Victorville, California
Encyclopedia
Victorville is a city located in the Victor Valley of southwestern San Bernardino County, California
. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.
, 81 miles (130.4 km) northeast of Los Angeles
, 34 miles (54.7 km) south of Barstow
, 48 miles (77.2 km) east of Palmdale
, and 37 miles (59.5 km) north of San Bernardino
through the Cajon Pass
on Interstate 15
. Victorville is the location of offices of the "Mojave Desert Branch" of the San Bernardino County government.
Victorville is bordered by Apple Valley
on the east, Hesperia
on the south, and Adelanto
on the west. The Mojave River
flows sporadically through Victorville. The elevation at City Hall is approximately 2950 feet (899.2 m) above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 73.7 square miles (190.9 km²). 73.2 square miles (189.6 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.76% water.
The summer climate for this area in the Mojave Desert
is hotter than the Los Angeles basin, but 10 or 15 degrees cooler than in the Colorado Desert
. The National Weather Service
has maintained a weather station in Victorville since 1917. Official records show that Victorville has an arid climate with cool winters and hot summers. Average January temperatures range from a maximum of 59.5 °F (15.3 °C) to a minimum of 31.4 °F (-.3 °C). Average July temperatures range from a maximum of 99.1 °F (37.3 °C) to a minimum of 60.8 °F (16 °C). The record high temperature was 116 °F (46.7 °C) on July 10, 2002. The record low temperature was -1 °F on January 17, 1949. There are an average of 109 days with highs of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher and an average of 79 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower.
The average annual precipitation in Victorville is 6.27 inches (159.3 mm). There is an average of 28 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year recorded was 1983 with 13.42 inches (340.9 mm) and the driest year recorded was 1953 with 1.27 inches (32.3 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 5.45 inches (138.4 mm) in February 1944. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 3 inches (76.2 mm) on February 24, 1998. Snowfall in Victorville averages only 1.4 inches (35.6 mm) annually. The most snowfall in one month was 38 inches (965.2 mm) in January 1949, including 31 inches (787.4 mm) on January 14. Snowfall is rather common during the winter months in the higher mountains south of Victorville, especially around Cajon Pass
.
was 1,571.8 people per square mile (606.9/km²). The racial makeup of Victorville was 56,258 (48.5%) White, 19,483 (16.8%) African American, 1,665 (1.4%) Native American, 4,641 (4.0%) Asian, 489 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 26,036 (22.5%) from other races
, and 7,331 (6.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 55,359 persons (47.8%).
The Census reported that 110,800 people (95.6% of the population) lived in households, 341 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 4,762 (4.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 32,558 households, out of which 17,256 (53.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 17,036 (52.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 6,487 (19.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,397 (7.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,478 (7.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 258 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 5,081 households (15.6%) were made up of individuals and 1,954 (6.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40. There were 25,920 families
(79.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.77.
The population was spread out with 38,023 people (32.8%) under the age of 18, 12,136 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 33,479 people (28.9%) aged 25 to 44, 22,853 people (19.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 9,412 people (8.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.5 years. For every 100 females there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.
There were 36,655 housing units at an average density of 497.1 per square mile (191.9/km²), of which 20,137 (61.8%) were owner-occupied, and 12,421 (38.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 11.1%. 66,600 people (57.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 44,200 people (38.1%) lived in rental housing units.
is 879.7 inhabitants per square mile (339.7/km²). There are 22,498 housing units at an average density of 309.1 per square mile (119.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 41.9% White, 16.1% African American, 1.1% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 16.3% from other races, and 6.0% from two or more races. 50.5% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 30,000 households out of which 43.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% are married couples
living together, 16.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% are non-families. 19.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.0 and the average family size is 3.5.
In the city the population is spread out with 34.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,187, and the median income for a family is $39,988. Males have a median income of $40,149 versus $26,138 for females. The per capita income
for the city is $14,454. 18.7% of the population and 15.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.6% of those under the age of 18 and 10.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Victorville is located in the 17th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Sharon Runner, and in the 36th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Steve Knight
. Federally, Victorville is located in California's 25th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +7 and is represented by Republican Buck McKeon
.
About 1895, the village was named "Victor" for the California Southern Railroad
's General Manager Jacob Nash Victor
. In 1901, the U.S. Post Office Department changed that name to Victorville to avoid confusion with the town of Victor, Colorado
.
In 1926, the highway U.S. Route 66
was begun, and it passed through Victorville. Today, that former route is known as Seventh Street and continues across Interstate 15 and becomes Palmdale Road. It is the primary street through Old Town Victorville.
In 1940, Herman J. Mankiewicz
and John Houseman
wrote the first two drafts of the script for the film Citizen Kane
in Victorville, while residing at the Green Spot motel along Route 66. That film's producer and director, Orson Welles
, had sent the two of them to write in semi-seclusion - due to Mankiewicz's outrageous drinking propensities.
The Victorville Army Airfield was constructed beginning in 1941, and this airfield became the George Air Force Base
when the U.S. Air Force was established in October, 1947.
After decades of service to the Air Force, in 1992 the George Air Force Base was closed, and its land turned over to other uses. Part of it is now the Southern California Logistics Airport
. The former Air Force base housing area is now vacant, and it forms a ghost town that is used for military training by troops from the U.S. Army's Fort Irwin Military Reservation
. On another part of the grounds of the former Air Force Base has been built the Victorville Federal Penitentiary
.
The city of Victorville was officially incorporated by the State of California on September 21, 1962.
On August 14, 1977, the actor Ron Haydock
was struck and killed while hitchhiking near Victorville.
In 2003, the practically bankrupt Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum was moved from Victorville to Branson, Missouri
, for another try at solvency.
On November 3, 2007, Victorville hosted the DARPA Urban Challenge, a six-hour autonomous robot driving contest through the streets of the Southern California Logistics Airport. The Carnegie Mellon University
team, known as Tartan Racing, won the two million dollar first prize, with the Stanford University
Racing Team winning a one million dollar check for finishing second. Team Victor Tango, made up of faculty and students from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute won $500,000 for finishing third.
“Robots sometimes stun the world, inspire a lot of people and change the belief of what is possible,” said William “Red” Whittaker, a Carnegie Mellon Univ. robotics professor and the leader of the university’s Tartan Racing team. “We’ve seen that here and once the perception of what’s possible changes, it never goes back. This is a phenomenal thing for robotics.”
Notable in Old Town Victorville are the Veteran's Memorial on the corner of Seventh Street and Forrest Ave, the Route 66 Museum on D Street, and the Old Victor School on Sixth Street.
, a proposed high-speed rail system connecting Las Vegas to southern California, plans the end of the line here. Additionally, Desert Xpress is planning a possible extension to Palmdale, California
, to connect with the proposed California High-Speed Rail
system.
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.
Geography and climate
Victorville is located at the southwestern edge of the Mojave DesertMojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
, 81 miles (130.4 km) northeast of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, 34 miles (54.7 km) south of Barstow
Barstow, California
Barstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 22,639 at the 2010 census, up from 21,119 at the 2000 census. Barstow is located north of San Bernardino....
, 48 miles (77.2 km) east of Palmdale
Palmdale, California
Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...
, and 37 miles (59.5 km) north of San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
through the Cajon Pass
Cajon Pass
Cajon Pass is a moderate-elevation mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California in the United States. It was created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault...
on Interstate 15
Interstate 15 in California
In the U.S. state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north–south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Counties, and it has a length of in the state. It is a major thoroughfare for traffic between Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as points beyond...
. Victorville is the location of offices of the "Mojave Desert Branch" of the San Bernardino County government.
Victorville is bordered by Apple Valley
Apple Valley, California
-Climate:*On average, the warmest month is July.*The highest recorded temperature was in 2002.*On average, the coolest month is December.*The lowest recorded temperature was in 1949.*The most precipitation on average occurs in February.-History:...
on the east, Hesperia
Hesperia, California
Hesperia is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the Mojave Desert north of San Bernardino. The locals refer to the surrounding area as the High Desert...
on the south, and Adelanto
Adelanto, California
Adelanto is a city in San Bernardino County, California about northwest of Victorville. The population was 31,765 at the 2010 census, up from 18,130 at the 2000 census.-Name:...
on the west. The Mojave River
Mojave River
The Mojave River is an intermittent river in the eastern San Bernardino Mountains and Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California. The river is notable as most of its flow is underground, while its surface channels remain dry most of the time, with the exception of the headwaters and several...
flows sporadically through Victorville. The elevation at City Hall is approximately 2950 feet (899.2 m) above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 73.7 square miles (190.9 km²). 73.2 square miles (189.6 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.76% water.
The summer climate for this area in the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
is hotter than the Los Angeles basin, but 10 or 15 degrees cooler than in the Colorado Desert
Colorado Desert
California's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert, which extends across southwest North America. The Colorado Desert region encompasses approximately , reaching from the Mexican border in the south to the higher-elevation Mojave Desert in the north and from the Colorado River in...
. The National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
has maintained a weather station in Victorville since 1917. Official records show that Victorville has an arid climate with cool winters and hot summers. Average January temperatures range from a maximum of 59.5 °F (15.3 °C) to a minimum of 31.4 °F (-.3 °C). Average July temperatures range from a maximum of 99.1 °F (37.3 °C) to a minimum of 60.8 °F (16 °C). The record high temperature was 116 °F (46.7 °C) on July 10, 2002. The record low temperature was -1 °F on January 17, 1949. There are an average of 109 days with highs of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher and an average of 79 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower.
The average annual precipitation in Victorville is 6.27 inches (159.3 mm). There is an average of 28 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year recorded was 1983 with 13.42 inches (340.9 mm) and the driest year recorded was 1953 with 1.27 inches (32.3 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 5.45 inches (138.4 mm) in February 1944. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 3 inches (76.2 mm) on February 24, 1998. Snowfall in Victorville averages only 1.4 inches (35.6 mm) annually. The most snowfall in one month was 38 inches (965.2 mm) in January 1949, including 31 inches (787.4 mm) on January 14. Snowfall is rather common during the winter months in the higher mountains south of Victorville, especially around Cajon Pass
Cajon Pass
Cajon Pass is a moderate-elevation mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California in the United States. It was created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault...
.
Surrounding areas
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Victorville had a population of 115,903. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,571.8 people per square mile (606.9/km²). The racial makeup of Victorville was 56,258 (48.5%) White, 19,483 (16.8%) African American, 1,665 (1.4%) Native American, 4,641 (4.0%) Asian, 489 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 26,036 (22.5%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 7,331 (6.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 55,359 persons (47.8%).
The Census reported that 110,800 people (95.6% of the population) lived in households, 341 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 4,762 (4.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 32,558 households, out of which 17,256 (53.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 17,036 (52.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6,487 (19.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,397 (7.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,478 (7.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 258 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 5,081 households (15.6%) were made up of individuals and 1,954 (6.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40. There were 25,920 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(79.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.77.
The population was spread out with 38,023 people (32.8%) under the age of 18, 12,136 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 33,479 people (28.9%) aged 25 to 44, 22,853 people (19.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 9,412 people (8.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.5 years. For every 100 females there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.
There were 36,655 housing units at an average density of 497.1 per square mile (191.9/km²), of which 20,137 (61.8%) were owner-occupied, and 12,421 (38.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 11.1%. 66,600 people (57.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 44,200 people (38.1%) lived in rental housing units.
2005
In 2005, the city was estimated to contain 86,473 people, 30,000 households, and 21,000 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 879.7 inhabitants per square mile (339.7/km²). There are 22,498 housing units at an average density of 309.1 per square mile (119.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 41.9% White, 16.1% African American, 1.1% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 16.3% from other races, and 6.0% from two or more races. 50.5% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 30,000 households out of which 43.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% are married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% are non-families. 19.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.0 and the average family size is 3.5.
In the city the population is spread out with 34.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,187, and the median income for a family is $39,988. Males have a median income of $40,149 versus $26,138 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city is $14,454. 18.7% of the population and 15.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.6% of those under the age of 18 and 10.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Victorville is located in the 17th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Sharon Runner, and in the 36th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Steve Knight
Steve Knight (politician)
Stephen Knight is an American politician. He represents the 36th district in the California State Assembly, encompassing northeastern Los Angeles and western San Bernardino counties in the High Desert region. He currently lives in Palmdale with his wife Lily and two children.His father, William J...
. Federally, Victorville is located in California's 25th congressional district
California's 25th congressional district
California's 25th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers part of Los Angeles County and extends out to broad stretches of interior California along the Nevada border. It includes the cities of Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster, and the...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +7 and is represented by Republican Buck McKeon
Howard McKeon
Howard Philip "Buck" McKeon is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern California Logistics Airport Southern California Logistics Airport Southern California Logistics Airport , also known as Victorville Airport, is a public airport located in the city of Victorville in San Bernardino County, California approximately north of San Bernardino... |
2,073 |
| 2 | Victor Valley College Victor Valley College Victor Valley College is a community college in the southeast corner of Victorville, California. The Victor Valley Community College District includes Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Phelan, and Adelanto.-History:... |
1,150 |
| 3 | Desert Valley Hospital Desert Valley Hospital Desert Valley Hospital is an 83 bed acute care facility in Victorville, California, USA. DVH is owned and operated by Prime Healthcare Services, Inc. , a hospital management company located in Ontario. PHS was founded in 2001 by Prem Reddy, who acts as its present Chairman of the Board... |
1,000 |
| 4 | Verizon | 940 |
| 5 | Victor Valley Union High School District | 877 |
| 6 | Victor Elementary School District | 848 |
| 7 | Federal Correctional Complex, Victorville | 844 |
| 8 | Walmart | 830 |
| 9 | Victor Valley Community Hospital | 548 |
History
In 1858, Aaron G. Lane came to the High Desert and created the hamlet of "Lane's Crossing", which for many years provided shelter and supplies for people making the journey across the desert from the east to San Bernardino. Lane's Crossing was on the Mojave River just north of where the river crosses Interstate 15. Captain Lane was a Mexican-American War veteran who had suffered from malaria during that war. Originally he migrated west to join the California gold rush, but he found out that he could make a better living selling supplies to the miners. He settled in Ione near Sutter's Mill in northern California during those years, but he migrated to San Bernardino in 1857. Although his health did not improve much there, he found that the dry desert air was comforting to him. He settled there in 1858, residing there for 25 years. He was a rancher and became involved in Mojave Valley politics, providing the first polling place in the high desert at his home. That first year, ten citizens cast their votes at Lane's residence, rather than making the long trip to San Bernardino. Census records show that Aaron Lane was not alone living on the crossing and there were ten people living in two residences on the river by 1860. Listed in Dwelling No. 703 were Aaron Lane, William R. Levick, and the Nicholson family, consisting of George and Frances, and their three children aged 9 to 13. Joseph and Mary Highmoor lived in Dwelling No. 704, with a seven-year-old female named Anna.About 1895, the village was named "Victor" for the California Southern Railroad
California Southern Railroad
The California Southern Railroad was a subsidiary railroad of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in Southern California. It was organized July 10, 1880, and chartered on October 23, 1880, to build a rail connection between what has become the city of Barstow and San Diego,...
's General Manager Jacob Nash Victor
Jacob Nash Victor
Jacob Nash Victor was a civil engineer who worked as General Manager of the California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
. In 1901, the U.S. Post Office Department changed that name to Victorville to avoid confusion with the town of Victor, Colorado
Victor, Colorado
Victor is a Statutory City in Teller County, Colorado, United States. The population was 445 at the 2000 census.Victor is in the heart of Colorado's gold country, home to two of the major gold mines in the Cripple Creek mining district...
.
In 1926, the highway U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
was begun, and it passed through Victorville. Today, that former route is known as Seventh Street and continues across Interstate 15 and becomes Palmdale Road. It is the primary street through Old Town Victorville.
In 1940, Herman J. Mankiewicz
Herman J. Mankiewicz
Herman Jacob Mankiewicz was an American screenwriter, who, with Orson Welles, wrote the screenplay for Citizen Kane . Earlier, he was the Berlin correspondent for the Chicago Tribune and the drama critic for The New York Times and The New Yorker. Alexander Woollcott, said that Herman Mankiewicz was...
and John Houseman
John Houseman
John Houseman was a Romanian-born British-American actor and film producer who became known for his highly publicized collaboration with director Orson Welles from their days in the Federal Theatre Project through to the production of Citizen Kane...
wrote the first two drafts of the script for the film Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
in Victorville, while residing at the Green Spot motel along Route 66. That film's producer and director, Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
, had sent the two of them to write in semi-seclusion - due to Mankiewicz's outrageous drinking propensities.
The Victorville Army Airfield was constructed beginning in 1941, and this airfield became the George Air Force Base
George Air Force Base
George Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located within city limits, 8 miles northwest of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. The facility was closed by the Base Realignment and Closure 1992 commission at the end of the Cold...
when the U.S. Air Force was established in October, 1947.
After decades of service to the Air Force, in 1992 the George Air Force Base was closed, and its land turned over to other uses. Part of it is now the Southern California Logistics Airport
Southern California Logistics Airport
Southern California Logistics Airport , also known as Victorville Airport, is a public airport located in the city of Victorville in San Bernardino County, California approximately north of San Bernardino...
. The former Air Force base housing area is now vacant, and it forms a ghost town that is used for military training by troops from the U.S. Army's Fort Irwin Military Reservation
Fort Irwin Military Reservation
Fort Irwin & the National Training Center is a major training area for the United States Military and is a census-designated place located in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Fort Irwin's...
. On another part of the grounds of the former Air Force Base has been built the Victorville Federal Penitentiary
United States Penitentiary, Victorville
The United States Penitentiary, Victorville is a high-security federal prison for men in the United States. Part of the Federal Correctional Complex, Victorville, USP Victorville is located in Victorville, California, on the grounds of the former George Air Force Base.-Construction:USP Victorville...
.
The city of Victorville was officially incorporated by the State of California on September 21, 1962.
On August 14, 1977, the actor Ron Haydock
Ron Haydock
Ron Haydock was an American actor, screenwriter, novelist and rock musician.His band, Ron Haydock & the Boppers, was sometimes compared to Elvis Presley...
was struck and killed while hitchhiking near Victorville.
In 2003, the practically bankrupt Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum was moved from Victorville to Branson, Missouri
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
, for another try at solvency.
On November 3, 2007, Victorville hosted the DARPA Urban Challenge, a six-hour autonomous robot driving contest through the streets of the Southern California Logistics Airport. The Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
team, known as Tartan Racing, won the two million dollar first prize, with the Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
Racing Team winning a one million dollar check for finishing second. Team Victor Tango, made up of faculty and students from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute won $500,000 for finishing third.
“Robots sometimes stun the world, inspire a lot of people and change the belief of what is possible,” said William “Red” Whittaker, a Carnegie Mellon Univ. robotics professor and the leader of the university’s Tartan Racing team. “We’ve seen that here and once the perception of what’s possible changes, it never goes back. This is a phenomenal thing for robotics.”
Old Town Victorville
A controversial revitalization project started in 1995 in the ten square blocks along Historic Route 66. After years of setbacks in developing Old Town, the city—along with input from residents and local business owners—created an Old Town Strategic Action Plan in 2007. In 2008, demolition on hazardous and dilapidated buildings began. The Strategic Action Plan will incorporate mixed use components; combining retail, restaurant, and high density in-fill housing in a pedestrian-friendly environment.Notable in Old Town Victorville are the Veteran's Memorial on the corner of Seventh Street and Forrest Ave, the Route 66 Museum on D Street, and the Old Victor School on Sixth Street.
Filming location
Victorville has been used for commercial filming several times:- The Harvey GirlsThe Harvey GirlsThe Harvey Girls is a 1946 MGM musical film based on a 1942 novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams about Fred Harvey's famous Harvey House restaurants. Directed by George Sidney, the film stars Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury, Virginia O'Brien, Ray Bolger, and Marjorie Main...
(1942), partially filmed at Iverson Ranch - It Came From Outer SpaceIt Came from Outer SpaceIt Came from Outer Space is a 1953 science fiction 3-D film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, and Charles Drake. It was Universal's first film to be filmed in 3-D.- Plot :...
(1953), filmed in Victorville and the surrounding desert; Victorville served as the setting for the fictional town of "Sand Rock, Arizona". - Grand Theft AutoGrand Theft Auto (film)Grand Theft Auto is a 1977 American comedy chase film directed by Ron Howard. It was Howard's directorial debut and features himself as Sam Freeman and Nancy Morgan as Paula Powers in the leading roles...
(1977), starring Ron Howard - The Hills Have EyesThe Hills Have Eyes (1977 film)The Hills Have Eyes is a 1977 American horror film directed by Wes Craven and starring Susan Lanier, Michael Berryman, and Dee Wallace. It is about a family on a road trip who become stranded in the Nevada desert, and are hunted by a clan of deformed cannibals in the surrounding hills...
(1977) by Wes Craven - The Hitcher (1986), starring Rutger Hauer, C. Thomas Howell, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, was filmed at the Outpost truck stop. Many local residents were used as extras.
- Lethal WeaponLethal WeaponLethal Weapon is a 1987 American buddy cop action film and the first in a series of films, all directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched pair of LAPD detectives, and Gary Busey as their primary adversary...
(1987) filmed at El Mirage Dry Lake west of Victorville - From Dusk till DawnFrom Dusk Till DawnFrom Dusk till Dawn is a 1996 horror film directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino. The movie stars Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino and Juliette Lewis.-Plot:...
(1996), the restaurant scene early in the movie - Face/OffFace/OffFace/Off is a 1997 action thriller film directed by John Woo, starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. The two both play an FBI agent and a terrorist, sworn enemies who assume the physical appearance of one another....
(1997), portions filmed at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville - BreakdownBreakdown (film)Breakdown is a 1997 American thriller film, written and directed by Jonathan Mostow. The film stars Kurt Russell, J. T. Walsh and Kathleen Quinlan. The original music score was composed by Basil Poledouris...
(1997) starring Kurt RussellKurt RussellKurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
, filmed in downtown Victorville - ContactContact (film)Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Both Sagan and wife Ann Druyan wrote the story outline for the film adaptation of Contact....
(1997), also partially filmed in Victorville, with some local residents used as extras. - Play It to the BonePlay It to the BonePlay It to the Bone is a 1999 sports/comedy-drama film, starring Antonio Banderas and Woody Harrelson, written and directed by Ron Shelton....
(1999) filmed partly in The New Reflections concert venue in Downtown - Times Like TheseTimes Like These (song)"Times Like These" is the second single released from the Foo Fighters' fourth album One by One. It was released on two main discs in 2003....
music video by the Foo FightersFoo FightersFoo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
(2002) was filmed on D Street between Victorville and Apple Valley. - Kill Bill: Volume 2Kill BillKill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
(2004) was filmed in The New Reflections as well - The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo DriftThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo DriftThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is a 2006 street racing action film directed by Justin Lin. It is the third installment in the The Fast and the Furious film series and currently the sixth in terms of series chronology...
(2006) was partially filmed in Victorville
High speed rail
As of 2010, the Desert XpressDesert Xpress
DesertXpress is a proposal to build a privately-funded high speed rail passenger train from Victorville, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada.- Overview :...
, a proposed high-speed rail system connecting Las Vegas to southern California, plans the end of the line here. Additionally, Desert Xpress is planning a possible extension to Palmdale, California
Palmdale, California
Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...
, to connect with the proposed California High-Speed Rail
California high-speed rail
The California High-Speed Rail project is a planned future high-speed rail system in the state of California and headed by the California High-Speed Rail Authority . Initial funding for the project was approved by California voters on November 4, 2008, with the passage of Proposition 1A...
system.
Notable residents
- Harold BuddHarold BuddHarold Budd is an American ambient/avant-garde composer and poet. Born in Los Angeles, he was raised in the Mojave Desert, and was inspired at an early age by the humming tone caused by wind blown across telephone wires....
, Los Angeles–born ambient composer, claims that his music was influenced by his childhood in Victorville. - Katie Vernola, Playboy Playmate of the Month for June 2010