Oro Grande, California

photo of Oro Grande a community on California Route 66

Oro Grande is an unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, United States. It lies on the city boundary of Victorville and Adelanto. It is at an elevation of 2884 ft. in the Victor Valley north of the San Bernardino mountain range. It is located on old Route 66 near Interstate 15 between Victorville and Barstow.

Alfalfa field

Former Route 66 Motel

Railroad crossing

Danny's Place
On the east side of the road (this would be on the right as you head towards Helendale) is a little place that used to be a beer bar, but has since been converted into a residence. Johnny Rogers, Sagebrush Annie's boyfriend after her husband died, was killed on the road here when he ran head-on into a big rig. The place was popular in the late 1940s and early ‘50s for birthday parties, anniversaries, and such. Later it got the reputation of catering to a rough crowd. *

Bar & saloon
Formerly the Lost Hawg, a biker bar. Although it has been redecorated many times, this is one of the early buildings along the highway. It has been owned by the same family since 1944. About that time it housed the dealership for Case farm equipment.

It later became McClintock's Restaurant, and recently has been renamed the Iron Hog, although there is a sign on the highway that refers to the earlier name of Mc Clintock's. The sign was put there to draw attention to the fact that this is an historical site on old Route 66. According to the owner, the structure was built in about 1931. *

Old trail to river

Cement plant

Railroad bridge across Route 66

* SAGEBRUSH ANNIE AND THE SAGEBRUSH ROUTE - By Richard D. Thompson

Oro Grande Weather

Romantic Heritage of Victor Valley

From its pioneer gold mining, Oro Grande became typed as an industrial community and such it has remained. When the railroad came through in 1885, Oro Grande found its name changed to Halleck, and it bore the latter name until 1926.

Before the turn of the century. lime kilns were erected right on the site of the present modern plant of the Riverside Cement Co. Along with its cement industry, farming has prospered.