Barstow California

In 1886, the California Southern, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., finished its rail from National City near San Diego up through Cajon Pass. The junction of the two rails was first known as Waterman. Later it was changed to to Barstow to honor Santa Fe's president, William Barstow Strong.

Barstow one of the frontier towns which is was the entrance to Death Valley. Barstow has always been a desert junction even for overland wagon trains. Three major highways to the Barstow area makes the tourist trade and the economy for the city. Today Barstow is a major small city in Southern California. The city of Barstow incorporated in 1947.

Once a small railroad town, today, a developing as a modern city who enjoys welcoming travelers. This is the entrance into the Mojave National Preserve, home to the desert U.S. Army National Training Center, Marine Corps Logistics Base, Nasa's Goldstone Deep Space Network, and the Santa Fe Railroad.

The historical Route 66 runs right through Main Street in Barstow. This old town represnets all the people to traveled to the west on the original Route 66. This city is the only city that kept the name "Main Street" from the early nickname of Route 66 "The Main Street of America".

In 1911, the Casa del Desierto (House of the Desert), or "Harvey House" was completed after several owners and then to the Fred Harvey Company. Today, the building is now on the national registry of Historical places. A must see.