The Randsburg - Mojave Road
The Randsburg Mojave Road was built by Rice & Shippee of Mojave to speed stage transportation from the Southern Pacific railroad station at Mojave, to the rich gold mines in the Randsburg area; service commenced on November 22, 1898. The stage left Mojave at 9 o’clock and arrived at Randsburg at 2 o’clock, just five hours after leaving Mojave. This new route was only 36 miles, versus the 54-mile (and eight hour) route through Garlock. The cost of a one-way ticket was three dollars.
The route followed the Twenty Mule Team Mojave/Death Valley road (1883-1889) from Mojave to this point, and then angled north; near Randsburg the old road went through the hills to the west of present day Highway 395.
Besides gold, the Rand mining region produced tungsten (essential to World War One hardened steel production) in Atolia. A rich silver strike south of Johannesburg in 1919 gave birth to wild, wooly and rich Osdick (later Red Mountain).
By 1915, the automobile was replacing horse drawn transportation. Stages still ran between Randsburg and Atolia; but auto stages ran to Barstow and Mojave. Locally, miners could ride to work and come back to town in the evening in desert “jitneys”.
In 1924, Kern County surveyed the Randsburg-Mojave Road and took possession of it as County Road #636.
Marker is at the intersection of Randsburg Mojave Road and 20 Mule Team Parkway, on the right when traveling north on Randsburg Mojave Road.
Courtesy hmdb.org
