The Santa Fe caravans, which during the 30's and 40's traveled between New Mexico and Southern California, came by way of Cajon Pass. Since all their goods were carried by pack animals, they easily negotiated country that would have been impossible for wagons, and they chose the shortest and most direct line through the pass that was possible. When, in '49, the gold seekers came, followed in the 50's by the Mormon immigrants, they came with wagons, and entered Cajon Pass six or eight miles west of the caravan trail, increasing their mileage in order to find a route more suitable for their wheeled vehicles. This longer route was used until 1861, when John Brown Sr., a well-known pioneer of the San Bernardino Valley, built a toll road to the summit of the Pass, substantially along the line of the caravan trail. He maintained his toll road for eighteen years. In 1862, he also established a ferry over the Colorado river at Fort Mo j ave, and operated it along with the toll road. Occasional business trips were necessarily made to the ferry, and they were made over what was called the "Government Road," a road that followed the old caravan trail until it reached what was known as "Forks of the Road." From there, with slight exceptions, it followed the route over which, in 1854, Lieutenant A. W. Whipple had driven a wagon with an odometer attached. In 1857, Lieutenant E. F. Beale had also conveyed wagons over this road, from the Colorado to a point near Hesperia where they turned off for Fort Tejon. Fort Mojave was established in 1859, and Quartermaster Captain W. S. Hancock sent supplies to it from Los Angeles over the Government Road. It was used by the Government as long as Fort Mojave was maintained. Between "Forks of the Road" and "Lane's Crossing" at the present Oro Grande, the Government Road coincided with the old trail of the Mojave Indians traversed by Father Garces, in 1776. more...