Mojave National Preserve
History

Subjects Native Americans Mojave Road Railroads Kelso Depot Ranching Homesteads Dunbar - The Experience of Black Homesteaders Home

There's a lot of history in our desert. The preservation and protection of our cultural heritage is one of the primary functions of the National Park Service, and we invite you to learn and explore what this desert land has to offer. Within the Mojave National Preserve you will find stories of the people who made this history happen. One theme that will emerge over and over is the importance of transportation. The desert has often been a place to pass through. For Native Americans traders, early explorers, the military, or those using railroads or our modern freeways - the desert has been an obstacle to cross. Those that did remain had to wrestle a living from a difficult land, and this was a task few had the character to take on. Those that did were often colorful characters. Use the buttons to your left to experience some of the history in this place. Have fun!