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7th & Palmdale Road
Looking north toward the Mojave River on 7th St. from the eastern end of Palmdale Rd.
The intersection at 7th Street and Palmdale Road is steeped in history from the times when people were traveling by wagon. It was an essential avenue that served travelers trying to cross the rough terrain of Cajon Pass, which became a big stumbling block to them. Victorville wasn't even called Victorville back then; it was known as Little Meadows because of the grassy spots that stood out in the dry desert.
Then over time, as transportation methods changed and improved, a new road was built along the railroad named the National Old Trails Road. For a while, in a way, it left the old route at 7th and Palmdale. The National Old Trails Road was one of the first major highways for early cars, traveling from the Midwest out to California, and at the time, it was kind of a big deal.
But then, in 1926, Route 66 was established, and it followed part of that old wagon road and put the intersection back on the map. Route 66 quickly became famous, fabled as the main road on which to tour the West-especially during the Great Depression and afterward. The intersection at 7th and Palmdale also allowed travelers to head towards Palmdale and deeper into the western Mojave Desert, now part of State Highway 18.
It was such a crucial crossroads that it has survived over a century and, by today's standard, might just look like any other crossroads. From horse-drawn wagons creaking over the desert to road trippers cruising along on Route 66, it has seen a lot of times. This is where past and present meet; this is where the evolution of traveling in the West stands.