People have been enthralled with the Mojave Desert for over 5,000 years. The first to arrive after the Pleistocene era were hunters from the Pinto Culture. They were followed by three groups of Native Americans: Serrano, Chemehuevi and Cahuilla. The tribes referred to it as, “Oasis of Mara.” When Colonel Henry Washington surveyed the area in 1855, he called it “Twentynine Palms.” That name is still used by the town at the North Entrance. Next came cattlemen and a few cattle rustlers. Between 1894 and 1931, prospectors flooded the desert in search of gold and silver. During the 1920s and 1930s, archeologists gained an interest based on the work of Elizabeth Campbell. Their insistence on preservation led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare this a national monument in 1936. Finally, in 1994, it was given national park status. There are also a half dozen park landmarks listed as National Register of Historic Places.
