Antelope Valley's History

The history of the Antelope Valley is rich and varied. From the early settlers to the growth of the aerospace industry the AV has gone through many booms and nearly as many busts.

Muroc AFB & Plant 42 Bring Another Boom

 The community began a steady growth spurt in the 1930s, starting with construction of Muroc Air Force Base. After World War II, Palmdale's economic base shifted to aerospace and defense industry with construction of Air Force Plant 42 and the Federal Aviation Administration's Air Route Traffic Control Center. Aerospace remains a mainstay of the region today and into the future with flight testing, a soon to be international airport and, yes, even a Spaceport

Southern Pacific Railroad puts Lancaster on Map

 In1876 the railroad laid track through the town's future location and by September had completed a railroad line through the Antelope Valley. Train service brought passengers through the whistlestop-turned-community, which quickly attracted new settlers. The person credited with formally developing the town is Moses Langley Wicks, who in 1884 mapped out a town with streets and lots, and by September was advertising 160-acre tracts of land for $6 an acre. The following year, the Lancaster News started publication, making it the first weekly newspaper in the Antelope Valley. What became known as Palmdale was founded in 1886 by Swiss and German settlers who in 1888 named their new community Palmenthal after mistaking the local Joshua trees for palm trees.

By 1890, Lancaster was bustling and booming, and thanks to ample rainfall farmers planted and sold crops of wheat, barley, grain and fruit. A drought that began in 1894 devastated farming and ranching in the area. Many of the settlers abandoned their properties due to the drought and land scams. Fortunes improved somewhat in 1898 following the discoveries of gold and borax in areas to the north

Construction of the 233-mile Los Angeles Aqueduct started in 1908 and Lancaster became a boom town once again by housing aqueduct workers. The 1912 completion of Antelope Valley Union High School allowed students from the growing region to study locally.

One of Lancaster's most famous residents, a young Judy Garland-then still Frances "Baby" Gumm-lived in Lancaster and honed her skills starting in 1926 as a child singer, dancer, and entertainer.