What is the history of Daggett, California?
The town was originally founded in the 1880s just after the finding of silver in mines nearby to the city. 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 swapmers, William Pitt was lynched, the Pacific Borax Company made the terminal in Mojave, CA. Not only did Silver define Daggett’s history, but Borax was also important to the city’s economy. This borax was being mined, around the turn of the century, out of the Calico Hills nearby. This operation required many more laborers to come to the city to help. The Borate and Daggett Railroad w
