For many years it provided shelter and supplies for people journeying across the desert from the east to San Bernardino.

Originally he migrated west to join the California gold rush, but he learned that he could make a better living selling supplies to the miners.

Lane settled in Ione, near Sutter's Mill in northern California, during those years, but migrated to San Bernardino in 1857.

He later sold out to Texan John Fry Miller, who changed the name of Lane's Crossing to Pioneer Station.

[11] Miller was a rancher and became involved in Mojave Valley politics, setting up the first polling place in the area at his home.

That first year, ten citizens cast their votes at Lane's residence rather than making the long trip to San Bernardino.

703 were Aaron Lane, William R. Levick, and the Nicholson family, consisting of George, Frances, and their three children aged 9 to 13.

The Nicholson family moved downriver a few miles and established a way station at "Point of Rocks" in today's Helendale area.

In 1867, Lafayette Meacham, a Mormon who ran a way station near today's Barstow area, made a new wagon road from his stage stop to what is now Old Town Victorville.

Huntington later bought out the Stoddard brothers, who had a waystation halfway to today's Barstow from Victorville, and the Meachams, who ran the stage stop named Fish Ponds or Mormon Grocery.

In 1901, at the suggestion of local postmistress Abbey Turner, the U.S. Post Office Department changed that name to Victorville to stop the postal confusion with the town of Victor, Colorado.

In 1940, Herman J. Mankiewicz and John Houseman wrote the first two drafts of the screenplay for the film Citizen Kane in Victorville.

[14]: 32 [15] The quiet ranch allowed Mankiewicz to complete his writing without the temptation of drinking, as he struggled with alcoholism.

In 2003, the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum[17] was moved from Victorville to Branson, Missouri.

On November 3, 2007, Victorville hosted the DARPA Urban Challenge, a six-hour autonomous robot driving contest through the streets of the Southern California Logistics Airport.

Victorville is the location of offices of the "Mojave Desert Branch" of the San Bernardino County government.

Victorville is bordered by Apple Valley on the east, Hesperia on the south, and Adelanto on the west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 73.7 square miles (191 km2).

Official records show that Victorville has a cool arid climate (Köppen BWk) with four distinct seasons.

Due to the higher elevation and inland location of the High Desert, the climate tends to be more extreme than in the Los Angeles Basin and other Southern California lowland regions.

The higher elevation prevents the temperatures from matching the extreme heat seen in lower desert cities such as Palm Springs or Needles.

In the later part of the season, the average precipitation amount experiences an uptick due to the North American Monsoon bringing possible thunderstorms to the region.

These thunderstorms can cause flash flooding, lightning, hail, and bring relief from the very hot summer days.

High wind events are common in Victorville year-round and particularly during the spring; they can down power lines and cause dust storms that reduce visibility.

[27][28] 5.3% are German, 4.3% Irish, English 3.0%, Italian 1.7%, French (except Basque) 1.3%, Norwegian 0.8%, Polish 0.7% and Scottish 0.4%.

During 2009–13, Victorville had a median household income of $50,034, with 25.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

[57] FlixBus stops at 14618 7th Street, with buses to several destinations, including Las Vegas, Santa Clarita, and Los Angeles.

There are several notable areas and locations within Victorville such as Spring Valley Lake, the Old Sheriff's Office, and U.S. Route 66.

In 2010, as the economy declined, the state eliminated Redevelopment Agencies which had funded the project and further work was put on indefinite hold.

[60] Projects include the Veteran's Memorial on the corner of Seventh Street and Forrest Avenue, the Route 66 Museum, the Transportation Center, and the Old Victor School.