History

Human beings have lived in the nearly 800,000 acres of Joshua Tree National Park for at least 5,000 years.

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History Details

Human beings have lived in the nearly 800,000 acres of Joshua Tree National Park for at least 5,000 years. The first Native Americans known to inhabit the area were the Pinto, followed by the Serrano, the Chemehuevi, and the Cahuilla. In the 1800s, cattlemen built water impoundments and began to use the area for grazing due to the ample grass available at the time. Miners discovered the area shortly thereafter and dug tunnels looking for gold. Homesteaders arrived in the 1900s, bringing with them cabins, wells and crops. Each group left a lasting mark on the land and contributed to the cultural history of the area. There are 501 archeological sites, 88 historic structures, 19 cultural landscapes, and 123,253 items in Joshua Tree National Park's museum collections. The area became a national monument in 1936, and as the Southern California population grew, so too did visitation. Joshua Tree now lies within a 3-hour drive of more than 18 million people. Joshua Tree gained national park status in 1994.

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