Existing comment:
Mojave 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 trans-desert routes. In 1826 Jedediah Smith trod these trails to become the first white man to reach the California Coast overland from mid-America. The route became a military wagon road in 1859 when Fort Mojave on the Colorado River was established. This travel route remained a major link between Los Angeles and points east until a railway was completed across the desert in 1883.
California Registered Historical Landmark No. 963 |