Valley Wells | |
|---|---|
  Valley Wells Location in California  Valley Wells Valley Wells (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 35°49′42″N 117°19′54″W / 35.82833°N 117.33167°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Inyo County |
| Area | |
| • Total | 10.737 sq mi (27.809 km2) |
| • Land | 10.669 sq mi (27.632 km2) |
| • Water | 0.068 sq mi (0.177 km2) 0.64% |
| Elevation | 1,749 ft (533 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 0 |
| • Density | 0.0/sq mi (0.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1661620; 2408400 |
| U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Valley Wells, California; U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Valley Wells, California | |
| Reference no. | 443 |
Valley Wells is a census-designated place[3] in Inyo County, California.[2] It lies at an elevation of 1,749 ft (533 m).[2] Prior to 2010, for census purposes it was part of Homewood Canyon-Valley Wells CDP. The 2010 census reported that population was zero.[4] The town is now registered as California Historical Landmark #443; in 1849, several groups of midwestern emigrants settled here to secure water from nearby Searles Lake.[5][6]
The California Historical Landmark reads:
- NO. 443 VALLEY WELLS - In this area, several groups of midwestern emigrants who had escaped from hazards and privations in Death Valley in 1849 sought to secure water from Searles Lake. They turned northward and westward in despair when they discovered its salty nature, and with great difficulty crossed the Argus and other mountains to reach settlements of Central and Southern California. [7]
