The town was originally founded in the 1880s just after the finding of silver in area mines. In 1882, the Southern Pacific Railroad from Mojave to Daggett was being completed and it was thought that a good name for the city would be Calico Junction. But this name would be too confusing since it was right next to Calico, CA -- where the silver was just recently discovered. It was decided to name the city after, then Lieutenant Governor of California, John Daggett, during the Spring of 1883. For two years, it was the terminal of the 20 Mule Team run from Death Valley, but after one of their swampers, William Pitt was lynched, the Pacific Borax Company made the terminal in Mojave, CA.
|
