Lucerne Valley History Notes

Lucerne Valley begins long before anyone called it Lucerne. For thousands of years the land was simply part of the seasonal world of desert peoples. Serrano, Vanyume, and Chemehuevi families moved through the basin when water and plant foods were right, camping around the small springs on the valley floor and gathering pine nuts in the mountains above. They left quiet traces: grinding slicks in boulders, bits of pottery, scattered campsites near Rabbit Springs and the old lakebeds. The valley was a stop on larger seasonal rounds, not a permanent village, but it was familiar ground.

Everything changed in the 1800s as outsiders moved into the region. The mountains and the high desert saw scattered clashes as settlers pushed in. The last major fight happened in early 1867, when a group of Native families retreating from the San Bernardino Mountains were overtaken near Chimney Rock. The battle ended with the Native group forced out of the area, and after that, the door was open for settlement.

The first footprint of a community formed around Rabbit Springs. In 1873 a small group of men filed on the spring. A few years later a Scotsman named Peter Davidson made the place his own. Everyone called him Uncle Pete. He kept a simple way station for travelers cutting across the desert, the kind of place where a teamster could water his stock, rest, and get through the night. For a long time Uncle Pete’s place was the only settled spot in the whole valley.

In the late 1880s and 1890s, ranchers began to take interest. The Brown family ran cattle from Rabbit Springs. Then, in 1896, young cattleman Albert Swarthout bought the place, named it Box S, and drilled a better well. A year later he moved on, chasing better grass at Old Woman Springs. That opened the way for the man who would shape the valley’s future more than anyone: James Dad Goulding.

The Gouldings arrived in 1897. They took over the old ranch and immediately set to work. Dad Goulding planted alfalfa, dug a strong flowing well, and proved the desert could grow more than people thought. He used the old word for alfalfa lucerne and before long folks were calling the whole basin Lucerne Valley. At the Goulding home you could find a schoolroom, a bit of a library, and the valley’s first steady Fourth of July celebrations. Scattered homesteaders looked to that ranch as the center of their community.

The early 1900s brought more families. People drilled wells, fenced 160-acre claims, ran cattle, raised alfalfa, and tried dry farming. It was not an easy life, but a real town began to form. A post office came and went a few times until it finally found a permanent home. By 1912, the Gouldings held gatherings that drew nearly everyone in the basin.

The valley also brushed against larger stories. In 1909, the Willie Boy manhunt passed through the region, adding a dramatic chapter to local memory. Around the same time, roads slowly improved, mail routes became reliable, and the first automobiles appeared on the dusty tracks.

By the 1920s the valley had a loose but steady identity. Electricity arrived in 1928 for a few ranches. Hollywood discovered the dry lake and used it for Westerns and adventure films. The wide flats of Lucerne Dry Lake became backdrops for some of the most famous chase scenes ever filmed. Travelers pulled off the road to see Gilbert Tegelberg’s cactus gardens, a desert showplace built out of hard work and plant knowledge.

The Great Depression and World War II years kept the valley small and self-reliant. Families helped families. Volunteer fire crews formed. Ranchers still rode long lines, and the valley kept the quiet rhythm of a rural place tied to weather and water.

After the war, the pace changed. Highways 18 and 247 were paved. Guest ranches opened. Gobar’s Dairy operated along the highway. New stores and schools appeared. The big shift came when limestone in Cushenbury Canyon was tapped for cement. By the 1950s a full cement plant stood at the foot of the mountains, bringing steady jobs and drawing more families to the valley.

Rene Belbenoit settled in the Lucerne Valley area after his escape from the (Devil's Island) French Guiana penal camps. He lived quietly, worked around the desert, and became a familiar local figure. He helped develop a small roadside desert museum or attraction in the area, though details have blended into local lore. The quiet, open country suited him after years of hardship, and he spent the rest of his life there, dying in 1959.

Through the 1960s and 1970s, Lucerne Valley grew but never lost its spread-out feel. Mining trucks shared the road with horse trailers. Kids still raised animals for 4-H. Many homes remained on dirt roads. People valued space, quiet, and the mix of desert and mountain life.

By the end of the twentieth century, Lucerne Valley had lived several lives: Native hunting ground, lonely spring, cattle basin, farming outpost, movie backdrop, cactus gardener’s haven, dairy strip, and cement town. Yet the land still shows its beginnings. Stand at Rabbit Springs at sundown or walk near Chimney Rock on a still morning, and you can sense every layer of its past at once the people who crossed it, settled it, fought for it, farmed it, filmed it, and made it home.

Timeline

Lucerne Valley has a rich and rugged history, shaped by both Native American cultures and pioneering settlers. Here's a simpler breakdown of its historical highlights:

Early Days (Pre-1870s): The area was originally inhabited by nomadic tribes, primarily the Paiute people, who moved through the region for centuries. During the westward expansion, they were generally friendly toward settlers, although there were some conflicts.

First Settlers (1873-1897):

1873: Peter Davidson was the first white settler to establish a homestead, setting up a way station at Rabbit Springs for travelers.

1877: The last major conflict with local Native Americans, known as the Chimney Rock Battle, took place here.

1897: James Goulding, an influential figure, arrived and helped develop the area by starting a community and growing alfalfa, which he called "lucerne" (inspiring the name Lucerne Valley).

Homesteading and Community Growth (Early 1900s):

1909: The "Willie Boy" manhunt made headlines as Willie Boy, a Paiute Indian, led authorities on a chase through the desert, which ended near Lucerne Valley.

1912: The first July 4th celebration took place, bringing the growing community together. A local post office was also established around this time, though it was small and moved locations multiple times.

1928: Electricity arrived, although many residents continued to use kerosene lamps.

20th Century Developments:

Film Industry: Lucerne Valley became a popular filming location for Westerns in the 1920s and '30s, boosting the local economy.

Tourism and Entertainment: Gilbert Tegelberg's cactus gardens attracted tourists, and the Ewings' Desert Dome Ballroom became a local hotspot for dancing in the 1940s.

Cement Industry: The Kaiser (Mitsubishi) Cement Plant, located near Cushenbury Springs, became a major employer and established the area's connection to the cement industry.

Modern Changes (1950s Onward):

The community grew in the 1950s, attracting guest ranches and even Hollywood celebrities.

Fire Department: During WWII, volunteers organized the first local fire department. By the 1960s, it became a part of the county's fire services.

1950s Boom: With new schools, stores, and services, Lucerne Valley evolved from a pioneer settlement to a small town.

Today, Lucerne Valley remains a high-desert community with a blend of historical sites, natural beauty, and a close-knit feel. It's a place where the pioneering spirit is still evident, with residents spread over a broad area and maintaining a quiet, rugged lifestyle that reflects its challenging desert roots.

CACTUS VISITORS

The colorful world of exotic cactus was introduced to 27 students from our Lucerne Valley Union Elementary School on March 18 at the local Tegelberg Cactus Gardens on south Camp Rock Road. All from the third grade, the children were accompanied by their teacher, Mrs. Opal Curtis, PTA member Mrs. Joyce Rascke and bus driver Al Roberts. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Tegelberg, Sr., and Gilbert Tegelberg, Jr. displayed cactus in bloom in the big nursery building, also asking the visitors to sign their guest book and take pictures to record their visit. Next group scheduled to visit is the Garden Section of Apple Valley Federated Women's Club on March 30, reports Mrs. Tegelberg.

Al Swarthout

The Rabbit Hunt

Goulding

Gobar

Cushenbury

Peter Davidson

Willie Boy

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Disclaimer: Some portions of this project were developed with assistance from AI tools to help reconstruct historical contexts and fill informational gaps. All materials have been reviewed and fact-checked to ensure accuracy and reliability, though complete precision cannot be guaranteed. The aim is to provide dependable starting points and distinctive perspectives for further study, exploration, and research.

These materials are historical in nature and intended for educational use only; they are not designed as travel guides or planning resources.
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