Kelso

Photographing Kelso California

Kelso, California is a ghost town located in the Mojave National Preserve which is off the I-15 on the way to Las Vegas. It’s heyday was during the World War II years as a railroad stop for trains carrying the borax & iron mined in the area.

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It was named for John H. Kelso whose name was selected from a hat after he had already left town. Although I don’t know of any family connection, since my mother’s maiden was Kelso it was a location I had long been interested in visiting.

The Depot was in partial operation until 1986 and then restored and re-opened in 2005 as home of the Mojave National Preserve Visitor Center and Desert Light Gallery

Walking around the depot I was able to view other areas of town

To the southwest is an area called Kelso Dunes which I photographed at sunset.