Bell Mountain is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in the

Victor Valley The Victor Valley is a valley in the Mojave Desert and subregion of the Inland Empire, in San Bernardino County in Southern California. It is located east of the Mojave's Antelope Valley, north of the Cajon Pass and the San Bernardino Valley, ...

region of the

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily in ...

, within

San Bernardino County San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, 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, ...

, southern

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. It is north of Apple Valley, east of

Interstate 15 Interstate 15 (I-15) is a major Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the western United States, running through Southern California and the Intermountain West. I-15 begins near the Mexico–United States border, Mexican border i ...

, and northeast of

Victorville Victorville is a city in Victor Valley in San Bernardino County, California. Its population as of the 2020 census was 134,810. History In 1858, Aaron G. Lane came to what is now known as Victorville and founded a waystation called "Lane's Cro ...

. The town lies at 3,082 feet above sea level on Dale Evans Parkway. A post office was established in the community in 1953 but it was discontinued three years later.

History

The rural community of Bell Mountain was founded in 1904 when a group of black homesteaders from Los Angeles began settling on government land around

Victorville, California Victorville is a city in Victor Valley in San Bernardino County, California. Its population as of the 2020 census was 134,810. History In 1858, Aaron G. Lane came to what is now known as Victorville and founded a waystation called "Lane's Cr ...

. Most of the Bell Mountain homesteaders were southerners who had migrated west in stages during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, eventually arriving in California and at Bell Mountain. Their goal was to become landowners and to create a prosperous, “all-black” agricultural community in the desert outskirts of Los Angeles. These homesteaders included Nolie and

Lela Murray Lela Murray (June 12, 1887 – March 18, 1949) was a prominent black businesswoman, community leader, and advocate for civil rights in Los Angeles during the first half of the 20th century. She co-founded Murray's Ranch, billed by the press as " ...

, notable entrepreneurs from the Los Angeles black community who would go on to establish Murray's Dude Ranch at Bell Mountain in the 1930s.

References

Unincorporated communities in San Bernardino County, California Populated places in the Mojave Desert Victor Valley Unincorporated communities in California {{SanBernardinoCountyCA-geo-stub