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Hodge
Hodge, located along historic U.S. Route 66 and the Mojave River, sits southwest of Barstow. Originally named Cottonwoods in 1863, it became a railroad stop in 1885 as Penn City, later renamed Hicks. The post office, opened in 1914 as Pallister, was renamed Hodge in 1925 and closed in 1941.
A quiet railroad and roadside stop, Hodge had a gas station, cafe, and cabins by 1946, primarily serving railroad crews. Its 6x8-foot post office, once the smallest federal building in the U.S., was featured in Ripleys Believe It or Not!
Hodge lay along the National Old Trails Road (N.O.T.R.), a major transcontinental route incorporated into Route 66 in the 1920s. Its brick schoolhouse served the desert community. Today, Hodge remains a quiet landmark, recalling an era when railroads and early highways shaped small desert towns.
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Hodge. In 1911, Gilbert Hodge homesteaded large acreage along the Mojave River. Arthur Brisbane, noted newspaper columnist, bought adjoining acreage and in 1925 was responsible for the community being named Hodge in honor of the pioneer settlers, Gilbert and Robert Hodge. Like its neighbor, Helendale, the main activities are dairying and raising alfalfa and grain.
~ Heritage of the Mojave River Valley
