Desert Spring is a former settlement in Kern County, California in the Fremont Valley, south of Red Rock Canyon State Park.[1] It was located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of Cantil.[1]

The place, with natural springs, was important as a source of freshwater to the Native Americans, explorers, prospectors, and others in the Mojave Desert.[1] The site is now registered as California Historical Landmark #476.[2]


California Historical Landmark reads:

NO. 476 DESERT SPRING - This spring was on an old Indian horse thief trail and later (1834) Joe Walker Trail. The famished Manly-Jayhawk Death Valley parties (1849-50) were revived here after coming from Indian Wells through Last Chance Canyon. This was also a station on the Nadeau Borax Freight Road.[3][4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 1012. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  2. ^ "Desert Spring". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
  3. ^ californiahistoricallandmarks.com Landmark chl-476
  4. ^ Cal California parks Historical Landmarks