Postcard History

Recently, the San Jose Postcard Club was fortunate to receive a wonderful donation of postcards from Lauri Bishop of Montague, California. I was delighted to purchase some of these cards, two of which are the inspiration for this article about Muroc, California.

In the desolate and harsh wilderness of California’s Mojave Desert, specifically in its northwest corner, wildlife such as coyotes and jackrabbits struggle to survive. This area was largely uninhabited by humans.

In 1882, the Santa Fe Railroad Company extended a line westward from the town of Barstow toward Mojave, establishing a water stop at the edge of a vast dry lakebed located approximately 20 miles southeast of Mojave. This isolated water stop was simply named “Rod,” and the lakebed became known as Rodriguez Dry Lake.

When “Rodriguez” was shortened to “Rogers” in the early 1900s, Rogers Dry Lakebed, which is a playa, or pluvial lake that spans over 44 square miles, became the largest dry lake in the world.

The Corum family settled at the edge of this lakebed in 1910. They, along with other families, were able to purchase land for only $1.00 per acre. Remarkably, the Corum family managed to drill for water, which allowed them to irrigate their alfalfa crops and support their turkey business.

Over time, the Corum brothers secured contracts for drilling water wells and clearing land. They also opened a general store and post office for the small community, but at that time, Corum, California, already had an active post office in Shasta County. By simply spelling their name backward, the new town became known as Muroc, and thus, Muroc, California, was born!

In 1933, then Lt. Col. H. H. “Hap” Arnold recognized Rogers Dry Lakebed as a unique “natural aerodrome” that could be acquired at virtually no cost to taxpayers. Consequently, the Muroc Bombing and Gunnery Range was established, where Army Air Corps bombers and fighters practiced for many years.

When World War II broke out, a permanent base was established for the training of combat flight crews, and by 1942 the area was activated as a separate post and designated as Muroc Army Air Base.

At mid-year (1942) one of the young soldiers trained at Muroc Air Base was Willie Simpson. Corporal Simpson was a member of F Squad 81 F Group at Muroc Bombing Field, Muroc, California. He wrote postcards home to “Mom and Pop.”

William Simpson, Jr. was born in 1915. He was raised on Century Street in Sommerville, Massachusetts, by his father (William, Sr.) and his mother (Chole) along with his baby brothers, Edgar and Arthur, and a sister, Eunis. William, Sr. who spent his working years as a restaurant manager, died in 1939 after a long illness. Shortly after his father’s passing Willie enlisted in the Army Air Force. After successfully earning his first two stripes (the rank of corporal) he was assigned to additional training at Muroc’s Bombing Field Center in California.

Cpl. Simpson served his country until the end of the Second World War and afterward returned to Massachusetts for the rest of his life. He died there in July 2001; age 86. There is a chance that he remained a bachelor, because he appears to have been the sole support of his mother who died in November 1974.

[FYI: a special editor’s note, RH.] It was a surprise to learn how Willie earned his living. In many years of genealogical research, William Simpson is the only “honer” ever. He worked in a razor factory.]

Muroc was renamed Edwards Air Force Base in December 1949, to honor Captain Glen W. Edwards, who was killed a year earlier in the crash of a YB-49 Flying Wing.

The extensive history of Edwards Air Force Base is beyond the scope of this article but is certainly worth studying. Many significant historical flights have been launched from this landmark location.

In 1951, the post office in Muroc, California, closed and Muroc became part of the Edwards Air Force Base.

Thanks to Lauri’s donation and the postcards sent by Cpl. W. Simpson of the 93^rd Fighter Squadron, 81st Fighter Group at Muroc Bombing Field to his mother and step-father in Sommerville, Massachusetts, we now know where Muroc, California, was and we can recognize its important role in the history of our country and the U. S. Army Air Force.