Mojave Road (Old Government Road) Historical Markers
The historic trail stretching 138 miles across the Mojave Desert. It was used by Native Americans, the Juan Baustista de Anza Expedition of 1776, pioneers, US Army and gold seekers.
On Baker Boulevard (Business Interstate 15) east of Caltrans Boulevard, on the right when traveling west.
Marl Springs
Marl Springs was named in 1854 by Army Surveyor Lt. Amiel Whipple for the clay-like soil around the two waterholes. With the establishment of Fort Mojave in 1859, the Mojave (or Old Government) Road came into existence. Marl . . . — — Map (db m159025) HM
In 1860 the U.S. Army established an outpost at Soda Springs to protect government supplies from Indians. Later, miners processed the adjacent lake minerals. In 1906 the Tonopah & Tidewater railroad arrived. From 1944 to 1974 Dr. Curtis H. Springer . . . — — Map (db m78587) HM
On Zzyzx Road, 5 miles south of Interstate 15, on the left when traveling south.
[Panel #1]
1776 - 1830: Early Explorers
Francisco Garces
1776 - As the Revolutionary War broke out, California was still a province of Spain, and the Spanish government decided to help feed a hungry Mexico by farming the . . . — — Map (db m83575) HM
On Kelso Cima Road at Cedar Canyon Road, on the right when traveling south on Kelso Cima Road.
Long ago Mohave Indians used a network of pathways to cross the Mojave Desert to reach the Pacific Coast from their homes along the Colorado River. In 1776, the Spanish Missionary Francisco Garces became the first non-Indian to trek these . . . — — Map (db m78586) HM
On National Trails Highway west of Minneola Road, on the right when traveling west.
Three miles north lies the Mojave River and the site of Forks of the Road. This was the junction of two major travel routes: The Old Spanish or Salt Lake Trail and The Ancient Mojave River Trail. In the 1830s and 1840s the Old Spanish Trail saw . . . — — Map (db m159526) HM
On Devore Road south of Glen Helen Road, on the right when traveling north.
This campsite on both the Mojave Trail over the mountains and the Cajon Pass Route was probably first seen by Spanish and American traverlers in the 1770's and was noted by them in 1806, 1849 and 1850. Michael White, grantee in 1843 of the . . . — — Map (db m70606) HM
On Lanfair Road, 0.1 miles north of Goffs Road, on the left when traveling north.
The first school in Goffs opened its doors for the fall term in 1911 serving the needs of cattle ranches, mining districts, homesteaders, the railroad, and, most of all, the people supporting expanding travel on the National Old Trails Road – . . . — — Map (db m78575) HM
On Lanfair Road at Goffs Road, on the right when traveling south on Lanfair Road.
Pah-Ute Creek, which runs year around, attracted many Indian tribes, who used several Indian trails through this area. The first white man to visit Pah-Ute Creek was Fr. Francisco Garces in May of 1776. It was given it's name by Lt. A.W. Whipple . . . — — Map (db m78577) HM
Near California Route 173, 2 miles east of California Route 138.
[This is a four sided monument with four different markers:]Side A:
Las Flores Ranch
Near this spot on March 25, 1866, Edwin Parrish, Nephi Bemis and Pratt Whiteside, young cowboys employed on this ranch, were ambushed, . . . — — Map (db m166670) HM
On Cedar Canyon Road at New York Mountain Road, on the right when traveling east on Cedar Canyon Road.
To the United States Soldiers of Camp Rock Spring --- who guarded the U.S. Mail
No glory there, nor much chance for military fame, but true patriots and heroes were they, to submit to such privations--yet these are the nurseries of the army, . . . — — Map (db m78592) HM
As many as eighteen enlisted men of Company "D," 9th U.S. Infantry once served duty here within the now crumbling walls of "Fort Pah-Ute." Although never established as an official fort, "Pah-Ute Creek," as it was commonly called, did house a small . . . — — Map (db m51274) HM
On Old Government Road at Lanfair Road, on the right when traveling east on Old Government Road. Reported missing.
In January of 1893 construction of Isaac C. Blake's Nevada Southern Railway commenced northward from Goffs toward Manvel (later known as Barnwell) for the purpose of hauling ore from the mining districts of southeastern California and southern . . . — — Map (db m78524) HM
On Interstate 15, 34 miles north of Barstow, on the right when traveling north.
Long ago, Mohave Indians used a network of pathways to cross the Mojave Desert. In 1826, American trapper Jedediah Smith used their paths and became the first non-Indian to reach the California coast overland from mid-America. The paths were worked . . . — — Map (db m96576) HM
On North K Street, on the left when traveling north.
This bridge marks the site where the National Old Trails Highway later Highway 66 crossed the Colorado River. It links the Mojave Indian lands visited by Father Garces in 1776. Near this location the American Explorer, Jedediah Smith and his band of . . . — — Map (db m50647) HM
Camp Cady was located on the Mojave Road which connected Los Angeles to Albuquerque. Non-Indian travel on this and the nearby Salt Lake Road was beset by Paiutes, Mohaves, and Chemehuevis defending their homeland. To protect both roads, Camp Cady . . . — — Map (db m50718) HM
On March 8, 1776, Fr. Francis Garces, OFM, on his most famous journey of over 2,000 miles from Mission San Xavier Del Bac, Tucson, Arizona, to Mission San Gabriel, California, rested here and named these waterholes "St. John of God Springs", (Marl . . . — — Map (db m56915) HM
