Mojave Runners

The Mojave Indian Runners helped get messages and information to far flung villages. They could run up to 100 miles a day barefoot and only donned sandals on very rocky or spiney [sic] areas. A group of them met Capt. John Fremont in 1844 near where Hinkley is now. These six Mojave told Fremont they had once lived in the area and raised vegetables. Because of these Indians, Fremont named the river and surrounding desert “Mohahve”. The later use of “Mojave” was a corruption of Fremont’s spelling, probably trying to use the Spanish spelling.

Marker is on East Main Street (Business Interstate 15), on the right when traveling west.

Courtesy hmdb.org

Credits and Sources:

HMDB