Lancaster, California

Lancaster got its start back in 1876 when the Southern Pacific Railroad finished building a line between San Francisco and Los Angeles. One of the stops along the way was at a remote desert spot that later became Lancaster. At first, it was just a place where trains could stop for water. The railroad built homes for workers who kept the tracks running, and soon a small town began to grow nearby.

Not far from the stop, the Lancaster Hotel went up, and out on Lancaster Boulevard, another hotel changed names over the years—from the Antelope Valley Hotel to the Gilwyn, and finally the Western Hotel.

Where Did the Name "Lancaster" Come From?

There’s some mystery around how the town got its name. Most people say it came from Moses Langley Wicks, a real estate developer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who bought over 38,000 acres in 1884 and named the area after his hometown. But some older records show the name "Lancaster" was used even before Wicks showed up—possibly named after a railroad worker named J.W. Lancaster. So, it's likely the Southern Pacific Railroad had something to do with naming it in the first place.

Building a Town

In 1884, M.L. Wicks bought land from the railroad for about $2.50 an acre. He laid out streets and started selling 160-acre pieces of land for $6 an acre. Lancaster got its first newspaper in 1885, and by 1890 it was a booming farm town. Good rainfall helped farmers grow tons of wheat and barley.

Hard Times and a Comeback

Then came a terrible drought in 1894 that lasted nearly ten years. Farms dried up, businesses shut down, and cattle were moved elsewhere. Things started looking up again around 1898 when gold and borax were discovered nearby. Borax turned out to be a big deal—it was used in all sorts of products from soap to glass.

Things really took off again in 1908, when workers came to the area to help build the Los Angeles Aqueduct. The aqueduct was a massive project that brought water from the Owens Valley to Los Angeles, and Lancaster became a busy place while the work was going on.

Education and Famous Faces

In 1912, the Antelope Valley High School District was created. A big new high school was finished in 1915, and it even had dorms so kids from outlying areas could attend without leaving the region. One of Lancaster’s most famous former residents was Judy Garland. Before she became a movie star, she lived in Lancaster for seven years starting in 1926, performing locally as a child under her birth name, Frances “Baby” Gumm.

Growth and Change

In the 1930s, Lancaster began to grow steadily again, helped by the construction of Muroc Air Force Base (later Edwards Air Force Base). The base became known for flight tests and eventually for space shuttle landings. Even though the town had grown a lot over the years, it stayed under Los Angeles County’s control until 1977, when Lancaster officially became its own city.