Victorville, California

Victorville, California is located in the High Desert region of Southern California. Victorville is situated in Victor Valley, along the main route from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Victorville is in San Bernardino County, the largest county in terms of area in the United States. While most of the population of San Bernardino County lives nearer to the coast in the interior valleys south of the San Bernardino Mountains, Victorville is the largest city in the mainly desert portion of San Bernardino County north of the San Bernardino Mountains. Victorville has about 135,000 residents. At an elevation of 2,875 feet above sea level, Victorville has a high-desert climate, averaging under 5 inches of precipitation per year. Victorville enjoys hot and sunny summers. Winters days are relatively mild, while at night temperatures often drop below freezing. In 2019, Victorville was named among the top 100 places to live in the United States.

Victorville is serviced by several major highways, including Interstate 15, U.S. Route 395, and State Route 18. Victor Valley College is a community college located in the City of Victorville. With approximately 350 employees, including both faculty and staff, Victor Valley College helps drive the local economy.

The Southern California Logistics Airport features two runways that exceed 15,000 feet, which is long enough to accommodate almost all aircraft. The airport is bordered by industrial and manufacturing facilities. Tenants include Red Bull and Newel Brands. The airport is a home to several aerospace companies. Overall, the site is the largest source of employment in the city.

Other local airports include the Apple Valley Airport, built in 1970.

Desert Valley Hospital is a 148-bed hospital in Victorville and is a major area employer.

The City of Victorville collects about $49 million in taxes annually and Victor Valley is seen as a logistics hub, with several major distribution facilities operating in the area.

The Brightline West high speed electric rail project is slated to connect Victor Valley to Las Vegas. Passengers are expected to travel at speeds of up to more than 150 miles per hour along its 170-mile route. The project is expected to create 40,000 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent jobs and have a $10 billion economic impact.

Overall, Victor Valley has a workforce of over 137,000.

Today, the Mojave River only flows aboveground year-round in Afton Canyon, “the Grand Canyon of the Mojave” far to the northeast of Victorville near Baker California. However, during the Ice Ages, the Mojave River was a large year-round watercourse coursing through Victor Valley. Nearby Manix lake, now dry, was fed by the Mojave River and was an important site for the early inhabitants of the area.

Victorville was incorporated in 1962 as a general law city. The community, known originally as “Victor,” was named after Jacob Nash Victor, a civil engineer and General Manager of the California Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Mr. Victor oversaw the construction of the section of railroad line connecting Colton to Barstow, which included a railroad station near the narrows of the Mojave River. The advent of the railroad station spurred the establishment of the town of Victor. Adequate water supplies and fertile soil led to agricultural development in the area, primarily apple orchards, but also pears, apricots, plums and grapes. Unfortunately, most of the apple orchards would die off in the 1930s due to the Great Depression and the expense of irrigated water. The aggressive agricultural development would create a water crisis in Victor Valley, the California Real Estate Commissioner of the time ordering a building moratorium in the valley that was ultimately struck down by a court decision. Cement manufacturing also became a major area industry.

In 1901, the community of Victor was renamed as “Victorville” to avoid confusion with Victor, Colorado, which was once the site of a gold rush. In 1926, U.S. Route 66 was established. U.S. Route 66, which passed through Victorville, was the main route from Chicago, Illinois to Southern California.

In 1941, construction began on the Victorville Army Airfield. Later renamed George Air Force Base, at its peak the base employed about 6,000 military and civilian personnel. Deactivated in 1992, the former military base is now the home of the Southern California Logistics Airport.

The historic Kemper Campbell Ranch has been used for on-location filming.

California Route 66 Museum is devoted to America’s most famous highway. The museum has 4,500 square feet of floor space and includes among its exhibits a 1917 Model T Ford.

The Bottle Tree Ranch is located on a stretch of former Route 66. The site encompasses a forest of trees made from large metal pipes with bottles hanging from them.

Several other points of interest are to be found along the Victor Valley stretch of old U.S. Route 66, including a vintage Mohawk gas station and a steel bridge from the 1930s.

Mojave Narrows Regional Park is located alongside a riverbed. The park features extensive stands of willows and cottonwoods, along with meadows and waterways, which offer year-round fishing.

Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley features exhibits about the natural and cultural heritage of the High Desert region.

In the nearby San Bernardino Mountains, 25 miles from Victorville, Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area offers boating, waterskiing, fishing, swimming, hiking and bicycling, as well as a large campground. Silverwood Lake was formed by the 149-foot Cedar Springs Dam, which holds back water from the west fork of the Mojave River. The approximately 976-acre Silverwood Lake is also part of the State Water Project that brings water from the Feather River in Northern California to San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego Counties among other places. Area wildlife includes mule deer, gray foxes, coyotes, mountain lions, black bears, bobcats, and beavers. Alders, willows, sycamores, black oak, white fir, incense cedar, and ponderosa pine are found in the area. The Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from the border with Mexico to the border with Canada passes through the park.

The attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC practice employment law and represent workers throughout the City of Victorville and neighboring communities such as Hesperia, Apple Valley, Lucerne Valley, Adelanto, Phelan, and Oak Hills. We represent workers concerning a variety of claims, including Wrongful Termination. We also represent workers concerning Wage and Hour claims. If your employer or former employer has violated your rights, call the experienced employment attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC or Contact Us via our online form.