Landers, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Landers
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The Landers sign outside the U.S. Post Office on Reche Road at Landers Lane.
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 Landers
Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Bernardino |
| Elevation | 3,084 ft (940 m) |
| Population | |
| • Census Designated Place estimated 2017 | 2,982 |
| Demonym(s) | Landroid |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
92285
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| Area codes | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-40158 |
| GNIS feature ID | 244564 |
Landers is an unincorporated community in the High Desert region of the Mojave Desert, in San Bernardino County, Southern California. Landers' population, as of 2017, is 2,982 people. Its residents are sometimes referred to as "Landroids"—an allusion to the popular UFO culture in the area—and its official slogan is "Beautiful Skies, Miles of Smiles," adopted pursuant to a contest held by the Landers Association in early 2014. It was submitted by Ms. McCall's 3rd and 4th grade class at Landers Elementary School and was unveiled on June 10, 2014. However, for almost half a century, Landers has been known to its residents as "the land of 1000 vistas".
Contents
Geography
Landers lies in the Homestead Valley of the southeastern Mojave Desert. The town's elevation is 3,100 feet (940 m) above sea level.
Landers, 14 miles (23 km) north of Yucca Valley, is bordered by the city of Joshua Tree to its southeast, Johnson Valley, California to its north, and Pioneertown to its southwest. California State Route 247, named "Old Woman Springs Road" in the area, passes through Landers from Yucca Valley en route north to Barstow.
Giant Rock
Adjacent to Landers on the north is Giant Rock, covering 5800 sq. ft. and 7 stories high. [http://www.lucernevalley.net/giantrock/ It is thought to be the largest free standing boulder in the world. It was sacred to the Californian Indians in the region, where the north and south tribes met annually.
From the 1950s through the 1970s, Landers was a popular gathering point for annual Spacecraft Conventions of UFO enthusiasts.
History
The area was also the epicenter of the June 28, 1992 Landers earthquake, a magnitude 7.4 strike-slip earthquake. It caused considerable structural damage to the surrounding area, and one death, of a three-year-old child.
A news image frequently shown was the north wall completely collapsed at the Yucca Lanes Bowling Center. It was later determined that the wall was a temporary one, designed for easy removal in future expansions.
Buildings
The U.S. Landers Post Office is located at Landers Lane and Reche Road, serving ZIP code 92285. A Loyal Order of Moose Lodge, convenience store, realty office, chamber of commerce, elementary school, and community center are also located in the mostly residential community. The Landers Airport has a short runway, adequate for single engine aircraft.
- Airstream Motel
Kate's Lazy Desert Airstream Motel is an unusual 'motel camp' in Landers, composed of six vintage Airstream trailers restored by artists Maberry + Walker. The resort was created by Kate Pierson of the B-52's.
Integratron
Author, inventor, and UFO advocate George Van Tassel (1910-1978) built the Integratron structure in the Giant Rock area from 1957 to 1977. The Integratron dome is built using a unique design of wood construction with 16 glued and laminated spines held together at its apex by one ton of concrete. It is 38 feet (12 m) high and 50 feet (15 m) in diameter.
The compound is now open to the public as a study, performance, and retreat center for organized programs regarding neuroacoustics, music, meditation, energy healing, architecture, alternative health, science, and spirituality. The Integratron, and Giant Rock are Landers' main tourist attractions.
Economy
The U.S. Landers Post Office is located at Landers Lane and Reche Road, serving ZIP code 92285. A Loyal Order of Moose Lodge, community center (Belfield Hall), convenience store, elementary school, and recreational center with lighted ball field are also located in this rural desert community. The Landers Brew Co. occupies an old roadhouse originally built in 1948. There was once a Landers Airport, as well as one nearby at Giant Rock, both with short, packed dirt runways adequate for single engine aircraft. Neither facility is operational today.
Gubler Orchids
Gubler Orchids first established its nursery greenhouses in Landers in 1975. The original greenhouses were severely damaged in the 1992 Landers earthquake; after three years of reconstruction and modernization they reopened in 1995. Today Gubler has over 155,000 square feet of greenhouses in production, and ships its plants and growing products primarily in the United States and Canada. In conjunction with community groups and local schools, Gubler Orchids sponsors a festival and open house each year the first weekend in October.
Astronomical Facilities
There are two major amateur astronomical facilities in Landers: The Goat Mountain Astronomical Research Station (GMARS) and the Center for Solar System Studies (CS3). GMARS is owned by the Riverside Astronomical Society, and is one of the most ambitious installations of its kind in the world with over 23 observatories and a solar powered USGS seismic station. It also has over twenty telescope "pads" with electrical service that are used with field gear. For use by those pursuing scientific activities at GMARS, the facility has been assigned the international observatory code of G79. CS3 has nine robotic observatories and is primarily focused on asteroid research and photometric studies. The observatory codes assigned at CS3 include U80, U81 and U82.
Integratron
Author, inventor, and UFO advocate George Van Tassel (1910–1978) built the Integratron structure in the Giant Rock area from 1957 to 1977. The Integratron dome is built using a unique design of wood construction with 16 glued and laminated spines held together at its apex by one ton of concrete. It is 38 feet (12 m) high and 50 feet (15 m) in diameter.
The Integratron and Giant Rock are the two Landers sites of most interest to UFO enthusiasts. Renowned food and travel personality Anthony Bourdain did a segment in 2011 on Van Tassel and the Integratron as part of his No Reservations television series (s07e13 - see here). Van Tassel, the Integratron and Giant Rock received serious treatment in 2018 by filmmaker Jonathan Berman in his documentary, Calling All Earthlings. The Smithsonian magazine, Air & Space, has an informative article on the documentary here. The compound is now open to the public as a study, performance, and retreat center for organized programs regarding neuroacoustics, music, meditation, energy healing, architecture, alternative health, science, and spirituality.
Images for kids
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A typical sunrise in Landers, California looking east by southeast toward Joshua Tree, California
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Giant Rock as compared to an average size pickup truck
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Opuntia basilaris, or Beavertail Cactus, is common in Landers.
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Giant Rock, adjacent to Landers, California.
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View to the NE of Goat Mountain in Landers, California, with the Goat Mountain Astronomical Research Station in foreground.
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There is an annual fireworks event in Landers, California, held at its recreational park and ball field.
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In 2016, the Orchid Festival at Gubler Orchids featured hot air balloon rides.
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Aerial view of the community of Landers taken from over its highest point Goat Mountain.
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View of the Integratron and the surrounding landscape, winter 2018.
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Midsummer twilight over the Mojave desert in Landers.
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Red sunset twilight, Landers, California USA.
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Burning Yellow Sunset, Landers, California USA.
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Mustard Blue Sunset, Landers, California USA.
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Burnt Horizon, Landers, California.
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Fire Twilight, Landers, California.
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Royal Blue Sky over Horizon, Landers, California.
