| Joshua Tree
About Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree is nestled in the Southeastern California Mojave Desert, thirty-five miles from Palm Springs (exit off I-10 freeway on State Route 62) and is at a latitude of 34.134N and a longitude of -116.312W. Joshua Tree is the gateway community to the West Entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, a nearly 800,000 acre wilderness preserve chock full of Joshua Trees and other fascinating varieties of plants; incredible wildlife; unique, picturesque, gigantic boulders that are stacked in very odd formations; and is noted as one of best rock climbing spots in the world! Over 1.3 million visitors come to this area annually to explore the park and its surrounding communities.
The town received its first notoriety in 1973 when musician Gram Parsons died in a local motel - The Joshua Tree Inn; and friends purportedly took his body from an LA morgue to bury in Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree, again received global recognition with the release in March of '97, the musical album "The Joshua Tree" by the Dublin, Ireland rock band "U2".
Joshua Tree encompasses ninety-six square miles; and is laden with spectacular desert and geological scenery along with the actual Joshua tree itself. In the early days, Mormon pioneers traveling through the Morongo Basin saw this oddly shaped tree and named it, "Joshua," after one of their biblical figures. The tree’s uplifted and wavy limbs reminded them of their prophet praying and waving his arms to the heavens.
John Fremont, an early western explorer, once called the Joshua tree, "The most repulsive tree in the vegetable kingdom." Since this tree is so unlike any other, it does create atypical responses. The Joshua tree has no “growth rings” like normal trees; so determining the trees age can be difficult. Nevertheless, most biologists estimate the average age of these trees to be between 500 to 900 years old. This spectacular tree grows only two places in the world and only around a 3000’ elevation. Due to the tree's distinctive character and unreal appearance, it’s not uncommon to see Joshua trees in national commercials, movies, and television spots.
The earliest recorded history of Joshua Tree was documented when homesteaders first filed a landsite application in the fall of 1911. Within a few years, Joshua Tree Townsite Company constructed their first offices on Twentynine Palms Highway (SR62), close to Park Boulevard. Congress passed the “Baby Homestead Act” in 1938; allowing five-acre, non-agricultural homestead sites for the desert area. Townsite Company developers hoped this act would actively bring in new settlers to the town. Instead, World War II erupted, triggering gas rationing, building supply restrictions, and preventing any sustainable growth for outlying desert regions. In 1941, Joshua Tree’s population totaled only forty-nine people with twenty-two occupied buildings.
Nearing the end of the war, cabins, homes and commercial buildings finally started sprouting up throughout the desert. In 1944 the local newspaper, The Joshua Journal, reported
the town's population had increased to 227 local residents. A short time later, the first business block was built (with five stores connected under one roof) on the northwest corner of the Park Blvd. Grace Aldridge, the local postmaster, was servicing 300 postal clients out of the Little Joshua Tree Market (which eventually burnt down.) Next, the Joshua Tree post office and a shoe store were erected in one building on Hwy 62. By 1947, there were 144 established buildings, forty-six new buildings under construction, and the population had expanded to 550 people. During this particular period, many early settlers built turkey ranches in the Sunfair Road area (over 47,600 turkeys were documented); and had established plans to name the vicinity "Turkey Town, USA.” But for unknown reasons, these farms disappeared. Occasionally, wild turkeys are still spotted by local residents. As the area continued to grow, new businesses, churches, schools, a fire station, local shops and a community center were established in Joshua Tree. During one boon, there where five gas stations in the downtown area of Joshua Tree.
Camping (Top of Page)
Joshua Tree National Park boasts nine campgrounds in varied locations within the park. You can reserve sites online. If you find Joshua Tree National Park Camp sites full, two locations are available outside the park:
Joshua Tree Lake RV & Campground is a Rustic Family Camping and Fishing Lake. They offer hot showers, laundry, an RV dump station, an Ole’ country store, firewood, a super cool lake to fish in, fishing pole rentals, a kid’s playground, horseshoes, and off-road access.
The Joshua Tree Climber's Ranch is a unique experimental joint venture between the American Alpine Club and local climbers. The Climber's Ranch really does not offer much more than a place to pitch a tent and hang out with friend. However, often that is all that is needed.
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Joshua Tree Today Today, Joshua Tree is unincorporated with an estimated population between 12,000-14,000 and under the jurisdiction of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. Local temperatures run ten degrees cooler in summer than the lower desert areas and twenty degrees warmer in the winter than surrounding mountain areas; creating comfortable, year-round living at an average altitude of 2,700-3000 feet. Most annual rainfall occurs in July, August, September, and January, with four to six inches average total precipitation. The climate is considered pleasantly moderate and discernibly four-seasoned. Vivid dawn skies and spectacular evening sunsets are a photographer’s delight. Most days are typically bright and sunny; and the star-studded, twilight skies are nothing less than magnificent! Shops and Services
Multiple small shopping centers encompass Joshua Tree: fine art galleries; gift shops; beauty salons; rock climbing & camping supplies; small grocery marts with gas pumps; health food stores; gourmet foods; cafes and restaurants; taverns, dentists, a hobby shop; real estate offices; a laundromat, hotels and motels, plus much more. The US Post Office, Copper Mountain College, The Hi-Desert Playhouse Cultural Center, MBTA (public bus service), San Bernardino County Court House, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and the Roy Williams Airport also serve locals and guests.
Managed by Joshua Basin Water District, residents drink water drawn from 20,000 year old aquifers. Other essential services are Southern California Edison - electricity; Verizon - landline telephones; numerous cell phone services are available and useable; Waste Management for garbage collection service; propane refill companies; and in limited areas (with buried lines), Southern California Gas. Satellite and cable are available for television viewing. A wide variety of access portals (including dial-up, DSL, microwave, and satellite) are offered for Internet users. Hi-Desert Publishing prints and publishes two local newspapers (Hi-Desert Star and Desert Trail); Local Radio stations include: KCDZ Z107.7 FM “Top Contemporary" music & news - "Voice of the Morongo Basin"; and Copper Mountain Broadcasting with both KXCM FM “Hot Country” and KQCM “Top 40” - featuring live DJ, local weather, traffic, & community information in addition to their music formats.
The town utilizes the San Bernardino County Fire Department for major emergency services and the MBA (Morongo Basin Ambulance) for medical emergency services. The Hi-Desert Memorial Health Care District is comprised of 179 total licensed beds. The Hi-Desert Medical Center is a modern, 59-bed acute care hospital providing 51 medical, surgical, and telemetry beds; a four-bed intensive care unit; a comprehensive birthing center; a 14-bed emergency department; as well as radiology, laboratory, and cardio-pulmonary departments. The district also operates the Continuing Care Center, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility on the campus of Hi-Desert Medical Center. Home Health & Hospice and a variety of community outreach services are also available. Airway Outpatient Center is a full-service outpatient surgery and diagnostic center; and The Behavioral Health Centre provides partial hospitalization services. The last two services are located five miles away in in Yucca Valley. The American Red Cross covers disaster services, first aid, and training.
Schools (Top of Page) Two elementary schools are located in Joshua Tree: Friendly Hills Elementary and Joshua Tree Elementary. Within the basin-wide area, there are 2 high schools, two middle schools, continuation schools, and private schools - with available school busing & MBTA services. For complete public school information, please contact the Morongo Basin Unified School District. Copper Mountain Community College offers two year transferable associate degrees, A+ and Cisco Certifications, a full RN nursing program, Personal Enrichment Programs, Employment Certifications, and Vocational Training. There is also a large library and a cafe (Coyote Cafe) on campus. This fall, the college will break ground for a complete solar field, multi-use sports facility, and a nature habitat study center.
Community Activities (Top of Page) The Joshua Tree Park and Recreation Community Center, located on Sunburst Avenue in Joshua Tree includes playgrounds, tennis courts, handball courts, and picnic facilities. The center supports the “Joshua Tree Kids Club” with educational assistance and a recreational curriculum in a safe and supervised environment. Contact the center for this before/after school & summer program for your children. They also offer a senior center; a cool center, plus a variety of ongoing community classes and activities for all age groups. There are multiple community associations, clubs, and organizations covering a wide range of activities for all interest groups in and around Joshua Tree. Check local newspapers for further information. Joshua Tree Public Library (located on Park Blvd) carries a large supply of books and periodicals, as well as providing computers and Internet access to the public. Various reading programs are offered throughout the year. Call for hours at (760) 366-8615. Churches within Joshua Tree include: First Baptist Church of Joshua Tree, First Southern Baptist Church of Joshua Tree, Joshua Tree Foursquare Church, Saint Christopher of the Desert Church, New Testament Baptist Church., and JT Community United Methodist Church. All other denominations are available within a maximum fifteen minute drive from this location. (Top of Page)
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