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Fort Irwin

Fort Irwin National Training Center
San Bernardino County, California
National Training Center SSI.svg
NTC Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
2009-0727-CA-FortIrwin.jpg
Aerial view of Fort Irwin
Type Training Center
Site information
Owner United States Army
Controlled by US Army Forces Command
Condition In use
Site history
Built 1940
In use 1940–1942;
1951–1972;
1980–present.
Garrison information
Current
commander
BG Jeffery D. Broadwater
COL G. Scott Taylor (Garrison commander)
Occupants 1942-08-14 – 1942-10-20
Blackhorse
Fort Irwin
census-designated place
Fort Irwin is located in California
Fort Irwin
Fort Irwin
Position in California.
Coordinates: 35°14′47″N 116°40′55″W / 35.24639°N 116.68194°W / 35.24639; -116.68194Coordinates: 35°14′47″N 116°40′55″W / 35.24639°N 116.68194°W / 35.24639; -116.68194
Country United States
State  California
County San Bernardino
Area
 • Total 7.053 sq mi (18.267 km2)
 • Land 7.053 sq mi (18.267 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation 2,454 ft (748 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 8,845
 • Density 1,300/sq mi (480/km2)
Time zone Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP Code 92310
Area codes 442/760
GNIS feature ID 2628733
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fort Irwin CDP

Fort Irwin National Training Center is a major training area for the United States Military and is a census-designated place located in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of 2,454 feet (748 m). It is located 37 miles (60 km) northeast of Barstow, in the Calico Mountains.

The National Training Center is part of the US Army Forces Command (FORSCOM). The opposing force at the National Training Center (NTC) is the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the Blackhorse Cavalry, who are stationed at the base to provide an opposing force to units on a training rotation at Fort Irwin.

Fort Irwin works within the R-2508 Special Use Airspace Complex.

The 2010 United States census reported Fort Irwin's population was 8,845.

The Fort Irwin area has a history dating back almost 15,000 years, when Native Americans of the Lake Mojave Period were believed to live in the area. Native American settlements and pioneer explorations in the area were first recorded when Father Francisco Garces, a Spaniard, traveled the Mohave Indian Trail with Mohave guides in 1776. During his travels, he noted several small bands of Indians and is believed to have been the first European to make contact with the Native Americans of this area.

Jedediah Smith is thought to have been the first American to explore the area in 1826. A fur trapper, Smith was soon followed by other pioneers traveling the Old Spanish Trail between Santa Fe and Los Angeles. The trail crossed the area on the eastern edge of Fort Irwin, between Salt Spring and the Mojave River. The Old Spanish Trail passed through Silurian Valley, then west through the Avawatz Mountains at Red Pass and beyond the playa of Red Pass Lake, through a gap between the Soda and Tiefort Mountains to Bitter Spring in a wash in the next valley. Bitter Spring was the only reliable watering and grazing place along the route. From Bitter Spring the trail led 18.75 miles southwest climbing Alvord Mountain to cross Impassable Pass to descend Spanish Canyon and cross the plains to the location of Fork of the Road on the north side of the Mojave River where it met the Mohave Trail.


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