ROOTED HERE
Behind the downtown streets.
A whole city’s story.
Victorville brings together Mojave Desert landscapes, railroad history and the old alignment of Route 66. The D Street corridor and its museum offer an introduction to the earlier town, while neighborhood kitchens and shops give a different view of the city today.
People made the city.
These milestones are an introduction, not a complete local history. Follow the linked city and museum sources to explore the people and places behind them.Read the local historical account.
- 1885
The railroad community
The town developed around its railroad station and became known as Victor, honoring railroad construction superintendent Jacob Nash Victor.
City or museum historical source ↗ - 1901
The Victorville name
The post office changed the community’s name to Victorville to distinguish it from Victor, Colorado.
City or museum historical source ↗ - 1926
Route 66
The establishment of U.S. Route 66 strengthened the town’s connection to cross-country road travel. Old Town’s streets retain that historic route association.
City or museum historical source ↗ - 1962
Municipal incorporation
Victorville incorporated on September 21, 1962. The city’s Old Town history connects the later municipality with the earlier railroad and highway settlement.
City or museum historical source ↗ - 1995
Preserving the highway story
The California Route 66 Museum opened in November 1995. Its exhibits interpret the highway and the Victor Valley community.
City or museum historical source ↗
See the history for yourself.
Walk downtown to see surviving commercial architecture, then explore the Historical Preservation Society’s museum and visiting information. Check current opening dates before setting out. Historical Preservation Society.
For deeper research, the Victorville library resources is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.
Selected milestones researched September 13, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.