December, 1897: JOHANNESBURG was the transportation hub of the Upper Mojave Desert from the arrival of the Randsburg Railway in December of 1897 until the inauguration of railway services to the town of Trona in September of 1914.  Freight was hauled to Randsburg from the railhead in Johannesburg and in the early days ore was hauled from Randsburg to Barstow.  … More >

March 1900:  A receipt in the collection of the Kern County Museum shows J. N. Carrow as engaging in the business of blacksmithing, woodworking, and teaming in March of 1900.  — Kern County Museum March 16, 1901:  Randsburg, March 16. John G. Carrow, a freighter, 45 years of age, fell in front of the wheels of his wagon in Johannesburg … More >

  January, 1897:  GEORGE COFFEY, a native of Texas, by way of Los Angeles, was running two freight teams between Randsburg and Mojave in January of 1897. He appears in the 1898 Great Register of Voters as a freighter in Johannesburg.  George’s freighting business was the mainstay of support for Ballarat, and other points around Death Valley.  He also ran … More >

Charles B. Doty, a native of Oregon, was listed in the 1900 Great Register of Voters for Kern County as being in the freighting business in Johannesburg. 2

 In May of 1907 Mr. Parker was reported to be inaugurating a new automobile stage line to Skidoo.  Mr. Parker was a machinist.  His automobile was made by procuring the running gear from an unknown make of automobile he acquired in Los Angeles and installing a 40 horse gasoline engine.  He was an accomplished machinist and was expected to be … More >

The firm of Otto Rinaldi &  W. F. Clark provided both freighting and stage services from Johannesburg to Trona, Ballarat, Harrisburg, and Skidoo.  The firm started in 1910 and operated through 1915. They operated a stage between Johannesburg and Ballarat, and a large number or wagons and freighting outfits which also operated between Johannesburg and Skidoo, a distance of one hundred … More >

BEVERLY P. ROBINSON The Robinson freight line was established in about 1908 to handle the increase in freighting business between Johannesburg and Skidoo. Mr. Robinson was assisted in this endeavor by his sons Bev and John ages 12 and 10 when they started handling the teams. Bev also worked for the Teagle Bros. delivering supplies to the mining camps in … More >

WILKINS & HOFFMAN  The firm of Wilkins & Hoffman entered into the Auto Stage business in May of 1912.  They maintained a schedule of three round trips to Skidoo from Johannesburg. A one way trip took about 10 hours.  Their business at first consisted of passenger, baggage and light freight; however it was their intention to purchase a Packard Truck … More >

Lester was conducting a freighting business out of Johannesburg in 1913.  He was hauling supplies for Skidoo, Ballarat, Borax Lake (Trona), and for Southern Sierras Power Co. 7

 Chester was reported to have been hauling freight out of Johannesburg, with a ten-horse team, to the mines in the Ballarat area in April of 1913.

      1897:  Merry Christmas to the Rand Mining District.  On December 22, 1897 the first engine arrived at the Johannesburg, Ca. Depot on the new rail bed of the Randsburg Railway.  Although not officially opened until January of 1898 the railroad took exactly one year from the first mention of it in the Bakersfield Daily Californian on December 22, 1896 … More >

June 16 1898:  “Neil McLaln, the freighter who has the contract for hauling the Rand ore, has leased the Commercial hotel and corral at this place and has moved his seventy head of stock from Garlock here.” – The Herald