Discover Mojave: Aviation and Space History

Mojave combines aviation, space, and railroad history with unusual insights into a significant flight research location. Today’s Mojave Air & Space Port opened in 1935 as a small rural airfield for the local gold and silver mining industry and was expanded in July 1942 as Marine Corps Auxiliary Air Station (MCAAS) Mojave. Today, it is a flight research center covering more than 3,300 acres. No special permission is required for the public areas; however, public tours are not offered.

Aircraft, Space Travel, and Special Exhibits

Those interested in technological history will find several different points of interest in Mojave. The Gate Guardians exhibit includes a Convair 990, an F-4, and a SAAB Draken. At the entrance to the Mojave Air & Space Port, there is also a static display, an outdoor exhibition featuring aircraft and vehicles. The Convair 990 there is one of the few remaining Convair 990 Coronados. The Saab Draken is provided for exhibition by the National Test Pilot School on loan.

Legacy Park can be reached on foot from the parking lot by the administrative building of the Mojave Air & Space Port. Its exhibits include a full-size scale model of SpaceShipOne, a scale model of the Voyager aircraft, and the Rotary Rocket vehicle. Voyager was the first aircraft to circumnavigate the Earth nonstop, without landing or refueling. The Rotary Rocket Roton was designed as an aircraft intended to reach space. This makes it possible to incorporate specific aircraft, spaceflight designs, and technological milestones into a trip itinerary in Mojave.

Public Viewing Points at the Airfield

There are several clearly designated viewpoints for finding your own bearings. Interest Point 4 offers a view of the Boneyard; parking is not permitted at this location. At Interest Point 8, the Storage Center, visitors can get a close-up view of large wind turbine components being unloaded at the edge of the airport. Interest Point 9 provides a view of the north side of the Mojave Air & Space Port as well as test areas to the northeast, which are used primarily for rocket engine testing.

Events also complement the public offerings. The Mojave Air & Space Port invites visitors to the monthly Plane Crazy Saturdays. Plane Crazy Saturday includes a historic aircraft exhibition, and admission is free. At the monthly event organized by the Mojave Transportation Museum on the third Saturday, the Transient Ramp beneath the old tower is opened to the public so that aircraft that have flown in can be viewed there.

Borax and Railroad History in Mojave

The town’s history extends beyond aviation. The 20-Mule-Team Borax Terminus was part of a 165-mile route for borax wagons between Death Valley and Mojave, operated from 1884 to 1889. The ore wagons associated with this terminus were built in Mojave at a cost of $900 each. Another historic landmark is Mojave’s old two-story railroad depot: there, the Fred Harvey organization operated a “Harvey House,” where the “Harvey Girls” served travelers and miners.

Which Accommodation Fits Your Trip Plans?

When searching for a vacation rental or vacation home in Mojave, you can first decide which focus should define your trip: historic aircraft and space travel, public viewpoints of the airfield, or the history of the borax route and railroad. Mojave’s location at the intersection of two major highways is an objective point of reference when choosing where to stay. Accommodation in Mojave is especially suitable if you want to combine different themes in one stay and deliberately select your individual points of interest. You should check the specific distances and the amenities of individual vacation rentals independently of the town’s history.

For your further search, you can also compare Wofford Heights, Shafter, Bakersfield, Taft, California City, Pine Mountain Club, Lost Hills and Lebec.

For the higher-level trip overview: Kern.