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Upper Mojave River Narrows Bridges
The Mojave River Narrows has conventionally been home to a host of bridge crossings due to its coveted location along important transportation routes. The Mojave River, which is intermittent inside the desert, has provided a challenge unique unto itself for travelers and settlers since the 19th century. Herein is a history overview with regard to the bridges at the Mojave River Narrows.
Early Crossings:
In the mid-1800s, the Mojave River Narrows became a significant point for travelers on both the Mormon Road and the Old Spanish Trail. These were early trails that made a vital trade and migration link between Southern California and Utah that crossed over beyond the state. Early river crossings were for the most part fords, whereby travelers would find shallow spots to cross, but this was inconsistent, especially in times of high water flow.First Bridges:
As development in the Victor Valley grew and rail and road routes became of increasing importance, a reliable crossing over the Mojave River was needed. Early bridges consisted merely of wooden structures. By the latter part of the 1800s, these early bridges allowed horse-drawn wagons and carts to cross the river independent of seasonal fords. These bridges of wood were easily washed away by floods, heavy rains, and the seasonal overflow of the river.1916 Bridge:
One of the more key bridges in the area was the one constructed in the year 1916. This is a steel bridge, designed mainly to afford a better crossing facility for the then somewhat newly introduced automobiles. The truss style bridge, popular in that era for its overall strength and capability of a longer span, was the design of the 1916 bridge. The new bridge would provide better transportation between Victorville and the outlying desert communities, as well as play its part in the development of this region. Like its predecessors, though, it would begin to have challenges again from the unpredictable flow of the Mojave River and, less often, from flooding.Modern Bridges:
The communities of Victorville and surrounding areas continued to develop, starting in the mid-20th century, and new, more substantial bridges were built. These newer bridges are of concrete construction and designed to overcome those forces of nature that had destroyed many earlier crossings. The bridges were constructed to accommodate growing traffic on Route 66 and later on Interstate 15, which became the major transportation corridor connecting Southern California to Las Vegas and beyond.These bridges at the Mojave River Narrows represent both the rich history of Victorville today and the one continuing to grow as a transportation hub. They serve as a testament to the dicey situations that early settlers and travelers had to put up with while crossing the unpredictable Mojave River and the stride in infrastructural development that has taken place to date, making it possible for the region to prosper.
