Bell Mountain, California facts for kids

Bell Mountain is a small place in the Mojave Desert in southern California. It's not a city with its own government. Instead, it's called an "unincorporated community."

You can find Bell Mountain north of Apple Valley. It's also east of the main highway, Interstate 15. Bell Mountain is about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Victorville. This community sits about 3,082 feet above sea level.

A post office opened in Bell Mountain in 1953. However, it closed just three years later.

History of Bell Mountain

The rural community of Bell Mountain began in 1904. At that time, a group of black homesteaders from Los Angeles started settling there. They claimed government land near Victorville, California.

Early Settlers

Most of these Bell Mountain homesteaders came from the southern United States. They had moved west over many years. Eventually, they arrived in California and settled in Bell Mountain. Their main goal was to own land. They also wanted to create a successful farming community just for black families. This community would be on the edge of the desert, outside Los Angeles.

Notable Families

Among these early settlers were Nolie and Lela Murray. They were well-known business owners from the black community in Los Angeles. In the 1930s, the Murrays went on to establish Murray's Dude Ranch right there in Bell Mountain.