Apple Valley is an incorporated town in the

Victor Valley The Victor Valley is a valley in the Mojave Desert and subregion of the Inland Empire, in San Bernardino County in Southern California. It is located east of the Mojave's Antelope Valley, north of the Cajon Pass and the San Bernardino Valle ...

San Bernardino County San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,181, ...

, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. It was incorporated on November 14, 1988, and is one of the 22

incorporated municipalities A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally own ...

in California that use "town" in their names instead of "city". The town is east of and adjoining to the neighboring cities of Victorville and Hesperia, south of Barstow, and north of San Bernardino through the

Cajon Pass Cajon Pass (; Spanish: ''Puerto del Cajón'' or ''Paso del Cajón'') is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andre ...

. Its population was 75,791 at the

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...

. Apple Valley is governed by a town council. The mayor changes each December. Apple Valley was home to

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then acting, the rebra ...

and

Dale Evans Dale Evans Rogers (born Frances Octavia Smith; October 31, 1912 – February 7, 2001) was an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers. Early life Evans was born Frances Octavia Smith on ...

, whose museum was first established in Apple Valley (in 1967) before the museum was relocated to Victorville in 1976. In 2003, the museum moved again, to

Branson, Missouri Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County. Branson is in the Ozark Mountains. The community was named after Reuben Branson, postm ...

. The move was made in hopes of reaching more fans; however, the museum closed for financial reasons on December 12, 2009.

History

For centuries, Apple Valley was populated by

Shoshonean The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ) are a Native American tribe with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshone: southern Idaho * Western Shoshone: Nevada, northern Utah * Goshute: western Utah, easte ...

, Paiute, Vanyume,

Chemehuevi The Chemehuevi are an indigenous people of the Great Basin. They are the southernmost branch of Southern Paiute.Serrano who were attracted to the water and vegetation around the Mojave River. The Mojave people came later and were the tribal group encountered in 1542 by a detachment of Coronado's men. These were the first Spanish to come to the Mojave desert.

Pedro Fages Pedro Fages (1734–1794) was a Spanish soldier, explorer, first Lieutenant Governor of the Californias under Gaspar de Portolá. Fages claimed the governorship after Portolá's death, acting as governor in opposition to the official governor ...

came through the area in 1772, looking for deserters. Father

Francisco Garcés Francisco Hermenegildo Tomás Garcés (April 12, 1738 – July 18, 1781) was a Spanish Franciscan friar who served as a missionary and explorer in the colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain. He explored much of the southwestern region of North Am ...

spent time in the area in 1776. He was on good terms with local tribes. He killed one of his mules to feed a group of starving Vanyumes. Garcés established a trail across the Mojave to the Colorado River passing through the Apple Valley area. The area was explored by various Spanish gold seekers in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Jedediah Smith Jedediah Strong Smith (January 6, 1799 – May 27, 1831) was an American clerk, transcontinental pioneer, frontiersman, hunter, trapper, author, cartographer, mountain man and explorer of the Rocky Mountains, the Western United States, an ...

established the Old Spanish Trail through the southern Mojave and Cajon Pass. Smith was in the area in 1826 and again in 1827.Apple Valley-Crossroads of the Desert by Ellsworh A Sylvester, San Bernardino County Museum Commemorative Edition, Allen=Greendale Publishers, Redlands, CA. 1974, pg 125 Throughout the 19th century, Apple Valley became a thoroughfare of people traveling to Southern California for various reasons. Ute horse thieves, led by Chief Walkara, brought through an estimated 100,000 horses from their raids on the Lugo Rancho and San Gabriel Mission. In 1848, members of the

Mormon Battalion The Mormon Battalion was the only religious unit in United States military history in federal service, recruited solely from one religious body and having a religious title as the unit designation. The volunteers served from July 1846 to July ...

, mustered out of the U.S. Army after constructing the first wagon road across the southwest to San Diego and up to Los Angeles, brought 135 mules and the first wagon through the Cajon Pass up through the Mojave River Valley on the way to the

Salt Lake Valley Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably Murray, Sandy, South Jordan, West Jordan, and West Valley City; its total ...

. Battalion leader Jefferson Hunt and a crew of cowboys followed the trail with the first cattle drive from Southern California to hungry members of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

in present-day Utah. Hunt led a Latter-day Saint group of settlers to the San Bernardino Valley in 1851. In 1885, the railroad came northward through the Cajon Pass and established a train stop, calling it Victor (Victorville) on the Mojave River in the area then known as Mormon Crossing. John Brown helped build some of the first roads through Apple Valley, opening up freight and stagecoach travel from the mining camps at Gold Mountain and Holcomb Valley to the railroad. In the 1860s, LaFayette Mecham built the wagon road, a short-cut across the desert, now known as Stoddard Wells Road. Over the next few decades, Victorville boomed as the commercial center of the area with gold refineries, quarries, and dance halls and saloons, while Apple Valley remained more pastoral with ranches and apple orchards. The Apple Valley name was officially recognized when a post office was established in 1949. One well-known apple orchard was owned by Max Ihmsen, publisher of the ''Los Angeles Examiner'' newspaper. In 1915, he developed of apples and pears. The fame of Apple Valley spread as Ihmsen's fruit won many agricultural awards. In the late 1930s, Ihmsen's son-in-law, Cal Godshall, took over the business operations and made the ranch famous as the birthplace of California college rodeo with the first intercollegiate rodeo competition held in the United States. Apple farming in the area started to decline about the time Ihmsen Ranch fruit production was at its prime. Water rates shot up with a switch to electric pumps. World War I took owners and workers away with the draft. During the Great Depression, many families left the mostly agricultural area looking for work. Washington and British Columbia apple growers had lower prices because they shipped their produce by river transportation, whereas Apple Valley apples were transported by rail or by truck. A series of outbreaks of a virulent fungal infection coupled with frost, heat, and hail in 1944, 1945, and 1946 ended commercial production. A small orchard was maintained on the grounds of the Apple Valley Inn until it closed in 1986.

Geography

Apple Valley is located at the southern edge of the

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily ...

. It is bordered by the cities of Victorville on the west and Hesperia on the southwest sides, with the

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

of Lucerne Valley a distance to the east and the city of Barstow about to the north. Apple Valley, along with Victorville, Hesperia, Adelanto, and immediate surrounding areas, are commonly known as the

. The primary thoroughfare through Apple Valley is State Route 18, which was given the moniker "Happy Trails Highway" within Apple Valley town limits, after the theme song of

and

, who once resided on Outer Highway 18. The commercial area is split currently between State Route 18 and Bear Valley Road (the two roads are near parallel until they intersect in the east, outside of town). The

Mojave River The Mojave River is an intermittent river in the eastern San Bernardino Mountains and the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California, United States. Most of its flow is underground, while its surface channels remain dry most of the time, ...

that borders the west side of Apple Valley flows south-to-north. The town is bounded on its southern edge by the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the town has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.45%, is covered by water. The elevation of Apple Valley is about 2,900 ft (880 m) above sea level.

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

, Apple Valley has a semiarid climate (''BSk''). The city features cool winters and very hot, dry summers. Seasonal high winds occur occasionally in spring and fall. * On average, the warmest month is July. * The highest recorded temperature was in 2002. * On average, the coolest month is December. * The lowest recorded temperature was in 1949. * The most precipitation typically occurs in February.

Demographics

2010

At the 2010 census, Apple Valley had a population of 69,135. The population density was . The racial makeup of Apple Valley was 47,762 (69.1%) White (55.5% non-Hispanic White), 6,321 (9.1%) African American, 779 (1.1%) Native American, 2,020 (2.9%) Asian, 294 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 8,345 (12.1%) from other races, and 3,614 (5.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20,156 persons (29.2%). The census reported that 68,674 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 161 (0.2%) lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters, and 300 (0.4%) were institutionalized. Of the 23,598 households, 9,169 (38.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 12,647 (53.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 3,550 (15.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, and 1,513 (6.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. The city had 1,582 (6.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships and 177 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships; 4,743 households (20.1%) were one person and 2,429 (10.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.91, with 17,710 families (75.0% of households); the average family size was 3.32. The age distribution was 19,306 people (27.9%) under 18, 6,494 people (9.4%) 18 to 24, 15,068 people (21.8%) 25 to 44, 17,602 people (25.5%) 45 to 64, and 10,665 people (15.4%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 37.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males. The 26,117 housing units averaged 355.2 per square mile; of the occupied units, 16,297 (69.1%) were owner-occupied and 7,301 (30.9%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 10.0%, and 45,483 people (65.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 23,191 people (33.5%) lived in rental housing units. During 2009–2013, Apple Valley had a median household income of $48,432, with 20.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000

At the 2000 census, 54,239 people, 18,557 households, and 14,363 families resided in the town. The population density was . The 20,163 housing units averaged 275.0 per square mile (106.2/km). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the town was 76.4% White, 7.9% African American, 1.0% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 7.9% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 18.6%. Of the 18,557 households, 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were not families. About 18.0% of households were one person, and 8.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.27. The age distribution was 31.6% under 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males. The median household income was $40,421 and the median family income was $45,070. Males had a median income of $41,144 versus $30,249 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,830. About 13.3% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Top employers

According to Apple Valley's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the town's largest employers are:

Infrastructure

Public safety

Law enforcement is provided by the

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department The San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner's Department (SBSD) serves San Bernardino County, California, which is geographically the largest county in the United States (excluding Alaska's boroughs) and is headquartered in San Bernardino city. ...

. Fire, rescue, and paramedic services are provided by the Apple Valley Fire Protection District. American Medical Response provides patient transportation via paramedic/EMT ambulances.

Cemeteries

The Sunset Hills Memorial Park and

Mortuary A morgue or mortuary (in a hospital or elsewhere) is a place used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification (ID), removal for autopsy, respectful burial, cremation or other methods of disposal. In modern times, corpses have cu ...

was opened in 1995 on Waalew Road. Dale Evans and Roy Rogers are buried there.

Utilities

The town council started the process to take over the private water system in 2016.

Government

In the

California State Legislature The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legislatu ...

, Apple Valley is in , and in . In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, Apple Valley is in .

Education

Apple Valley Unified School District operates two comprehensive high schools (9–12) five TK–8 schools, and five TK–6 schools. One charter school offers transitional kindergarten to grade 12, and one private school offers preschool to grade 12.

High schools (9–12)

* Apple Valley High School * Granite Hills High School * High Desert Premier Academy (9–12)

Middle schools (K–8)

* Mariana Academy * Phoenix Academy * Sandia Academy * Sitting Bull Academy—Recognized as a

California Distinguished School California Distinguished School is an award given by the California State Board of Education to public schools within the state that best represent exemplary and quality educational programs. Approximately 5-10% of California schools are awarded t ...

* Vanguard Preparatory—earned the "Schools to Watch" designation

Elementary schools (K–6)

* Desert Knolls Elementary * Rancho Verde Elementary—Recognized as a

* Rio Vista Elementary - received the CSBA Golden Bell Award * Sycamore Rocks Elementary—is a

National Blue Ribbon School The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures ...

* Yucca Loma Elementary—received the CSBA Golden Bell Award Charter Schools * Academy for Academic Excellence - also known as "Lewis Center for Educational Research" (K–12)

Private schools

* Apple Valley Christian Academy (Pre–12)

Notable people

Pearl Bailey Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, singer and author. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in ''St. Louis Woman'' in 1946. She received a Special Tony Award for the title role in ...

, singer-actress, and her husband, Louie Bellson, lived in Apple Valley for nearly a decade. *

Earl W. Bascom Earl Wesley Bascom (June 19, 1906 – August 28, 1995) was an American painter, printmaker, sculptor, cowboy, rodeo performer, inventor, and Hollywood actor. Raised in Canada, he portrayed in works of fine art his own experiences of cowboying ...

, inventor, artist, sculptor, actor, Rodeo Hall of fame inductee, "Father of Modern Rodeo" * Newton T. Bass, Reserve Oil and Gas Co. executive, developer of Apple Valley Ranchos *

Chayce Beckham Chayce Beckham (born July 16, 1996) is a singer-songwriter from Apple Valley, California, who rose to fame after winning the nineteenth season of the singing reality show ''American Idol''. Early life Beckham was born in Victorville to Windie ...

, singer, winner of ''

American Idol (season 19) The nineteenth season of the reality show singing competition ''American Idol'' premiered on February 14, 2021 on the ABC television network. It is the fourth season to air on ABC since the series' revival. Ryan Seacrest returned as host. Katy ...

'' *

Louie Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, ...

, jazz drummer/VP of

Remo Remo Inc. is an American musical instruments manufacturing company based in Valencia, California, and founded by Remo Belli in 1957. Products manufactured include drum kits, drumhead A drumhead or drum skin is a membrane stretched ov ...

, lived in Apple Valley for nearly a decade with wife, Pearl Bailey. *

Chris Blais Christopher Blais (born 3 January 1981) is an off-road racing rider from Apple Valley, California. Blais was the top American Rookie and 9th overall finisher of the 2005 race, 4th overall finisher in 2006, and 3rd overall of the 2007 Dakar Rally ...

, off-road motorcycle rider * Angel Blue, soprano opera singer *

Victor Buono Victor Charles Buono (February 3, 1938January 1, 1982) was an American actor, comic, and briefly a recording artist. He was known for playing the villain King Tut in the television series '' Batman'' (1966–1968) and musician Edwin Flagg in '' ...

, actor, lived and died in Apple Valley. * Billy Casper, professional golfer * Jeff Chandler, actor, Broken Arrow, first Jewish man to purchase land in Apple Valley despite CC&R restrictions *

Van Conner Van Conner (born March 17, 1967) is an American rock musician, best known as the bassist for Screaming Trees. Career As a bass player in high school, Conner formed the band Explosive Generation with his brother Gary Lee Conner and Mark Picker ...

, musician from rock band Screaming Trees *

Marty Dodson Marty Dodson (born September 17, 1964 in Apple Valley, California) is an American singer-songwriter/producer. He has had songs recorded by artists such as Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Plain White T's, S ...

, singer-songwriter/producer, was born in Apple Valley. * Dock Ellis, MLB pitcher, was hospitalized at St. Mary's Hospital just prior to his death. * Don Ferrarese, former MLB pitcher, owner of Apple Valley Land Company * Cuba Gooding Jr., Oscar-winning actor, attended Apple Valley High School. *

Dan Henderson Daniel Jeffery Henderson (born August 24, 1970) is an American retired mixed martial artist and Olympic wrestler, who last competed as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the last Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champ ...

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...

and

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

wrestler Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat spor ...

* John W. Henry, owner of

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

, lived in Apple Valley during high school and college. * "Mad" Mike Hughes, daredevil and amateur-crewed rocketry enthusiast *

Miko Hughes Miko John Hughes (born February 22, 1986) is an American actor known for his film roles as a child, such as Gage Creed in ''Pet Sematary'' (1989), ''Kindergarten Cop'' (1990), ''Apollo 13'' (1995), '' Spawn'' (1997), '' Mercury Rising'' (1998), ...

, actor, ''

Pet Sematary ''Pet Sematary'' is a 1983 horror novel by American writer Stephen King. The novel was nominated for a World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1984, and adapted into two films: one in 1989 and another in 2019. In November 2013, PS Publishing r ...

'', ''

Kindergarten Cop ''Kindergarten Cop'' is a 1990 American action comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and distributed by Universal Pictures. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough police detective working undercover as a kindergarten teacher to apprehe ...

'', ''

Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted aft ...

'' * Will James, artist, writer who lived on C Bar G Ranch * Herb Jeffries, actor and jazz singer, filmed several movies in Apple Valley at

Murray's Dude Ranch Murray's Ranch, sometimes called the Overall Wearing Dude Ranch, was a guest ranch in Bell Mountain, California Bell Mountain is an unincorporated community in the Victor Valley region of the Mojave Desert, within San Bernardino County, sout ...

. * Dave Lombardo, drummer for heavy metal band,

Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical styl ...

Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He re ...

, boxing champion, was a frequent vacationer to

in 1930s. * Joseph C. McConnell, top-scoring American jet ace, lived in Apple Valley until his death in an F-86H-1-NA crash. *

Lloyd Mangrum Lloyd Eugene Mangrum (August 1, 1914 – November 17, 1973) was an American professional golfer. He was known for his smooth swing and his relaxed demeanour on the course, which earned him the nickname "Mr. Icicle." Early life and family Mangrum ...

, professional golfer and 1946 U.S. Open champion * Joseph Medina, BGen USMC, first Marine to command Navy Flotilla and Hispanic icon, Apple Valley HS graduate *

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

, former U.S. president, spent three months at the home of founder Newton T. Bass in 1961 writing his first book, ''

Six Crises 6 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 6 or six may also refer to: * AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era * 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era * The month of June Science * Carbon, the element with atomic number 6 * 6 Hebe, an asteroid People ...

''Nixon's legacy remains in Apple Valley
*

Erik Robertson Erik Robertson (born October 4, 1984) is a former American football center. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at California. Robertson was also a member of the Seattle Seaha ...

, football player *

and

, western singers, actors, co-founders of

Sons of the Pioneers The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music perf ...

, lived in Apple Valley from 1965 until their deaths *

Smokey Rogers Eugene Rogers (March 23, 1917–November 23, 1993), known professionally as Smokey Rogers, was an American Western swing musician and songwriter active during the 1940s and 50s on the West Coast. Born in McMinnville, Tennessee, Rogers joined ...

, western swing musician, singer, songwriter, entertainer, local KAVR radio personality * Chris Smith, MLB player for

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The t ...

* Tim Spencer, western singer, actor, co-founder of Sons of the Pioneers * Scout Taylor-Compton, actress in

Rob Zombie Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and voice actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have be ...

's ''

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observan ...

'' * John Charles Thomas, opera singer, KAVR radio personality * Jason Thompson, former MLB first baseman *

Lee Van Cleef Clarence LeRoy Van Cleef Jr. (January 9, 1925 – December 16, 1989) was an American actor. He appeared in over 170 film and television roles in a career spanning nearly 40 years, but is best known as a star of Italian Spaghetti Westerns, parti ...

, actor,

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' ( it, Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo, literally "The good, the ugly, the bad") is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood as "the Good", Lee Van Clee ...

* Jason Vargas (born 1983), pitcher for the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

* Skip Young, actor, ''

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from October 3, 1952, to April 23, 1966, and starred the real-life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television, where it ...

In popular culture

Apple Valley has a long and storied relationship with Hollywood production studios, and has been a filming location for many award-winning feature films, TV shows/movies, and commercials: Feature films * '' The Bronze Buckaroo'' (1939), starring Herb Jeffries, was filmed at

. * ''

Column South ''Column South'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Frederick de Cordova and starring Audie Murphy and Joan Evans.''C ...

'' (1953), starring

Audie Murphy Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from t ...

, was filmed in Apple Valley and nearby Victorville. * ''

Divorce Invitation ''Divorce Invitation'' is a 2012 American romantic comedy film directed by S. V. Krishna Reddy and co-written by Robert Naturman and Bala Rajasekharuni. It was produced by R. R. Venkat and co-produced by M S P Srinivas Reddy. Upon release, the fi ...

'' (2012) * '' Eagle Eye'' (2008), starring Shia LaBeouf * ''Four Guns To The Border'' (1954), starring

Rory Calhoun Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy McCown, August 8, 1922April 28, 1999) was an American film and television actor. He starred in numerous Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared in supporting roles in films such as ''How to Marry a Millio ...

and

Walter Brennan Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor and singer. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in '' Come and Get It'' (1936), ''Kentucky'' (1938), and '' The Westerner ...

* ''

Foxfire Foxfire, also called fairy fire and chimpanzee fire, is the bioluminescence created by some species of fungi present in decaying wood. The bluish-green glow is attributed to a luciferase, an oxidative enzyme, which emits light as it reacts with ...

'' (1955), starring Jane Russell, was filmed at Apple Valley Inn. * ''

The Hard Ride ''The Hard Ride'' is a 1971 action film about a U.S. Marine who promises to take care of a dead friend's motorcycle and is threatened by a rival biker gang in the process. The film was written and directed by Burt Topper and stars Robert Fuller ...

'' (1971) was filmed at Oro Grande Wash and in nearby Lucerne Valley. * ''

Harlem on the Prairie ''Harlem on the Prairie'' (1937) is a race movie, billed as the first " all-colored" Western musical. The movie reminded audiences that there were black cowboys and corrected a popular Hollywood image of an all-white Old West. It was produce ...

'' (1937), starring Herb Jeffries, was filmed at Murray's Dude Ranch. * '' Harlem Rides the Range'' (1939), starring Herb Jeffries, was filmed at Murray's Dude Ranch. * '' Highway Dragnet'' (1954), written by

Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

, starring Richard Conte and

Joan Bennett Joan Geraldine Bennett (February 27, 1910 – December 7, 1990) was an American stage, film, and television actress. She came from a show-business family, one of three acting sisters. Beginning her career on the stage, Bennett appeared in more t ...

, was filmed at Apple Valley Inn. * ''

The Hills Have Eyes ''The Hills Have Eyes'' is an American horror franchise that consists of four horror films, as well as a graphic novel and merchandise. The first film was released in 1977, '' The Hills Have Eyes''; the series was rebooted in a 2006 remake. T ...

'' (1977), was filmed in Apple Valley and nearby Victorville. * ''

Ordinary People ''Ordinary People'' is a 1980 American drama film directed by Robert Redford in his directorial debut. The screenplay by Alvin Sargent is based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Judith Guest. The film follows the disintegration of an uppe ...

'' (1980), winner of four Oscars, starring

Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore (December 29, 1936 – January 25, 2017) was an American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on '' The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (1961–1966) and '' The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), whi ...

, golf scenes were filmed in Apple Valley. * '' There's Always Tomorrow'' (1956), starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray, was filmed at Apple Valley Inn. * ''Two-Gun Man From Harlem'' (1938), was filmed at Murray's Dude Ranch. Television * '' Sky King,'' was filmed at the old Apple Valley Airport (old airport location coordinates:&nbs
34.528°N 117.215°W
* ''Perry Mason'' episode, "The Case of the Roving River" (1961), was filmed at Apple Valley Inn and Newton Bass House. * '' Weekend of Terror'' (1970 ABC Movie of the Week), starring

Robert Conrad Robert Conrad (born Conrad Robert Falk; March 1, 1935 – February 8, 2020) was an American film and television actor, singer, and stuntman. He is best known for his role in the 1965–1969 television series '' The Wild Wild West'', playi ...

Carol Lynley Carol Lynley (born Carole Ann Jones; February 13, 1942 – September 3, 2019) was an American actress known for her roles in the films ''Blue Denim'' (1959) and '' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972). Lynley was born in Manhattan to an Irish ...

. and

Lee Majors Lee Majors (born Harvey Lee Yeary; April 23, 1939) is an American actor. Majors portrayed the characters of Heath Barkley in the American television Western series ''The Big Valley'' (1965–1969), Colonel Steve Austin in the American televisio ...

, was filmed in Apple Valley. Commercials * GoDaddy.com, featuring

Danica Patrick Danica Sue Patrick (; born March 25, 1982) is an American former professional racing driver. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel car racing—her victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300 is the only win by a woman i ...

References

External links

*
Apple Valley Unified School District

''The Daily Press''

Apple Valley Fire Protection District
{{authority control Cities in San Bernardino County, California Populated places in the Mojave Desert Victor Valley Populated places established in 1988 1988 establishments in California Incorporated cities and towns in California