Yermo, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yermo
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The former Union Pacific depot in the 1920s
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 Yermo
Location in California
Yermo
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Bernardino |
| Elevation | 1,929 ft (588 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
92398
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| Area codes | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-86720 |
| GNIS feature ID | 251862 |
Yermo is a small community located in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California. Its name comes from a Spanish word meaning "wilderness" or "wasteland." Yermo is about 13 miles (21 km) east of Barstow, right off Interstate 15. It sits just south of the Calico Mountains. In 2009, about 1,750 people lived there.
Contents
A Look Back: Yermo's History
Yermo was founded in 1902 and was first called Otis. It grew up around a key spot on the Union Pacific Railroad line. A post office opened there three years later. William J. Flavin was Yermo's first postmaster. The community also became a stop for people traveling on the Arrowhead Trail. This road later became U.S. Route 91.
How Yermo is Governed
Today, Yermo is run by a group called the Community Services District. This group has five members who are chosen by the community. They meet every month to make decisions for Yermo. They are in charge of important services like the volunteer fire department, street lights, parks, and the water system. Yermo's ZIP Code is 92398. Its phone area codes 442 and 760 are also used. The local post office provides mailboxes, but there is no home delivery.
Yermo is also home to a large storage and industrial area. This area covers about 1,859-acre (7.5 km2) and belongs to the Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow.
Yermo's Economy
Local Businesses
When Interstate 15 opened in 1968, it changed Yermo a lot. Most travelers going to and from Las Vegas started using the new highway. This meant they no longer drove through Yermo. Because of this, about 90 percent of the local businesses had to close.
In its busiest times, Yermo had many businesses. There were 27 gas stations, seven bars, two grocery stores, and a hardware store. It also had a pizza shop, real estate offices, motels, restaurants, and camping spots. By 2009, the number of businesses was much smaller. There was one grocery store, one bar, three restaurants, and four gas stations.
A famous fast-food chain, Del Taco, actually started in Yermo in 1964. Yermo also used to have a California agriculture inspection station. This station checked cars traveling south on Interstate 15. In 2018, it moved to a new spot further north.
Fun for Visitors: Tourism
In the middle of the 1900s, Yermo was known as the "Gateway to the Calicos." This name came from its location about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the Calico Mountains. These mountains are home to the historic Calico Ghost Town. Yermo and Barstow worked together to make Calico a state park. Calico was a busy silver mining town from the 1880s until the early 1900s.
In 1952, a man named Walter Knott bought Calico. He was the founder of Knotts Berry Farm and had worked in Calico as a carpenter. He helped restore the old town. Later, he gave it to San Bernardino County. Now, it is a historical county park and a popular place for tourists to visit.
Community Life
Schools in Yermo
The Silver Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) is in charge of education in the Yermo area. It runs schools for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. These schools are in Yermo, Daggett, Newberry Springs, and at the U.S. Army National Training Center at Ft. Irwin.
Places of Worship
In 2009, Yermo had three active churches. One was Baptist, and the other two were non-denominational.
Yermo's Climate
Yermo has a semi-arid climate. This means it has long, very hot summers. The winters are sunny with cool nights. It is generally dry all year round.
