Lane's Crossing was a ford below the Lower Narrows of the Mojave River in San Bernardino County, California, United States. "Lane's", a ranch and store for travelers at this crossing on the Mormon Road, was established by "Captain" Aaron G. Lane the first pioneer settler on the Mojave River.
Lane's Crossing | |
|---|---|
| Nickname: Lane's | |
  Lane's Crossing Location within the state of California | |
| Coordinates: 34°34′30″N 117°19′56″W / 34.57500°N 117.33222°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Bernardino |
| Elevation | 2,654 ft (809 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes | 92368 |
History
editLocated along the Mojave River, the vicinity of modern Oro Grande, California was the location for Native American settlements hundreds of years. The river was also the part of a trade route from the Colorado River for tribes in the southwest with those on the coast of Southern California, what was called the Mohave Trail. Followed by Spanish padres and soldiers, and later American fur trappers and New Mexican traders the Mohave Trail became part of the Old Spanish Trail between New Mexico and Alta California from 1830. After the Americans acquired California in the Mexican–American War, Mormon pioneers began the Mormon Road a wagon road from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles on the western part of the Old Spanish Trail that crossed the Mojave River just below the Lower Narrows of the Mojave River. This was called the Last Crossing of the Mojave because the travelers on the road from here left the river to cross the remaining desert to Cajon Pass.
In 1859, the year after the Mojave Road to Fort Mohave was established, Aaron G. Lane a veteran of the Mexican War and a Forty-niner established the a ranch and store for travelers on the road at this crossing, that came to be called Lane's Crossing. This was the first settlement on the Mojave River. He sold out in 1865 and moved down river to establish a ranch at Bryman, and others took over his old ranch and store.[1] However the name "Lane's" stuck for years thereafter, appearing on maps of the area as late as the 1880s.[2][3] Today Lane's Crossing has been renamed to Turner Ranch just west of Mojave Heights, and southwest of Oro Grande. A historical marker in front of Turner Ranch signifies the location of Lane's Crossing.
References
edit- ^ Richard D. and Kathryn L. Thompson, Pioneer of the Mojave: The Life and Times of Aaron G. Lane, Desert Knolls Press, Apple Valley, California, October 1, 1995
- ^ Topographical Sketch showing the Outward and Inward Route of a Party, while examining as to the practicability of a Diversion of the Colorado River for Purposes of Irrigation, Lithograph by Eric Bergland, 1875. From, Wheeler, G.M., Topographical Atlas Projected To Illustrate United States Geographical Surveys West Of The 100th Meridian Of Longitude Prosecuted In Accordance With Acts Of Congress Under The Authority Of The Honorable The Secretary Of War, And The Direction Of Brig. Genl. A.A. Humphreys, Chief Of Engineers, U.S. Army. Embracing Results Of the Different Expeditions Under The Command Of 1st Lieut. Geo. M. Wheeler, Corps Of Engineers. Julius Bien, lith., G. Thompson, Washington, 1876. From davidrumsey.com accessed December 10, 2015. From a Wheeler Annual Report. Gift to the David Rumsey collection by Mark Sappington. Shows the Colorado River above Ehrenburg, Arizona to Stones Ferry at the mouth of the Virgin River, parts of Nevada, and Arizona. In Southern California it includes the settlements, roads and railroads of the time, including the detailed routes of the Salt Lake Road and the Mojave Road including Lanes upper crossing.
- ^ Map of the 6th Operating Division of the Western Division, Atlantic & Pacific R.R., From Needles to Mojave. Saml. M. Rowe, Resident Engineer. Drawing No. J-2-902., Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, Albuquerque, 1882 Shows Lane's at the Lower Narrows