Pilgrims in the Desert
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The Early History of the East Mojave Desert and Baker, California
Some of you may recognize one or more of the men pictured on the cover of the book. On the far left is Father Francisco Garces, the first European known to have crossed the Mojave Desert. Garces was exploring up the Colorado River and in the area above present day Needles, California he found Indians with seashells they had brought from the coast. The Indians agreed to lead him across the Mojave to the Coast. The year was 1776.
Third from left is Jedediah Smith, a "Mountain Man" who was apparently searching for a route to the Coast to find a more convenient market for his Beaver pelts. He was also guided across the Mojave by the Indians living along the Colorado River. His first crossing was in 1826. He crossed again in 1827 under extremely difficult conditions.
Third from left is Jedediah Smith, a "Mountain Man" who was apparently searching for a route to the Coast to find a more convenient market for his Beaver pelts. He was also guided across the Mojave by the Indians living along the Colorado River. His first crossing was in 1826. He crossed again in 1827 under extremely difficult conditions.
Second from left is John C. Fremont "The Great Pathfinder". Fremont had made one earlier expedition into the little known lands of the West. On this, his second expedition, he and his men had wintered in the San Joaquin Valley. They left there in March of 1844 traveling South to avoid the Sierras which were still covered with snow. He and his men crossed through the Tehachapi Pass and entered the Mojave Desert at a point near present day Victorville, California in April.
Second from the right is Christopher "Kit" Carson, a pathfinder in his own right. He was hired by Fremont as a guide and spent many years exploring the western lands. Both Carson and Fremont kept diaries, excerpts of which you will find on the pages of Pilgrims in the Desert.
Finally, on the far right is a picture of Wyatt Earp. Television and movies lead us to believe that Wyatt spent most of his time as a lawman in the wild west cattle towns. In fact Wyatt spent many years in the Mojave Desert. His first trip, in 1864, was as a child, traveling with his family from Utah to the San Bernardino area in a wagon train. They passed just a few miles North of Present day Baker, California. Wyatt would return and live out his later years on the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert, pursuing mining interests. The small settlement and Post Office at Earp, California, across the Colorado River from Parker, Arizona is named after him.
Second from the right is Christopher "Kit" Carson, a pathfinder in his own right. He was hired by Fremont as a guide and spent many years exploring the western lands. Both Carson and Fremont kept diaries, excerpts of which you will find on the pages of Pilgrims in the Desert.
Finally, on the far right is a picture of Wyatt Earp. Television and movies lead us to believe that Wyatt spent most of his time as a lawman in the wild west cattle towns. In fact Wyatt spent many years in the Mojave Desert. His first trip, in 1864, was as a child, traveling with his family from Utah to the San Bernardino area in a wagon train. They passed just a few miles North of Present day Baker, California. Wyatt would return and live out his later years on the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert, pursuing mining interests. The small settlement and Post Office at Earp, California, across the Colorado River from Parker, Arizona is named after him.
