Daggett, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daggett, California
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Solar Two experimental solar power plant
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 Daggett, California
Location in California
Daggett, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County |  San Bernardino |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Elevation | 2,014 ft (614 m) |
| Population
(2000)
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| • Total | 200 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
92327
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| Area codes | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-17778 |
| GNIS feature ID | 241219 |
Daggett is a small, unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California, United States. An unincorporated community means it's a place with a shared identity but no local government of its own. It's located about 10 miles (16 km) east of Barstow, California, right along Interstate 40. About 200 people live in the town. Its ZIP code is 92327, and it's in the 760 area code.
Contents
History of Daggett
How Daggett Got Its Name
Daggett was founded in the 1880s. This was just after silver was found in mines near Calico, California. In 1882, the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad (which later became Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, or ATSF) were building train lines in the area.
People first thought of naming the town Calico Junction. But this name was too confusing because it was so close to Calico. So, in 1883, they decided to name the town after John Daggett, who was the Lieutenant Governor of California at the time.
Railroads and Mining Boom
There were plans to make Daggett a major train station. It would have a large railyard for heavy trains coming from the East. However, the price of land in Daggett became too high because of the silver mining. So, the ATSF moved its main rail station to Barstow, California instead.
In 1903, another railroad, the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad (later Union Pacific Railroad), also built its line through Daggett. This line connected Las Vegas to Los Angeles.
Borax Mining in Daggett
Borax was also very important to Daggett's economy. For two years, Daggett was the end point for the famous twenty-mule team that hauled borax from Death Valley. Later, in 1891, Francis Marion Smith, known as the 'Borax King,' started new mining operations near Daggett. This was at a borax mine called Borate.
The borax operations needed many workers. The Pacific Coast Borax Company employed nearly 200 men. At first, the borax was moved by the 20 Mule Team. But Smith wanted a cheaper way to transport it. So, the Borate and Daggett Railroad was built in 1896. This railroad took over the job of hauling borax from the mules.
Daggett's Decline
Daggett grew quite a bit in the 1890s. It had three stores, two restaurants, three saloons, three hotels, and even a lumberyard. But after 1911, richer borax deposits were found in Death Valley. All the mining operations moved there. This caused Daggett to slowly shrink, and it continues to be a small town today.
Daggett Airport
Daggett is near the Barstow-Daggett Airport. This airport is for general aviation, which means it's used by private planes and small aircraft. It also serves as a regional weather information center. The airport was built during World War II to help modify Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber planes. These planes were sent to Russia as part of the Lend-Lease program.
Schools in Daggett
Daggett is part of the Silver Valley Unified School District. The Silver Valley High School is located in Daggett. Its address is 35484 Daggett/Yermo Rd, Daggett, CA 92327.
Daggett's Population
As of 2003, about 1,000 people lived in and around Daggett. However, only about 200 people actually live in the town itself. The town is located about 2,000 feet (610 meters) above sea level.
Solar Power in Daggett
Early Solar Plants
Daggett was home to some very important early solar power plants. The world's first commercial solar power plants, SEGS I (built in 1984) and SEGS II (built in 1985), were located here. These were part of the SEGS network.
Solar One and Solar Two Projects
Daggett also had a special solar thermal energy plant called Solar One. This was a test project that worked from 1982 to 1986. It used many mirrors, called heliostats, to focus sunlight onto a collecting tower. Inside the tower, oil flowed and became superheated by the intense sunlight. This hot oil then created steam to generate electricity.
In 1995, the plant was updated and renamed Solar Two. Instead of oil, Solar Two used molten salt to store energy.
The Glowing Light Phenomenon
When the thousands of mirrors at the power plant were being set up, a glowing ball of light could sometimes be seen nearby. This happened because the mirrors focused sunlight onto one spot. As the light got stronger, it reflected off dust in the desert air, creating the glowing effect. People driving on nearby Interstate 40 and Interstate 15 sometimes saw this amazing sight.
What Happened to Solar Two?
Solar Two stopped operating in 1999. In 2001, it was turned into a gamma-ray astronomy telescope. This new facility was called CACTUS (Converted Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope Using Solar-2). CACTUS was run by the University of California, Davis. It operated from late 2004 to late 2005.
On November 25, 2009, the Solar Two tower was taken down. The site was cleared, and all the mirrors and other equipment were removed. There are now plans to build a training center there. This center will teach people how to build and maintain high-power electrical lines and towers.
New Solar Development
At the nearby Coolwater Generating Station, a large new photovoltaic power station began construction in October 2021. It will also include a large battery system to store energy.
Railroads in Daggett Today
Daggett is an important stop on the BNSF Railway's Needles Subdivision. Many trains travel on this line, which goes all the way to Chicago. It is also where the Cima subdivision of the Union Pacific Railroad connects. This Union Pacific line used to be the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad and comes from Salt Lake City, Utah, through Las Vegas. The Union Pacific trains use the BNSF tracks to reach Riverside, California.
Old Narrow Gauge Railroads
In the past, Daggett had two smaller railroads called narrow gauge railroads. These were the Borate and Daggett Railroad and the Waterloo Mining Railroad. They were built to carry silver and borax ore from the Calico Mountains. Both railroads used two steam locomotives each. After 1907, these railroads closed down. This happened because mining companies found better places to mine in Death Valley. You can still see parts of the old railroad paths in the desert today. However, many of them have been paved over for cars and off-road vehicles.
Daggett Cemetery
The Daggett Cemetery has graves that date back to the early 1900s. It is located at 34°51′31″N 116°52′48″W / 34.85861°N 116.88000°W.
Daggett in Pop Culture
Daggett has appeared in popular culture. The music video for "My Favourite Game" by The Cardigans was filmed there. Also, the 1940 movie The Grapes of Wrath used Daggett as a filming location.
Climate in Daggett
Daggett has a semi-arid climate. This means it is generally dry, but not as dry as a desert.
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See also
In Spanish: Daggett (California) para niños Template:KIDDLE XL END
