Mud Spring , formerly Aquaje Lodoso , is a spring and historic site in the western Antelope Valley , within northern Los Angeles County , southern California .
It is located the western Mojave Desert at an elevation of 2,871 feet (875 m), north of Lake Hughes and east of the Tehachapi Mountains .[1]
History [ edit ]
El Camino Viejo [ edit ]
Aquaje Lodoso was a watering place on the Spanish and Mexican El Camino Viejo inland north-south route in colonial Alta California . It was located between Elizabeth Lake and Cow Spring water sources.
It was also a watering place on the Old Tejon Pass road between the Antelope and San Joaquin Valleys.[2]
Stockton - Los Angeles Road [ edit ]
The Butterfield Overland Mail 1st Division had a station operating at Mud Springs , on the Stockton - Los Angeles Road . In 1860, a correspondent of the Daily Alta California wrote an account of his travel by stagecoach to Los Angeles from San Francisco. He mentions that the Butterfield Overland Mail (1857-1861) had a station operating at Mud Springs in 1860.[3]
It was 14 miles (23 km) east from French John's Station , and 13 miles (21 km) north from Clayton's—Widow Smith's Station near San Francisquito Pass in the Sierra Pelona Mountains .[4]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mud Spring
^ Frank F. Latta, "EL CAMINO VIEJO á LOS ANGELES" - The Oldest Road of the San Joaquin Valley]; Bear State Books, Exeter, 2006. p.21
^ List of Butterfield Overland Mail Stations, from the New York Times, October 14 1858, "Itinerary of the Route"
^ Notes of a Trip to Los Angeles No. 1, Daily Alta California, Volume 12, Number 3888, 5 October 1860 — Page 1
San Francisco – Western terminus and 1st Division headquarters, located in downtown San Francisco.
Clarks's Station – Located 12 miles south of San Francisco in what is now San Bruno .
Sun Water Station – Located 9 miles south of Clarks Station in what is now San Mateo .
Redwood City – Located 9 miles south of Sun Water Station.
Mountain View Station – Located 12 miles south of Redwood City.
San Jose Station – Located 11 miles south of Mountain View Station in the city of San Jose .
Seventeen Mile House – Located 17 miles south of San Jose.
Gilroy Station – Located 13 miles south of Seventeen Mile House in what is now Gilroy, California .
Pacheco Pass Station – Located 18 miles east of Gilroy
St. Louis Ranch – Located 17 miles east of Pacheco Pass.
Lone Willow Station – Located 18 miles east of St. Louis Ranch near Los Banos .
Temple's Ranch – Located 13 miles southeast of Lone Willow Station near Dos Palos .
Firebaugh's Ferry – Located 15 miles southeast of Temples Ranch, on the San Joaquin River .
Fresno City – Located 19 miles southeast of Firebaugh's Ferry.
Elkhorn Spring Station – Located 22 miles east of Fresno City near present-day Riverdale .
Whitmore's Ferry – Located 17 miles southeast of Elkhorn Spring Station on the Kings River .
Head of Cross Creek Station – Located 15 miles southeast of Whitmore's Ferry.
Visalia – Located 12 miles southeast of Cross Creek Station.
Packwood Station – Located 12 miles east of Visalia.
Tule River Station – Located 14 miles south of Packwood Station.
Fountain Spring Station – Located 14 miles southeast of Tule River Station.
Mountain House – Located 12 miles south of Fountain Spring Station.
Posey Creek Station – Located 15 miles southwest of Mountain House, on Posey (Poso) Creek .
Gordon's Ferry (Kern River Station) – Located 10 miles south of Posey Creek Station on the Kern River just above present-day Bakersfield .
Kern River Slough Station – Located 12 miles south of Gordons Ferry.
Sink of Tejon Station – Located 14 miles southwest of Kern River Slough Station.
Fort Tejon – Located 15 miles southwest of Sink of Tejon Station.
Reed's Station – Located 8 miles southeast of Fort Tejon, near the Tejon Pass summit.
French John's Station – Located 14 miles east southeast of Reeds Station, in the vicinity of the mouth of Cow Springs Creek Canyon.
Mud Spring , a later station operating in 1860, 14 miles east from French Johns and 13 miles north from Clayton's Station (formerly Widow Smith's Station).
Widow Smith's Station (Clayton's Station, Major Gordon's Station) – Located 24 miles from French John's Station, in upper San Francisquito Canyon near Green Valley .
King's Station – Located 10 miles south of Widow Smith's Station in lower San Francisquito Canyon.
Hart's Station or Lyons Station – Located 12 miles south of King's Station, near Santa Clara River .
Lopez Station – Located 8 1 ⁄2 miles southeast of Hart's Station, in the San Fernando Valley north of Mission San Fernando Rey de España .
Cahuenga Station – Located 12 miles southeast of Mission San Fernando, in Cahuenga Pass , the Santa Monica Mountains .
Source: "List of Butterfield Overland Mail Stations "Itinerary of the Route" " . New York Times. October 14, 1858.