Searles Lake is an endorheic dry lake in the Searles Valley of the Mojave Desert , in northwestern San Bernardino County, California . The lake in the past was also called Slate Range Lake and Borax Lake .
58-671: The mining community of Trona is on its western shore. The evaporite basin is approximately 19 km (12 mi) long and 13 km (8.1 mi) at its widest point, yielding 1.7 million tons annually of industrial minerals within the basin to the Searles Valley Minerals mining operations. Searles Lake is bounded by the Argus and Slate Mountains . Named after John Wemple Searles . The stratigraphic record at Searles Lake shows that it once held brackish water as deep as 200 m (660 ft). Fluctuations in lake levels correspond to
116-522: A library , a scrip-accepting for-profit grocery store, a school, basic housing, and minimal recreation facilities. The Trona Railway was built in 1913–14 to provide the town with a rail connection to the Southern Pacific (now the Union Pacific ) line at Searles. The railway still operates today. Economic booms and busts followed. Its most notable boom occurred during World War I , when Trona
174-547: A $ 7.9 billion annual budget and 25,430 employees. The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has 5 members elected from their districts: Other County of San Bernardino Elected Officials In the United States House of Representatives , San Bernardino County is split among 6 congressional districts: In the California State Assembly , San Bernardino County is split among 10 assembly districts: In
232-708: A 2020 population that was 53.7% Hispanic, it is California's most populous majority-Hispanic county and the second-largest nationwide. The indigenous peoples that resided in what is now San Bernardino County were primarily the Taaqtam (Serrano) and ʔívil̃uqaletem (Cahuilla) peoples who lived in the San Bernardino Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains ; the Chemehuevi and the Kawaiisu peoples who lived in
290-629: A desired composition and granular density. This complex extraction process at the three plants is generally referred to as fractional crystallization. It includes the treatment of brines through carbonation extraction, refrigeration extraction and/or solvent extraction. Salt is also harvested from the lake surface and from solar ponds. Commodities produced by Searles Valley Minerals from their Searles Lake operations include borax , V-Bor (borax with five moles of water), anhydrous borax , boric acid , soda ash , salt cake and salt . Mineral reserves exceed four billion tons. The Trona Pinnacles are in
348-455: A household in the county was $ 42,066, and the median income for a family was $ 46,574. Males had a median income of $ 37,025 versus $ 27,993 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 16,856. About 12.6% of families and 15.80% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over. As of 2021, the Board of Supervisors oversees
406-663: A lifeline service, that is contracted out to the Trona Community Senior Center, to offer one day per week shuttle service to Ridgecrest to all residents for their shopping needs. VVTA also provides economic assistance to the Trona Community Senior Center, for senior transportation services The Trona Airport , located in neighboring Inyo County, serves the community as a general aviation airfield. San Bernardino County, California San Bernardino County ( / s æ n ˌ b ɜːr n ə ˈ d iː n oʊ / SAN BUR -nə- DEE -noh ), officially
464-567: A majority and by double digits as well as Hillary Clinton in 2016 . The Democratic Party also carried the county in 2008 and 2012 , when Barack Obama won majorities of the county's votes, and in 1992 and 1996 , when Bill Clinton won pluralities. Republican George W. Bush took the county in 2000 by a plurality and in 2004 by a majority. The county is split between heavily Latino, middle-class, and Democratic areas and wealthier conservative areas. The heavily Latino cities of Ontario and San Bernardino went for John Kerry in 2004 but with
522-434: A minimum of 73.3 °F (22.9 °C). There are an average of 140.1 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 45.3 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record high temperature was 118 °F (48 °C) on August 13, 1933; July 25, 1943; May 27, 1951; and June 29, 1956. The record low temperature was 8 °F (−13 °C) on December 23, 1990. Average annual precipitation
580-716: A plaque at the roadside rest area in Trona. From 1922 to 1928, the Epsom Salts Monorail crossed the Searles Lake on a wooden trestle. Searles Lake is a huge resource of sodium and potassium minerals of the carbonate , sulfate , borate and halide classes of mineralogy. The manufacture of industrial minerals involves a complex solution mining operation in which naturally occurring brines are pumped from wells completed in several salt beds. The brine wells range in depth from near-surface to over 330 ft (100 m) below
638-452: A relatively low voter turnout. In 2006, San Bernardino's population exceeded 201,000, and in 2004, only 42,520 votes were cast in the city; that same year, strongly Republican Rancho Cucamonga had over 145,000 residents, of whom 53,054 voted. In the 1980s, Northern San Bernardino County proposed to create Mojave County due to the abysmal service levels the county provided. Ultimately, the vote for county secession failed. The proposed county
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#1732855819742696-451: Is 3.98 inches (101 mm) and there are an average of 18 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1941 with 9.01 inches (229 mm) and the driest year was 1953 with .41 inches (10 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 5.01 inches (127 mm) in January 1995. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 2.25 inches (57 mm) on August 15, 1984. Snowfall
754-509: Is also slightly larger than Switzerland . It borders both Nevada and Arizona . The bulk of the population, nearly two million, live in the roughly 480 square miles south of the San Bernardino Mountains adjacent to Riverside and in the San Bernardino Valley in the southwestern portion of the county. About 390,000 residents live just north of the San Bernardino Mountains, in and around the roughly 280 square-mile area that includes
812-483: Is at the eastern end of the San Gabriel Valley . The San Bernardino Valley includes the cities of Ontario , Chino , Chino Hills , Upland , Fontana , Rialto , Colton , Grand Terrace , Montclair , Rancho Cucamonga , San Bernardino , Loma Linda , Highland , Redlands , and Yucaipa . More than 80% of the county's land is owned by the federal government. There are at least 35 official wilderness areas in
870-558: Is located in the Eastern California Shear Zone , a seismically active zone that accommodates up to 25% of the fault movement between the Pacific and North American plates. Trona has an arid climate with cool winters and hot summers. Average January temperatures are a maximum of 58.2 °F (14.6 °C) and a minimum of 32.9 °F (0.5 °C). Average July temperatures are a maximum of 105.5 °F (40.8 °C) and
928-489: Is no junior high or middle school; instead, the high school houses 7th and 8th grades in addition to the traditional 9th through 12th grades. Course offerings at Trona High are supplemented by online classes offered by California State University, Dominguez Hills and Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest, California. 95 students were enrolled at Trona High during the 2014-15 school year and its sports teams compete as
986-627: Is very rare in Trona, averaging only 0.3 inches (7.6 mm), but there was 9.0 inches (230 mm) in January 1974. K-12 public education is provided through the Trona Joint Unified School District. The California Department of Education indicates that 255 students were enrolled in the district's schools during the 2015-16 academic year, down from 576 students in 1996-97 (the earliest data available on their website). Trona Joint Unified School District operates two schools: Trona Elementary School and Trona High School . There
1044-728: The California Desert National Conservation Area managed by the Bureau of Land Management . California Historical Landmark marker reads: Trona, San Bernardino County, California Trona is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California . In 2015 it had a population of approximately 1,900. Trona is at the western edge of Searles Lake , a dry lake bed in Searles Valley , southwest of Death Valley . The town takes its name from
1102-466: The California State Senate , San Bernardino County is split among 7 districts: San Bernardino County is a county in which candidates from both major political parties have won in recent elections. Republican Donald Trump carried the country in 2024 , flipping it for the first time in a presidential race since 2004 . In past presidential elections, Democrat Joe Biden carried the county by
1160-651: The County of San Bernardino and sometimes abbreviated as S.B. County , is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California , and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census , the population was 2,181,654, making it the fifth-most populous county in California and the 14th-most populous in the United States. The county seat is San Bernardino . While included within
1218-583: The Greater Los Angeles area, San Bernardino County is included in the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario metropolitan statistical area. With an area of 20,105 square miles (52,070 km ), San Bernardino County is the largest county in the contiguous United States by area, although some of Alaska's boroughs and census areas are larger. The county is close to the size of West Virginia . This vast county stretches from where 93% of
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#17328558197421276-647: The Mojave Desert region; and the 'Aha Makhav (Mohave) and the Piipaash (Maricopa) peoples who lived along the Colorado River . These groups established various villages and settlements throughout the region that were interconnected by a series of extensive trails. Wa'aachnga was a major Tongva village site, also occupied by the Serrano and Cahuilla , located near what is now the city of San Bernardino . The village
1334-487: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 20,105 square miles (52,070 km ), of which 20,057 square miles (51,950 km ) is land and 48 square miles (120 km ) (0.2%) is water. It is the largest county by area in California and the largest in the United States (excluding boroughs in Alaska ). It is slightly larger than the states of New Jersey , Connecticut , Delaware and Rhode Island combined, and
1392-636: The Upland Fire Department in July 2017. As of April 2019 the City of Victorville declined to renew their contract with The San Bernardino County Fire Department. The current district attorney is Jason Anderson, who was elected in March 2018 and took office on January 1, 2019. The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense. On December 2, 2015, in
1450-456: The Victor Valley . Roughly another 100,000 people live scattered across the rest of the sprawling county. The Mojave National Preserve covers some of the eastern desert, especially between Interstate 15 and Interstate 40 . The desert portion also includes the cities of Needles next to the Colorado River and Barstow at the junction of Interstate 15 and Interstate 40 . Trona is at
1508-478: The census of 2000, there were 1,709,434 people, 528,594 households, and 404,374 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 inhabitants per square mile (33/km ). There were 601,369 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 58.9% White , 9.1% African American , 1.2% Native American , 4.7% Asian , 0.3% Pacific Islander , 20.8% from other races , and 5.0% from two or more races. 39.2% of
1566-530: The dry lake bed 's surface, and a lime quarry. Searles Valley Minerals is the largest employer in Trona, and many employees live in Ridgecrest, California , commuting daily to Trona. Since its heyday, Trona's population has decreased, with more and more services relocating to the nearest town, Ridgecrest . The same collection of geologic forces which created the Searles Valley where Trona sits also created
1624-590: The 2014 general election, 350 Trona Joint Unified residents voted, out of 692 registered, according to the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters. That 50.5 percent rate beat the 42.2 percent statewide average that election. Public works services in Trona are provided by County Service Area 82 Searles Valley. The entity is responsible for the maintenance of Trona's only park/rest area, sewer service, street lighting, animal control services, and cemetery services. Cemetery services are contracted out to
1682-584: The California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages. From 2004 to 2016, the county was embroiled in a corruption scandal over the Colonies housing development in Upland with real estate developer Jeff Burum. The scandal resulted in $ 102 million being paid to Burum's real estate company. Supervisor Bill Postmus pleaded guilty to 10 felonies in regard to his previous post as county assessor. In 2020, Burum sued
1740-543: The Searles Valley Cemetery Association In October, Trona historically hosts Gem-O-Rama, an event hosted by Searles Lake Gem and Mineral Society as a way to teach kids about minerals found in Searles Lake. In March 2014, Trona celebrated its Centennial Celebration of the town's founding. Although the community of Trona doesn't have a fixed route bus serving the community, Victor Valley Transit Authority offers
1798-564: The Tornadoes. The school's football field, known as "The Pit," has received national attention from The New York Times , Good Morning America , and the Los Angeles Times as the only dirt American football field in the United States — the region's heat and salty soil make upkeep of a grassy field nearly impossible. Barrow High School in Alaska previously had a dirt field as well, but it
Searles Lake - Misplaced Pages Continue
1856-569: The Trona Pinnacles in California and recorded a live concert film, Toro y Moi - Live from Trona . In the state legislature , Trona is located in the 16th Senate District, represented by Republican Shannon Grove , and in the 33rd Assembly District, represented by Republican Thurston Smith In the United States House of Representatives , Trona is in California's 23rd Congressional District , represented by Republican Jay Obernolte . In
1914-531: The advances and retreats of glaciers in the Sierra Nevada Range. Thirty major lake levels occurred during the last 150,000 years, represented by a sequence of salt and mud beds. The precipitation of minerals occurred during long periods of lake evaporation. The lake is home to the Trona Pinnacles , a spectacular geologic tufa formation and a National Natural Landmark . Borax was first produced from
1972-685: The county again and the county reached for a $ 69 million settlement. 2022, the county's insurance company, Ironside, balked at paying the settlement, claiming that the county willfully "retaliate[d] against the Colonies II Plaintiffs as part of a decades-long dispute over land and water rights in Upland, California, culminating in a malicious prosecution of Burum." In 2020, voters approved Measure K, which limited county supervisors to one term instead of three, while reducing pay from 250 thousand dollars to 60 thousand dollars. County Supervisors appealed
2030-640: The county near the High Desert area, in the vicinity of Twentynine Palms . The remaining towns make up the remainder of the High Desert: Pioneertown , Yucca Valley , Joshua Tree , Landers , and Morongo Valley . The mountains are home to the San Bernardino National Forest , and include the communities of Crestline , Lake Arrowhead , Running Springs , Big Bear City , Forest Falls , and Big Bear Lake . The San Bernardino Valley
2088-455: The county population resides in three Census County Divisions (Fontana, San Bernardino, and Victorville-Hesperia), counting 1,793,186 people as of the 2010 Census, covering 1,730 square miles (4,500 km ), across the thinly populated deserts and mountains. It spans an area from south of the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino Valley , to the Nevada border and the Colorado River . With
2146-543: The county that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System . This is the largest number of any county in the United States (although not the largest in total area). The majority are managed by the Bureau of Land Management , but some are integral components of the above listed national protected areas. Most of these wilderness areas lie entirely within the county, but a few are shared with neighboring counties (and two of these are shared with
2204-448: The decision, only to lose in the state's appeals court. By 2022, term limits were restored and pay was restored to 80% of the annual base compensation for San Bernardino Superior Court judges under a supervisor lead ballot measure In 2022, The Board of supervisors were pushed by a major supervisor campaign contributor Jeff Burum to vote for secession from the State of California to form
2262-664: The department. The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCoFD) or the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the unincorporated parts of the county and 24 incorporated cities. The department annexed the Crest Forest Fire Protection District on July 1, 2015; the San Bernardino City and Twentynine Palms Fire Departments on July 1, 2016; and
2320-443: The dry lake surface in 1873 by John Searles's San Bernardino Borax Mining Company. Searles was the first to haul borax using the famous 20 mule team wagons. In 1873, before the railroad was built to Mojave , refined borax was hauled 175 miles by 20 mule teams from Slate Range Playa (now called Searles Lake) to the harbor at San Pedro . The Searles Lake borax discovery has been designated California Historical Landmark #774, with
2378-410: The mineral trona , abundant in the lakebed. It is about 170 miles (274 km) northeast of Los Angeles , on State Route 178 . The ZIP code is 93562. Trona is known for its isolation and desolation, as well as the nearby Trona Pinnacles . The local school plays on a dirt football field because the searing heat and highly saline soil kills grass. At one point it boasted an 18-hole golf course that
Searles Lake - Misplaced Pages Continue
2436-423: The natural resource of Searles Dry Lake, which contains rich deposits of chemicals, including dozens of minerals. Located a few miles to the south are the Trona Pinnacles , an unusual landscape consisting of more than 500 tufa spires, some as high as 140 feet, rising from the bed of the Searles Lake basin. Trona is a seismically active area, and was heavily affected by the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes . Trona
2494-720: The neighboring states of Arizona and Nevada). Except as noted, these wilderness areas are managed solely by the Bureau of Land Management and lie within San Bernardino County: The 2010 United States Census reported that San Bernardino County had a population of 2,035,210. The racial makeup of San Bernardino County was 1,153,161 (56.7%) White , 181,862 (8.9%) African American , 22,689 (1.1%) Native American , 128,603 (6.3%) Asian , 6,870 (0.3%) Pacific Islander , 439,661 (21.6%) from other races , and 102,364 (5.0%) from two or more races. There were 1,001,145 people of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race (49.2%). As of
2552-545: The northwestern part of the county, west of Death Valley . This national park, mostly within Inyo County , also has a small portion of land within San Bernardino County. The largest metropolitan area in the Mojave Desert part of the county is the Victor Valley , with the incorporated localities of Adelanto , Apple Valley , Hesperia , and Victorville . Further south, a portion of Joshua Tree National Park overlaps
2610-575: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 8.3% were of German , 5.5% English and 5.1% Irish ancestry. 66.1% spoke English , 27.7% Spanish and 1.1% Tagalog as their first language. There were 528,594 households, out of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size
2668-494: The region from Mission San Gabriel . Spanish Missionaries from Mission San Gabriel Arcángel established a church at the village of Wa'aachnga, which would be renamed Politania in 1810. Father Francisco Dumetz named the church San Bernardino on May 20, 1810, after the feast day of St. Bernardino of Siena . The Franciscans also gave the name San Bernardino to the snowcapped peak in Southern California , in honor of
2726-502: The remainder belonging to minor political parties or declining to state. The county's primary law enforcement agency is the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department . The department provides law enforcement services in the unincorporated areas of the county and in 14 contract cities, operates the county jail system, provides marshal services in the county superior courts, and has numerous other divisions to serve
2784-580: The residents of the county. The county operates the San Bernardino County Consolidated Fire District (commonly known as the San Bernardino County Fire Department). The department provides "all-risk" fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to all unincorporated areas in the county except for several areas served by independent fire protection districts, and several cities that chose to contract with
2842-558: The saint and it is from him that the county derives its name. In 1819, they established the San Bernardino de Sena Estancia , a mission farm in what is now Redlands . Following Mexican independence from Spain in 1821, Mexican citizens were granted land grants to establish ranchos in the area of the county. Rancho Jurupa in 1838, Rancho Cucamonga and El Rincon in 1839, Rancho Santa Ana del Chino in 1841, Rancho San Bernardino in 1842 and Rancho Muscupiabe in 1844. Agua Mansa
2900-474: The salt pan. A network of production wells, injection wells, solar ponds and piping are used in the production and treatment of the brines. Industrial minerals are extracted from the brines at the Argus , Trona and Westend plants. Minerals are crystallized from the brines, screened, washed, and dried. The crystals are then baked in rotary kilns to drive off water molecules locked in the crystalline structure. Some recrystallization may be required to achieve
2958-679: The state of Empire. In 2023, San Bernardino County Chief Executive Officer Leonard X. Hernandez resigned, claiming urgent family health issues, after being accused of having an affair with a county employee. After the accustation came out, the county placed Hernandez on Leave. After Hernandez resigned, Hernandez still got paid for one year after his departure. According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 2020, there were 1,016,190 registered voters in San Bernardino County. Of those, 410,197 (40.37%) were registered Democrats, 298,234 (29.35%) were registered Republicans, with
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#17328558197423016-501: Was 3.2 people, and the average family size was 3.6 people. The number of homeless in San Bernardino County grew from 5,270 in 2002 to 7,331 in 2007, a 39% increase. In the county, 32.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.3% was from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males. The median income for
3074-458: Was all sand except for the "greens", which were a softer grade of brown colored dirt. In 1863, John Searles began mining for borax on the dry bed of the lake that what would later be named Searles Lake after him. Trona was officially established in 1913, as a self-contained company town , wholly operated by its resident mining company to house employees. Employees were paid in company scrip instead of cash. The mining company also built
3132-637: Was from the Cajon Pass to the city of Needles. In 1998, County administrator James Hlawek resigned after being subject to an FBI investigation for bribery, but only after Harry Mays, county Treasurer-Tax Collector Thomas O'Donnell, County Investment Officer Sol Levin and three businessmen had agreed to plead guilty to federal bribery charges. In 2004, County Supervisor Geral Eaves Pleaded guilty to bribery for accepting gifts from businesses for allowing billboards on county land. On November 4, 2008, San Bernardino County voted 67% for Proposition 8 , which amended
3190-635: Was part of an extensive trade network along the Mohave Trail that connected villages in San Bernardino County from the Colorado River to the Los Angeles Basin . Wá'peat was a Desert Serrano village located near what is now the city of Hesperia . It was part of a series of villages located along the Mojave River . By the late 1700s, villages in the area were being increasingly encroached upon by Spanish soldiers and missionaries, who were coming into
3248-525: Was replaced with blue Astroturf in 2007. A number of Hollywood films have been shot in the surrounding desert (particularly around the Trona Pinnacles), including Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Planet of the Apes . In the 21st century, the town itself served as the setting for three films, Trona (2004), Just Add Water (2008) and Lost Lake (2012). On April 26, 2016, Toro y Moi traveled to
3306-531: Was the first town in what became San Bernardino County, settled by immigrants from New Mexico on land donated from the Rancho Jurupa in 1841. Following the purchase of Rancho San Bernardino , and the establishment of the town of San Bernardino in 1851 by Mormon colonists, San Bernardino County was formed in 1853 from parts of Los Angeles County . Some of the southern parts of the county's territory were given to Riverside County in 1893. According to
3364-466: Was the only reliable American source of potash , an important element used in the production of gunpowder . In 1974, the company, now known as American Potash , was bought by Kerr-McGee , who did not want a company town. Their attempts to make everybody leave were resisted by the inhabitants. Today, Searles Valley Minerals Inc. 's soda ash processing plant remains the largest firm in town. Other operations nearby include evaporative salt extraction from
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