Since the late 1950s there has been a growing appreciation of the desert's historical resources. In 1951 Walter Knott bought the ghost town of Calico and restored it to the condition of its "glory days" of the 1880s, creating the first historic park in the area. In 1966 he donated it to the County of San Bernardino. [link-5]

History sort of repeated when Dennis & Jo Ann Casebier moved to Goffs in 1990. They helped create the Mojave Desert Heritage & Cultural Association and donated the Goffs schoolhouse and the one-acre schoolyard to the Association in 1998, restoring and preserving this historic site. [link-8]

For a tour that encompasses lots of desert history, see "Tour #1: The Sweep of History" under Tours and Detours.

Last update 12:38 PM Fri. 27-Feb-2004 by ABS.