borate and Daggett RR in 1898. In 1907 they hauled Borax from the Lila C. Mine east of Death Valley to the Tonopah and Tidewater RR at Death Valley Junction, even as the spur line that would put them out of business was being built. Except for promotional events, this marked the end of the 20-Mule Team Era. Other original wagons still exist at Harmony Borax works and Furnace Creek in Death Valley.

Erected 2026 by E Clampus Vitus Billy Holcomb 1069, Billy Tanner, the last Teamster, and 20 Mule Team Borax.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1883.

Location. 35° 1.782′ N, 117° 41.2′ W. Marker is in Boron, California, in Kern County. It is on Borax Road 2½ miles north of California Route 58. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14486 Borax Road, Boron CA 93516,

Photographed by Denise Boose, April 4, 2026

2. Twenty-Mule Team Borax Wagon Marker

United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Joaquin Valley,

specifically in the Central Valley,

in the Mojave Desert,

and in the Sierra Nevada.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

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 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Miner's Cabin (here, next to this marker); Twenty Mule Team (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Borax (approx. 2½ miles away); Florence Lowe “Pancho” Barnes (approx. 2.9 miles away); Twenty-Mule Teams (approx. 2.9 miles away); a different marker also named Miner's Cabin (approx. 3 miles away); Rocket Site (approx. 7 miles away); F-8 Supercritical Wing Aircraft (approx. 12.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boron.

Regarding Twenty-Mule Team Borax Wagon. Only three sets of original Twenty Mule

Twenty-Mule Team Borax Wagons and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, April 4, 2026

3. Twenty-Mule Team Borax Wagons and Marker

Team Wagons still exist. The largest set is on display at Harmony Borax Works in Death Valley. It is the only existing set of wagons that made the trip from Death Valley to Mojave, and it was built in Mojave. The other two sets of wagons are smaller and they made shorter trips from a mine near Daggett. They were built at Alf’s Blacksmith Shop in Daggett. One set is on display here, and the other set is on display in Death Valley at the ranch museum in Furnace Creek. This set of wagons is the only one that can still travel, and it often makes appearances at public events, including the Rose Parade in Pasadena.

Twenty-Mule Team Borax Wagons image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, April 4, 2026

4. Twenty-Mule Team Borax Wagons

Twenty Mule Team Wagon image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, September 21, 2025

5. Twenty Mule Team Wagon

Twenty-Mule Team Wagons at Harmony Borax Works image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose

6. Twenty-Mule Team Wagons at Harmony Borax Works

Credits. This page was last revised on April 6, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 4, 2026, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. This page has been viewed 30 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 4, 2026, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. 5. submitted on September 24, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 6. submitted on April 4, 2026, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. Clear photo of the three wagons. • Can you help?