Antelope Valley
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Categories: Articles with trivia sections from February 2008 | Los Angeles County regions | Kern County, California | Valleys of California | Valleys of the Mojave Desert | Palmdale, California
This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming.
The Antelope Valley in California, United States is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California. The principal cities in the Antelope Valley are Lancaster and Palmdale.
GeographyShaped like a sideways letter "V", the Antelope Valley comprises the western tip of the Mojave Desert, opening up to the Victor Valley and the Great Basin to the east. Lying north of the San Gabriel Mountains and southeast of the Tehachapis, this desert ecosystem spans approximately 2,200 square miles (5,700 km²). Precipitation in the surrounding mountain ranges contributes to the recharge of the groundwater system. Water issuesHuman water use in the Antelope Valley depends mainly on pumping of groundwater from the valley's aquifers and on importing of additional water through aqueducts. Long-term groundwater pumping has lowered the water table, thereby increasing pumping lifts, reducing well efficiency, and causing land subsidence. [1] While aqueducts supply additional water to meet increasing human demand for agricultural, industrial, and domestic uses, diversion of water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in Northern California has adverse environmental and social effects. "Over decades, [the] competing uses for water supply and habitat have jeopardized the Delta’s ability to meet either need. All stakeholders agree the estuary is in trouble and requires long-term solutions to ensure reliable, quality water supplies and a healthy ecosystem". [2] Antelope Valley's rapid human population growth and development place considerable stress on the local and regional water systems. According to David Leighton of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), "A deliberate management effort will be required to meet future water demand in the Antelope Valley without incurring significant economic and environmental costs associated with overuse of the ground-water resource".[3] Human historyThe first peoples of the Antelope Valley include the Kawaiisu[2], Kitanemuk, Serrano, and Tataviam. The valley was first entered by Europeans in the 1770s, during colonization of North America. Father Francisco Garces, a Spanish Franciscan friar, is believed to have traveled the west end of the valley in 1776. By 1808, the invaders forced native peoples out of the valley and into missions [3]. Jedediah Smith came through in 1827, and John C. Fremont made a scientific observation of the valley in 1844 along with his other California explorations. Stagecoach lines came through the valley along its foothills after Fremont's visit and were the preferred way of travel for colonists before the coming of the Southern Pacific railroad in 1876. The rail service linking the valley to the Central Valley and Los Angeles started the first large influx of white settlers to the valley, and farms and towns soon sprouted on the valley floor. The aircraft (now referred to as aerospace) industry took hold in the valley at Plant 42 in 1952. Edwards AFB, then called Muroc Army Air Field, was established in 1933.
 DemographicsIn recent decades the valley has become a bedroom community to the Greater Los Angeles area. Major housing tract development and population growth took off beginning in 1983, which has increased the population of Palmdale around 12 times its former size as of 2006. Neighboring Lancaster has increased its population since the early 1980s to around 3 times its former level. Major retail has followed the population influx, centered around Palmdale's Antelope Valley Mall. Whites make up approximately 48% of the population of the Antelope Valley and the majority in most of its cities and towns. Hispanics are the next largest group, followed by African Americans and Asian Americans. Military baseEdwards Air Force Base lies east of Rosamond, 37 miles (60 km) northeast of Palmdale. Edwards AFB's dry lakebeds are the lowest geographic elevation in the valley. Significant amounts of U. S. military flight testing is performed there, and it has been the site of many important aeronatical accomplishments, including the first flight to break the sound barrier. NASA space shuttles originally landed at Edwards because the lake beds offer a vast landing area. NASA has since built a huge landing strip at Kennedy Space Center, and Edwards remains the backup in case of bad weather at Cape Canaveral. NASA Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center is a tenant organization at Edwards AFB. The Center is best known for the X-15 experimental rocket ship program. It has been the home of NASA's high performance aircraft research since it was founded for the X-1 program. The Orbiter is serviced there when it lands at Edwards. IndustryCommunity ResourceThe Antelope Valley Magazine is a great resource about the Antelope Valley - http://www.theantleopevalleymagazine.com Monthly Circulation Information 40,000 30,000 Issues "Front-Door Home Delivery": West Palmdale, Quartz Hill, Rancho Vista, West Lancaster, and Ana Verde 10,000 Issues "Top-Level Rack Placement": Albertson's, Ralphs, Vons, Food4Less, 7-Eleven, CVS Pharmacy, and K-mart. 4,000 High Traffic Locations Online Presence: TheAntelopeValleyMagazine.com hosts an on-line version of The Antelope Valley Magazine giving you additional exposure each month, with FREE hot-links to the advertiser’s websites. Extensive Distribution at Many High Traffic Locations: Agua Dulce Vineyards - American Medical Response - Antelope Valley Board of Trade - Antelope Valley Hospital - Assemblywoman Sharon Runner - AV Animal Shelter - AV Chambers of Commerce - AV Fairgrounds - Bank of America (Lancaster/Palmdale) - California Highway Patrol - Chapman Communications - Child Care Resource Center - Coldwell Bank - Bozigian Realty - Congressman Buck McKeon - Dr. Frye Chiropractic - Frank’s Radio - Grace Resource Center - Greater Antelope Valley Assoc. of Realtors - High Desert Medical Group - Hispanic Chamber of Commerce - Hoffman Hospice - Jethawk’s Clear Channel Stadium - Julie’s Flowers - Kaiser Permanente - Lancaster City Hall - Lancaster Community Hospital - Lancaster Sheriff’s Station - Lockheed Federal Credit Union - Merrill Gardens - Palmdale Chamber of Commerce - Palmdale City Hall - Palmdale Sheriff’s Station - Panera Bread (Lancaster/Palmdale) - Quartz Hill Chamber of Commerce - R. Rex Parris - Ramada Inn - Red Cross - Senator George Runner - Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich -Tarzana Treatment Center - The Whole Wheatery - Wells Fargo Bank The Antelope Valley Magazine now has a TV show that airs nightly on Time Warner Channel 36. It's the best of their community also each episode can be watch right on their website: http://www.theantelopevalleymagazine.com/tv.html AerospaceU. S. Air Force Plant 42 in northeast Palmdale is home to Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and BAE Systems, among other aerospace-related companies. Notable projects assembled and/or designed there include the space shuttle, B-2 Spirit bomber, F-117 Nighthawk fighter, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, a passenger jet aircraft. The newly dedicated Mojave Spaceport is also located in this region. The spaceport is famous as the base of operations for Scaled Composites, the company that designed SpaceShipOne and won the X-Prize. Agriculture
 The valley's first main industry as a part of the United States was agriculture. Historically known regionally for its extensive alfalfa fields and fruit crops, farmers now are growing a wider variety of crops, such as carrots, onions, lettuce, and potatoes. As housing tracts continue to build in the middle of the valley, the farm operations are now found farther to the west and east sides than in previous decades. MiningThe second largest Borax open pit mine in the world is located near Boron. Public touring is available. Manufacturing
EducationAntelope Valley College is a comprehensive community college located in Lancaster, California, USA. It is operated by the Antelope Valley Community College District, with a primary service area of 1,945 square miles covering portions of Los Angeles and Kern counties. Instruction is offered at multiple sites, including Palmdale and Lancaster, as well as through online and instructional television courses. The college offers Associate in Arts/Associate in Science (two-year) degrees in 67 fields, as well as certificate programs in 56 vocational areas. The main campus in Lancaster hosts a satellite location of California State University, Bakersfield-Antelope Valley, where students can obtain bachelor's and master's degrees. Enrollment for the 2007-2008 academic year exceeds 14,000. CultureThe Antelope Valley Symphony Orchestra is a professional ensemble that performs four concerts each year at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center. It is an auxiliary of Antelope Valley College, and performs regularly with the Antelope Valley College Civic Orchestra. ParksInclude:
Hospitals
TransportationMajor highways and roadsInclude:
On the ridgeline of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Angeles Crest Highway (State Route 2) snakes 60 miles (100 km) through the Angeles National Forest to La Canada Flintridge and the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan region. Rail
Bus
Airports
Notable peopleSome people of note have spent time in the valley, including:
See also Aerospace Walk of Honor - downtown Lancaster sidewalk tribute to the U. S. Air Force flight test community. Valley place namesCities over 100,000 population
Cities less than 100,000 population
Unincorporated towns and districtsOver 10,000 Population
Under 10,000 Population
Trivia
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