After about 1500 to 1000 years ago, people depended more on gathering than on hunting. The village of Palmenthal was . Peevers, Andrea Schulte Lonely Planet, California, 3rd Ed. Estimates are not comparable to other geographic levels due to methodology differences that may exist between different data sources. 828.2 square miles 247.5 people per square mile. [Courtesy of the West Antelope Valley Historical Society], Drawing showing a birds-eye view of the Antelope Valley, c. 1880 The Antelope Valley's population growth and development place considerable stress on the local and regional water systems. We promote Health and Wellness One Community at a Time. The Consumer Health Information Program assists the public with medical research by providing information from reliable sources. [Courtesy of the West Antelope Valley Historical Society], Palmdale Grammar School at the end of Main Street (Avenues Q through P), 1925 1. Winter brings much-needed rain, which slowly penetrates the area's dry ground, bringing up native grasses and wildflowers. So,valley wide, were going to see some significant growth over the next 10 to 15 years.. We can provide you with information on topics such as: Have you walked into a library and wished you could check out more books than you could possibly carry? The roan population dipped below 50 individuals in 1990 and hasn't been able to recover since. The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54. Oil and gas field development may affect Wyoming pronghorn population. Though much of Francess early stage and theater experience took place in Lancaster, she and her family performed beyond the Antelope Valley as well, in Los Angeles and outlying towns. 1 min read. the facility, an east/west freeway linking the Airport to the Antelope Valley Freeway will be needed. [Courtesy of the City of Lancaster Museum/Art Gallery and its many donors], Mano and metate from the Piute Butte area The Mediterranean Central Valley climate is mild with abundant sunshine most of the year. [Courtesy of the Palmdale City Library], First combine in the Antelope Valley on the Godde-Stratman Ranch, early 1900s 52.83% of Palmdale residents speak only English, while 47.17% speak other languages. One major source is the Palmdale City Library: Palmdale City Library Hispanics are the next-largest group, followed by African Americans and Asian Americans. In 1853, Fort Tejon was established in the mountains on the western edge of the Antelope Valley. While living in Lancaster before relocating to Los Angeles in 1933, the Gumm family lived in three houses, one near the high school and two on Cedar Avenue. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Antelope Valley Community College District, Antelope Valley Union High School District, Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park, Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park, Determination of Land Subsidence Related to Ground-Water Level Declines Using Global Positioning System and Leveling Surveys in Antelope Valley, Los Angeles and Kern Counties, California, 1992, "Kawaiisu Tribe of Tejon, Southern California Native American Art and History", "Census profile: Lancaster--Palmdale, CA Urbanized Area", "Los Angeles County's Forgotten Farming History", "Antelope university pays employers for jobs", "Guide to the Ezra M. Hamilton Collection, 1833-1914", Antelope Valley Indian Museum and State Historical Park, The Geography of Suburban Sprawl in the Antelope Valley, Groundwater Quality in the Antelope Valley, California, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Antelope_Valley&oldid=1130841542, Antelope Valley Regional Occupational Program (AV ROP) - Palmdale, R. Rex Parris Continuation High School - Palmdale, Antelope Valley Christian School - Lancaster, Opportunities for Learning Charter Schools - Lancaster, Opportunities for Learning Charter Schools - Palmdale, This page was last edited on 1 January 2023, at 06:43. [1] It is situated between the Tehachapi, Sierra Pelona, and the San Gabriel Mountains. The goal of this collection is to present a complete picture of the history, culture, environment and artistic expression of the people of California and to some extent, the western United States. What can you tell me about the history of railroads in the Antelope Valley? Because the affected area was sparsely populated at the time, only two people died; today, the same earthquake would probably kill many more people in communities such as Frazier Park, Palmdale, Taft, and Wrightwood, all built on or near the area that ruptured in 1857. Some people of note have spent time in the valley, including: Ikehara, Marti E. and Phillips, Steven P. (1994). During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, most native groups remaining in the Antelope Valley simply faded into the European culture growing up around them. Sulphur SpringsUnionSchool District recently turned around decliningstudent enrollment this year, according toCatherineKawaguchi, the elementary school districts superintendent. What can you tell me about the San Andreas Fault and its association with the Antelope Valley? [Courtesy of the West Antelope Valley Historical Society], Map of Lancaster, 1940s WEATHER & CLIMATE 700 E Palmdale Boulevard . According to David Leighton of the United States Geological Survey: "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. The northern reaches of Antelope Valley are part of the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area, the largest wind resource area in California. In 1882-85, the valley lost 30,000 head of antelope, almost half of the species for which it was named. We selected an architect for our first school.. After the settlers decided to relocate slightly due to the difficult desert climate and drought, the name Palmdale was adopted. [Courtesy of the West Antelope Valley Historical Society], The first rodeo in Antelope Valley, c. 1910 Hispanics are . Here's what we know about the 6.0 Antelope Valley Earthquake. Census data: ACS 2021 5-year unless noted. The 1854 establishment of the Fort Tejon military post near Castaic Lake and Grapevine Canyon created a gateway for valley traffic. . July 8, 2021 Updated: July 9, 2021 10:21 a.m. Facebook Twitter Email. Each Family Place Library features the following core elements: The first three years of a child's life lay the foundation for learning. 10. 4,550 population in 2000, according to the U.S. Census; 441.98 square miles; Thwarted by political efforts to effect social change, Harriman and his fellow visionaries instead thought they could accomplish their utopian goals via the colonys cooperative economic system. Hunting itself also changed considerably during this period. Edward Fitzgerald Beale-a Mexican War veteran who traveled to Washington, D.C., as the first person to report news of Californias gold discovery-came up with the idea of using camels to reach distant Western military posts. Because theres not been a lot of movement with the housing market, our kids have aged out of our system, saidPelzel, noting that the district has tried to mitigate the decline by enrolling students from outside of its boundaries. Thus began her life as a freewheeling globe-trotter and hostess: she headed for South America on a luxury liner, returned to the United States to entertain movie stars and pilots such as Bette Davis and Amelia Earhart, crewed on a south-bound banana boat, and trekked across Mexico, where she indulged her rebellious streak by adopting the nickname Pancho.. The big discovery occurred in 1842 at what was then called Live Oak Canyon when Francisco Lopez, stopping for lunch while searching for stray cattle, pulled some wild onions and found flakes of gold clinging to their roots. They created the great communal grinding stones found throughout the Antelope Valley. The code enforcers have arrived on some of their visits in SWAT-team formats. Laptops are available at the following libraries: With your LA County Library card, you can download or stream eBooks, eAudiobooks, magazines, music, and movies on your computer, tablet, or phone. 60th St. West & Ave. F, Lancaster. Llano del Rio was promoted nationally by the socialist magazineThe Western Comrade, and the cooperative thrived for several years-its population exceeding 1,000 people in 1916-until its long-term water supply was diverted by an earthquake fault. [Courtesy of the West Antelope Valley Historical Society], Aerial view showing Antelope Valley Joint Union High School, 1955 In 1917 about 200 participants moved the colony to Stables, Louisiana, a defunct lumber town, and renamed it New Llano. The Antelope Valley groundwater basin is about 940 square miles and is separated from the northern part of Antelope Valley by faults and low-lying hills. This has stayed relatively level since 2010. "So, we want to . Nonetheless, the next year the project was publicly announced and Los Angeles residents approved a bond to pay for the aqueducts construction. Regions . Other Race / Two or More Races. You dont need internet access - all the books are pre-loaded onto the Kindle so you are ready to read. Since they would not cross the railroad tracks, many of them starved to death. The Antelope Valley is home to a wide range of plants and animals. [citation needed], NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center is a tenant organization at Edwards AFB. Affordable housing developments in the 1980s and 1990s caused dramatic spikes in the population, jumping from 12,227 in 1980 to 68,842 in 1990 (a rise of 18.82%) and then to 116,670 in 2000. One of the most important jobs for cowboys was to round up calves in the spring-and perhaps again in the fall-and to brand, castrate, dehorn, and vaccinate them. Antelope Valley College HIST 107 - Summer 2018 Register Now Unit 2, Module 1 fill in the blank discussion exercise.docx. The slow decline in the population of the Antelope Valley followed that of other native Californian societies. 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. . Among the best known cowboys were Ted Atmore, Emery Kidd, and Forrest Patterson. Available & affordable land, an educated workforce, pro-business local government, and easy access via State Route 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) have made the area home to over 13,000 businesses. University of Antelope Valley (20112012). The San Gabriel Mountains and the Tehachapi Mountains give the valley a triangular shape. This includes hundreds of plants such as the California juniper, Joshua tree, California scrub oak, creosote, and wildflowers, notably the California poppy. As a child, Marion attended the old Lancaster Grammar School on Lancaster Boulevard, though school records show he had poor attendance and at age 12 was promoted only to the third grade. What can you tell me about the history of Palmdale? Some Chumash influence also existed in the Valley, as evidenced by different language groups. Message him at, Two critically injured in apparent wrong-way driver crash. Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. Major retail has followed the population influx, centered on Palmdale's Antelope Valley Mall. While the Gold Rush did not directly impact the people of Southern California, it was important in many ways. He was the first-born child of Mary Molly Brown and Clyde Doc Morrison, who after being diagnosed with tuberculosis moved his family during the 1910s to an 80-acre homestead near Lancaster-roughly where the United Parcel Service is now located near Sierra Highway. The invention of the bow and arrow forever changed the way the people hunted. The LancasterPalmdale urbanized area is home to 353,619 people. Antelope Valley Groundwater Basin underlies an extensive alluvial valley in the western Mojave Desert. Lancaster's Fox Field area is poised to contribute to the Antelope Valley's future growth offering amultitude of sites for light industry. The laptop is due back in the kiosk before the library closes on the same day it is checked out. 37.0%. These are the people the Spanish first encountered when they began to explore the Antelope Valley. The majority of Los Angeles County communities saw a population increase between 2010 and 2020. However, a serious drought between 1894 and 1904-the worst in Southern Californias recorded history-devastated farms, forcing many settlers to abandon their land in the valley. Kern County; Cities . As more people came to California in search of gold, many filtered south for the rich farming land of the San Joaquin Valley. More Economy. 49,621. ANTELOPE VALLEY HOSPICE (44325 LOWTREE AVENUE) ANTELOPE VALLEY HOSPITAL (Government - Hospital District or Authority, provides emergency services, 1600 W AVE J) You'll need a library card in good standing and a PIN to access most downloadable & streaming content. By 1808, the Spanish had moved the native people out of the valley and into missions.[8]. From 9000 to 7000 years ago, as the Ice Age ended, great lakes formed in the Valley. Use this information to answer the following questions: 1(a). Alfalfa and small grains hay, onions, carrots, potatoes, peaches, pears and nectarines are all grown commercially in the High Desert. The open spaces and high winds make the northern part of Antelope Vall References (Earthshot Overview/Parent Only), June 9, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 41/36) Antelope Valley, California, USA, June 22, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 41/36) Antelope Valley, California, USA, June 17, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 41/36) Antelope Valley, California, USA, June 28, 2018, Landsat 8 (path/row 41/36) Antelope Valley, California, USA, June 15, 2022, Landsat 9 (path/row 41/36) Antelope Valley, California, USA, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tehachapi-wind-farm, https://ww2.energy.ca.gov/title24/tour/solarstar/index.html, https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/06/california-clears-final-hurdle-for-state-solar-mandate-for-new-homes.html, https://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/hot-property/la-fi-solar-mandate-20181214-story.html, https://cleantechnica.com/2017/10/16/lancaster-california-solar-power-capitol-universe/, https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/380, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/05/11/every-one-of-americas-57636-wind-turbines-mapped/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5369aec6e3df, https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/the-shifting-demographics-of-antelope-valley-and-developments-consequences, https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html, https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/lancastercitycalifornia, https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/palmdalecitycalifornia. Harold-also known as Alpine Station and Trejo Post Office-was founded at the junction of the Southern Pacific Railroad and what is now Barrel Springs Road; but it too went under after the railroad moved the site of its booster engine station north of town. Archaeological evidence from what appear to be several major village sites indicate that substantial numbers of Indians occupied the valley floor year round at one time. 15. What is that place that looks like a castle along the California Aqueduct? What can you tell me about John Wayne when he lived near Lancaster? She went on to become a prolific and versatile entertainer, whose oeuvre included 32 movies, one Academy award and two nominations, and thousands of theater, nightclub, television, and radio performances. Santa Clarita is a great place to live and I think one of the main things that I think (is) drawing our families is we have great schools, she said. Modern History. Despite numerous internal hurdles and external criticism, the colony for more than two decades made its mark as a social experiment. AML is the level at which wild horse populations are consistent with the land's capacity to support them and other mandated uses of . Becoming the countrys largest municipal water system in its day, the Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed in 1913-ahead of schedule and under its projected $25.5 million budget-when it began transporting water from the Owens River into the San Fernando Valley near Sylmar and Mulholland. ET on Saturday, 3/4/2023. This city: . The 1913 completion of the aqueduct spanning 233 miles between the Owens Valley and Los Angeles also revived the valleys economy. Antelope Valley High School (AVHS) first opened its doors in 1912 near its present site on Division Street in Lancaster, California, making it the oldest school . Aug 11, 2019 Aug 11, 2019; 0; Facebook; Twitter; WhatsApp; SMS; . The Antelope Valley is located in northern Los Angeles County, California, and the southeast portion of Kern County, California, and constitutes the western tip of the Mojave Desert. Populated by different cultures for an estimated 11,000 years, the Antelope Valley was a trade route for Native Americans traveling from Arizona and New Mexico to Californias coast. [Courtesy of the West Antelope Valley Historical Society], Lancaster Boulevard, looking east from Cedar Avenue, 1950s Customers are invited to use theNorwalk Librarycollection which consists of books, magazines, videos, and online databases related to health topics. [Courtesy of the City of Lancaster Museum/Art Gallery and its many donors], Cowboys at H. J. Butterworth corral, c. 1905-1910 Developmentally appropriate programming, such as baby and toddler storytimes for younger children and their parents. A Family Place Library is a center for early childhood information, parent education, emergent literacy, socialization, and family support. These peoples were probably hunters of large game animals that have since become extinct. Born in Pasadena in 1901, the high-spirited Florence thwarted the efforts of her fundamentalist parents to channel her energies in a conventional direction; though they arranged their debutante daughters marriage in 1921 to proper Episcopalian minister C. Ranken Barnes, she left him after receiving a half-million dollar inheritance following her mothers 1924 death. Today it is hard to imagine large groups of Native Americans living off the land in the Antelope Valley. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders. This Very Low priority basin is home to an estimated 399,048 people (2010 value), which have been at a rate of 42.49. Poppy season depends completely on the precipitation, but a good bloom can be killed off by the unusual weather in the late winter and early spring. The construction industry has been booming . 58.8%. The population of the Antelope Valley (centered in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale) grew 10 percent, adding 25,922 residents, with most of the growth in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale. [Courtesy of the Palmdale City Library], Little Rock Dam, c. 1940 Some estimates presented here come from sample data, and thus have sampling errors that may render some apparent differences between geographies statistically indistinguishable. Get the tools and resources you need to give your child the best possible start. Antelope Valley in southern California is the western part of the Mojave Desert. Lancaster and the Antelope Valley have growth drastically over the last 25 years. Although there are no stage stations in the Antelope Valley, almost any old building in our area might be touted as a Butterfield Stage station, even though miles from the actual route. The following year, theLancaster Newsstarted publication, making it the first weekly newspaper in the Antelope Valley. Stringfellow, K., 2017, The Shifting Demographics of Antelope ValleyAnd Development's Consequences: KCET, accessed December 18, 2018, athttps://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/the-shifting-demographics-of-antelope-valley-and-developments-consequences. [Courtesy of the Palmdale City Library], Intersection of Sierra Highway and Lancaster Boulevard, looking south on Sierra Highway So,we can meet demand. The valley also has numerous solar farms, some of which are among the largest in the United States. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 42.28% of the population. The sunbaked, high desert cities of Lancaster and Palmdale split along Avenue M but nearly indistinguishable have undergone dramatic growth and demographic change in recent decades. Father Francisco Garcs, a Spanish Franciscan friar, is believed to have traveled the west end of the valley in 1776. [Courtesy of the West Antelope Valley Historical Society, City directories dating from the 19th century, General physician and hospital information, Book and website recommendations for further reading, Renew up to 3 times, as long as no one else is waiting, Must be 18 or older (or under 18 with parent permission), eBooks cannot be added to this device by user. Conservation-minded hunters and landowners eventually repopulated the plains with the fleet-footed animals. Cattle ranching was especially important in the region between 1886 and 1910, though it was hurt by the drought between 1894 and 1904. It's free and you'll never have to worry about overdue fines! During the 1940s, the outspoken, cigar-smoking Pancho ran a tavern/inn sixty miles north of Los Angeles known as the Rancho Oro Verde (also known as the Happy Bottom Riding Club), which included Sunday brunches for pilots, exciting rodeos, training programs for civilian pilots, and Wednesday night dances; the inn was frequented by pilots and future astronauts testing aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base. 7. Population growth hasimpactedlocal schools, too. Precipitation in the surrounding mountain ranges contributes to groundwater recharge. Black or African American. Friday, September 09, 2011. In her personal life she was beset with emotional problems, however, and she died in 1969 at age 47, apparently from an accidental sleeping pill overdose. AVPH seeks to improve the . Recent job growth is Positive. Data.census.gov, Census Data API, and Census Search will be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Edwards AFB, then called Muroc Army Air Field, was established in 1933. Population density: 1,677 people per square mile (low). The Californiana Collection is in closed stacks at the Norwalk Library located at 12350 Imperial Hwy, Norwalk, CA 90650. Non-Hispanic whites make up approximately 48% of the population of the Antelope Valley and form a majority or plurality in most of its cities and towns. PRIME 7.38-ACRE INDUSTRIALLY ZONED LAND PARCEL. Family Place builds on the knowledge that good health, early learning, parent involvement, and supportive communities play a critical role in young children's growth and development. The Antelope Valley, which consists of over 3,000 square miles, experiences all four seasons, with snow falling, on average, every 2-4 years. Since 1990, most of the state's growth has resulted from natural increasethat is, the excess of births over . One of nine California valleys with the same name, this one lies in the western Mojave high desert and includes the communities of Lancaster, Palmdale, Rosamond and Mojave. It is an auxiliary of Antelope Valley College, and performs regularly with the Antelope Valley College Civic Orchestra. The lush vegetation and abundant water supply supported many types of wildlife which are no longer found in the valley. Antelope Valley crime blotter, Jan. 18, 2023; Man pulls gun, is shot to death by Seal Beach police . Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2017-2021. Sohikiansaid planning for the proper infrastructure for a growing region, which includes the Santa Clarita and Antelopevalleys,has beenanongoingeffort. Many of the rock art sites throughout the Coso Mountain Range near present day Ridgecrest appear to celebrate hunting and the mountain sheep. Measuring America's People, Places, and Economy. According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Palmdale was: There are 107,421 adults, (15,296 of whom are seniors) in Palmdale. The city of Palmdale has a predominantly Hispanic/Latino demographic. COST OF LIVING Compared to the rest of the country, Antelope's cost of living is 23.7% higher than the U.S. average. Although the fault is perhaps best known for the 1906 earthquake that caused the great San Francisco fire, one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in U.S. history occurred when a major rupture occurred on the faults line at Fort Tejon on January 9, 1857. The Antelope Valley's population growth and development place considerable stress on the local and regional water systems. is 6.0%). The For more information, please visit the 2021 5-year ACS Comparison Guidance page. Other common species in the Antelope Valley include the golden-mantled ground squirrel, Beechey ground squirrel, red-tailed hawk, Cooper's hawk, Stellar's jay, leopard frog, and rattlesnake[citation needed]. The median age in Palmdale is 32.3 years, 30.6 years for males, and 34 years for females. You must save to a removable storage device (such as a USB drive) since your work will not be saved to the laptop beyond your current checkout. Major retail has followed the population influx, centered on Palmdale's Antelope Valley Mall. Users should exercise caution when comparing 2017-2021 ACS 5-year estimates to other ACS estimates. . It is believed that this is the time the Shoshonean Wedge swept through the Great Basin and California. Lancaster was controlled politically by Los Angeles County until 1977, when it was incorporated as a city. [Courtesy of the Antelope Valley Indian Museum], Crate label from the Blum Ranch, c. 1950s Palmdale is a city located in Los Angeles County California. Initial forecasts using the MWD . Antelope Valley: Antelope Valley Demographics In recent decades the valley has become a bedroom community, to the Greater Los Angeles area. [Courtesy of the Palmdale City Library, 52-Mule team used in the construction of the Los Angeles-Owens Valley Aqueduct across the west side of the Antelope Valley, 1908 Antelope (zip 95843) jobs have increased by 1.4%. Mining changed the regions history in profound ways, as gold seekers settled permanently in the valleys southwestern corner during the 1850s and 1860s. Lancaster which today calls itself the heart of the Antelope Valley-owes its birth to the Southern Pacific Railroad. While growth in the 1990's did slow from the explosive growth rate of the 1980's, Palmdale and Lancaster, collectively, bounced back in the ten year period from 2000 to 2010, growing 31%. QuickFacts data are derived from: Population Estimates, American Community Survey, Census of Population and Housing, Current Population Survey, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, State and County Housing Unit Estimates, County Business Patterns, Nonemployer Statistics, Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners, Building Permits. The slow decline in the population of the Antelope Valley followed . Obsidian from the Mono Lake area and sea shells from the coast are still frequently found today throughout the Valley. But as the region's landscape is modified and its demographics shift, the land is revealing something sinister. The township of Palmdale officially became the city of Palmdale in August of 1962, becoming the first in the Antelope Valley to incorporate. Terms of Service and Laptop Library Locations, LA County Library Californiana Collection, More Books to Explore: Suggestions Just for You, Work Ready: Borrow a Laptop & Learn Job Skills, Fred Hamilton (son of Ezra Hamilton) in mining clothes and surrounded by the tools of his trade, c. 1900s Edwards AFB's dry lakebeds are the lowest geographic elevation in the valley. The village of Palmenthal was officially established in June of 1888. [Courtesy of the West Antelope Valley Historical Society], The Lancaster Airport on the northwest corner of 10th Street West and Avenue I, 1930 Over the past twelve to thirteen thousand years, various peoples have lived or traveled through the Antelope Valley in California's western Mojave Desert. Water-demand forecasts in 1980 for the Antelope Valley indicated that total annual water demand by 2020 was expected to be about 250,000 acre-feet, with agricultural demand being about 65 percent of this total. After Fremont's visit the 49ers crossed the valley via the Old Tejon Pass into the San Joaquin Valley on their way to the gold fields. What can you tell me about General Beale's American Camel Corps? The movie actor John Wayne-born in Winterset, Iowa, in 1907 as Marion Morrison-spent about two years of his childhood on a farm near Lancaster. Non-Hispanic whites make up approximately 48% of the population of the Antelope Valley and form a majority or plurality in most of its cities and towns. Census of Population and Housing: U.S. Census Bureau, accessed December 18, . [Courtesy of the West Antelope Valley Historical Society], Aerial view of Palmdale business district, c. 1930 The community began a steady growth spurt in the 1930s, starting with construction of Muroc Air Force Base, frequent flight tests, and later space shuttle landings. Settle quoted Antelope Valley pioneer John D. Covington (1867-1949): . In 1990, the Black population of the two cities combined was about 7%. Have a story tip? The origin of Lancasters name is unclear, attributed variously to the surname of a railroad station clerk, the moniker given by railroad officials, and the former Pennsylvania home of settlers. Though the first wave of non-native exploration took place in the early 1770s, a later exploratory period starting in the 1840s led to the valleys first permanent settlement during the following decade, fueled by Californias Gold Rush and new status as American territory.