Mojave County, California facts for kids
Mojave County was a plan in 1988 to create a new county in California. It would have split off a very large part of San Bernardino County to form its own area. San Bernardino County is the biggest county by land size in the mainland United States. The idea was to separate the northern and eastern parts, which are mostly desert and mountains, from the smaller, more crowded southwestern part.
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What Was Mojave County?
In 1988, some people had an idea to create a brand new county in California. They wanted to call it Mojave County. This new county would have taken up about 90% of the land from San Bernardino County. San Bernardino County is huge! It's the largest county in the main part of the United States by how much land it covers.
Why Did People Want a New County?
People who supported the idea of Mojave County had a few reasons. They felt that their homes were too far away from the county's main office, called the county seat, which is in San Bernardino. Imagine living so far from where your county's decisions are made!
They also felt that their region, which is mostly desert, was very different from the more crowded Inland Empire area of San Bernardino County. They believed their communities had different needs and interests.
Where Would Mojave County Have Been?
If Mojave County had been created, it would have included many cities and towns. These would have been Victorville, Barstow, Big Bear, Yucca Valley, and Twentynine Palms.
It also would have included the town of Needles. Needles is right along the Colorado River. It's actually closer to Las Vegas, Nevada, than it is to San Bernardino, its own county seat!
The remaining part of San Bernardino County would have been the smaller, more populated southwestern area.
What Happened to the Idea?
The plan to create Mojave County was put to a vote. However, the idea was ultimately defeated. This means that the people decided not to split San Bernardino County, and Mojave County was never formed.
