1826History
In 1826, Jedediah Smith's beaver trappers arrived, followed in 1834 by Joseph Walker when he crossed Walker Pass into the Indian Wells Valley.
1908Architecture
This changed, however, when the Los Angeles Aqueduct was built and finished from 1908–1913.
1912History
The settlement that eventually became Ridgecrest began as a farming community called Crumville in 1912, honoring James and Robert Crum, local dairymen.
1941Architecture
The first post office opened in 1941.
1943History
By 1943, Ridgecrest had grown to 115 homes and 196 residents.
1963Government
It was incorporated as a city in 1963.
1964History
Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons were declared a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
1973Government
=== College ===
Cerro Coso Community College, a part of the Kern Community College District, was established in 1973 and has a full-time enrollment of 2,347.
1995Disaster
The city has been near the epicenter of major earthquakes, including one in 1995 and a series of quakes in July 2019.
1996Disaster
== In popular culture ==
In a 1996 Sony commercial, Ridgecrest is known as the "Earthquake Capital of the World..."
== Transportation ==
Ridgecrest is located at the junction...
1999Sports
Track and Field discus championships in 1999 and 1991, and competed in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
2001Government
In 2001, they were incorporated into a larger National Historic Landmark District, called Coso Rock Art District.
2008History
Full-time law enforcement employees in 2008 numbered 56 (41 officers).
2014Culture
In 2014, the Ridgecrest Petroglyph Festival, a celebration of the petroglyphs, native culture, and Ridgecrest as a California tourist destination was created as an annual event.
2018Military
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake provides the majority of employment in the city at just under 8,000 jobs in 2018.
2019Disaster
=== 2019 earthquakes ===
Between July 4 and 5, 2019, the city of Ridgecrest and surrounding communities experienced a series of significant earthquakes, including the strongest...
2020History
=== Top employers ===
The principal employers in Ridgecrest in 2020 were:
== Local features and activities ==
The most notable feature in the nearby area is the Coso People r...
2021History
The all-time maximum temperature of 119 °F (48 °C) was recorded on July 11, 2021, tied with July 1988 and July 1993.
2023History
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $88,107, and the per capita income was $40,173.