Seventeen Mile Point facts for kids

Seventeen Mile Point is a mountain located in San Bernardino County, California. It sits at the northern end of the Old Dad Mountains. The very top of this mountain is about 2,500 feet (762 meters) high.

The Story of Seventeen Mile Point

Seventeen Mile Point got its name because its northern part was a very important landmark. This landmark was along the Mojave Road, which was also known as the Old Government Road. The specific spot where the Mojave Road went around the northern tip of the Old Dad Mountains was called Point of Mountain.

In 1866 and 1867, the U.S. Army used special tools called odometers to measure distances. They found that Point of Mountain was about 17 miles away from two important watering spots: Soda Springs and Marl Springs. These places were vital for travelers on the road. The Point of Mountain also showed where the old wagon road turned southwest. From there, it followed a path called Willow Wash for several miles.

In 1900, a mining camp called Seventeen Mile Point was built there. This camp was set up to help the mines in the Old Dad Mountains, like the Paymaster, Brannigan, and Oro Fino mines. A mining camp is a settlement that grows up around mines to support the workers. After 1914, the mining camp disappeared and became a ghost town. However, its name lives on through the mountain itself.