Why the name "China" Lake? The lore is that during the late 1880s - during the mining boom in the local area, a camp of Chinese laborers popped up on the shore of the lakebed, probably for the purpose of harvesting borax from the lakebed - giving rise, no doubt, to the original Chinese Laundry in the area. Many Chinese laborers were used in the local mining operations: cutting wood and making charcoal for smelting the ores, mucking about, and finally owning and operating the numerous Chinese restaurants we have in the town of Ridgecrest. |
Yes, there is a lake at China Lake! Ordinarily a dry lake (playa), but since
we have had 6 - to - 10 inches of rainfall since Christmas 2004, the real lake
has appeared. The lake is totally enclosed by the Naval Air Weapons Station
test ranges. The photograph is taken from the east side of the lake
bed, near Burro Canyon and the Survivability Range, looking to the west to the
Sierra Nevada. The horizontal line about 1/3 up the foothills of the Sierra
is the L. A. aqueduct that still drains Owens Valley to our north. The
lake bed starts about 2- 3 miles north of the China Lake Golf Club and
the community of China Lake, and extends for several miles to the north. |
Who says there is no water in China Lake?? |
Picture and text submitted by Linda Clark |
Page 8 |
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. 1 & 2 - In the beginning 3 - Naval Air Facility 4 - The Ranges 5 - Doc the B-29 6 - NAWC Museum |
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High Desert Memories - A Hometown Journal Commemorating Ridgecrest California |
China Lake |
Is there a Winter on the Desert??? |
I'd say the answer to that is a rather resounding YES!!!! |
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Select a page number above to move from page to page |
. 1 & 2 - In the beginning 3 - Naval Air Facility 4 - The Ranges 5 - Doc the B-29 6 - NAWC Museum |
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A birds eye view of the Indian Wells Valley and the Trona basin |
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shuttle photo taken of RC from about 140 miles into space. The barely discernable
beige colored circular feature Approximately 2 inches from top center
is a parachute drop zone with a diameter of 1 mile. |
From B mountain looking across the valley |
Michelson Lab and admin buildings |
Public Works area and Contractor quonset huts. |
This is the old Administration Building |
The Chapel in winter. |
Snowy pathway to the entrance of Michelson Lab |
Looking from the front of the O' Club down Brandy St. |
This is out at the airfield looking across at the mountains |
7 - The Sidewinder 8 - About China Lake 9 - 60 Year FED service 10 - China Lake named National Historic site |
7 - The Sidewinder 8 - About China Lake 9 - 60 Year FED service 10 - China Lake named National Historic site |