Victorville, California
Victorville is a city in Victor Valley in San Bernardino County, California. Its population as of the 2020 census was 134,810. Victorville is the principal city of a Victor Valley–based urban area defined by the United States Census Bureau: the Victorville–Hesperia–Apple Valley urban area had a population of 355,816 as of the 2020 census, making it the 117th largest in the United States. History The Serrano people were the first Native Americans to inhabit the area. In 1858, Aaron G. Lane came to what is now known as Victorville and founded a waystation called "Lane's Crossing." For many years it provided shelter and supplies for people journeying across the desert from the east to San Bernardino. Lane's Crossing was on the Mojave River on today's Turner Road, two miles north of where Interstate 15 crosses the river. Lane was a veteran of the Mexican–American War who had had malaria during that war. Originally he migrated west to join the California gold rush, but he learned that he could make a better living selling supplies to the miners. Lane settled in Ione, near Sutter's Mill in northern California, during those years, but migrated to San Bernardino in 1857. He settled on the Mojave River in 1858, where he established his waystation. He later sold out to Texan John Fry Miller, who changed the name of Lane's Crossing to Pioneer Station. Miller was a rancher and became involved in Mojave Valley politics, setting up the first polling place in the area at his home. That first year, ten citizens cast their votes at Lane's residence rather than making the long trip to San Bernardino. Census records show that ten people lived in two residences on the river by 1860. Listed in Dwelling No. 703 were Aaron Lane, William R. Levick, and the Nicholson family, consisting of George, Frances, and their three children aged 9 to 13. Joseph and Mary Highmoor lived in Dwelling No. 704, with a seven-year-old girl named Anna. The Levick, Nicholson and Highmoor families were Mormon pioneers. Highmoor established a way station called Highmoor's Crossing near today's Oro Grande bridge of the National Trails Highway (known as U.S. Route 66), over the Mojave River at what is called the Lower Narrows. The Nicholson family moved downriver a few miles and established a way station at "Point of Rocks" in today's Helendale area. In 1867, Lafayette Meacham, a Mormon who ran a way station near today's Barstow area, made a new wagon road from his stage stop to what is now Old Town Victorville. It crossed the Mojave River at today's Sixth Street. This new road, now called Stoddard Wells Road, was a shortcut across the desert and became a popular route for muleskinners and freighters. The river crossing was called Mormon Crossing and the surrounding area became known by that name. In the 1870s, Heber "Pete" Huntington established a stage stop, Huntington Station, at Mormon Crossing. Also a Mormon pioneer, Huntington was leader Brigham Young's nephew. Huntington later bought