Historical Society/ Upper Mojave Desert

About Us

HSUMD is a small nonprofit corporation located in Ridgecrest, California. As a historical society, our main mission is to find, store, preserve, protect, exhibit, and educate the public about historical artifacts and materials related to the history of our region. The Society also has a mission to write and publish books and other materials that reveal our region's history. And the Society has a mission to restore, operate, and display a collection of historic buildings that represent the civic origins of the city of Ridgecrest.

The HSUMD’s offices, libraries, history collections and exhibits, meeting area and performance stage for community events, gift shop and museum are located in the Historic USO Building and in the various historic buildings on HSUMD property. The Historical Society also acquired a historic one-room schoolhouse that was built in 1905, restored it to its original configuration, and opened the region’s only Veterans Memorial Building. Buildings under the stewardship of HSUMD include the Historic USO Building, the Original Kern County Jail, the Original Kern County Firehouse, and two Original Engine Houses.