The region from Hesperia north to Barstow in San Bernardino County has commonly been called the High Desert, or the Victor Valley, for years.
Can it take on a new name?
A group of business owners and residents hope so.
They are working to rebrand the region as the Mojave River Valley to differentiate it from other high deserts, such as the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County and Yucca Valley. The new name would make it easier to market the region to prospective businesses, industries and residents, they say.
“It’s a region without an identity,” said Eric Schmidt, former Hesperia mayor and member of the Mojave River Valley Alliance, the group behind the rebranding movement.
If the effort succeeds, Mojave River Valley would become the suggested nomenclature when referring to the area that includes the cities of Hesperia, Victorville, Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow and the unincorporated communities of Phelan, Pinon Hills and Lucerne Valley — all in San Bernardino County.
The new name comes from the Mojave River, a mostly underground river that runs through the region and across the Mojave Desert.
The Alliance believes the new name will help spread the word that the Mojave River Valley is a place for people who love the outdoors or are looking for a relaxing lifestyle. It’s also a great spot for families and could be the next frontier for economic growth, according to the group’s website.
Schmidt, president of Exquadrum Inc., an Adelanto-based engineering firm with defense contracts, sees potential expansion for the aviation, aerospace, logistics and transportation industries.
The region’s many areas of vacant land, utility connections and close proximity to the 15 Freeway make it an attractive place for companies, Schmidt said.
“To a large degree, this is a bedroom community,” Schmidt said. “Changing the brand, changing the vision will help convert that from a bedroom community to a vibrant community of industry and commerce.”
The group is getting support from residents, local businesses, developers and city governments.
In October, the Hesperia City Council made its city the first to formally support the movement by agreeing to use Mojave River Valley in place of High Desert in city documents, presentations and economic development efforts.
The new name will help city officials work with out-of-area agencies or businesses, city spokesperson Rachel Molina said.
“The term High Desert does not necessarily help to identify where Hesperia is,” Molina said. “If we’re dealing with people on a national arena or perhaps from Northern California, the term High Desert, they often think of Palmdale or Lancaster.”
Tari Blalock, a business solutions consultant for Beyond and an Alliance member, is already using the name in business dealings.
Blalock, who moved her family to Hesperia from Silicon Valley about 15 years ago, likened the Mojave River Valley movement to that of Silicon Valley. Originally a nickname, Silicon Valley is now known worldwide as a center for technology and innovation.
“We’ve done it with Silicon Valley and the tech sector, so now we need to do this to our region so we’re attracting the bigger companies across the nation looking to either relocate or build a business,” Blalock said.