Lancaster, California

 city, draw only border

Lancaster is the eighth-largest city in Los Angeles County and the 9th fastest growing city in the United States.
Settled in the late 19th century by M.L. Wicks, a real estate developer who purchased six sections of land from the Southern Pacific Railroad (now merged into the Union Pacific Railroad). The origin of the city's name is debated among historians, but it is presumed to be named after Lancaster, Pennsylvania or Lancaster, England.

Early in its history, Lancaster was little more than a whistle-stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad between San Francisco and Los Angeles, with one hotel, the Gilwyn (known today as the Western Hotel), and a handful of homes. The settlement grew quickly, however, and by 1890, Lancaster was quite prosperous. The town experienced another small boom at the turn of the 20th century when gold and borax were discovered simultaneously in the mountains around the Antelope Valley.

The real establishment of the City of Lancaster, however, came with the advent of the Aerospace Industry. As early in flight history as 1930, the Air Force began conducting flight tests at Muroc Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base) and Lancaster has grown steadily since that time. It is home to many employees of Edwards Air Force Base, as well as to employees of Boeing, Lockheed, and Northrop, all of which have plants in Palmdale at U.S. Air Force Plant 42.

Until it was incorporated, the area was under the political influence of Los Angeles County. Citizens in the area felt a need for better interaction with their policy making body and local control, but feared annexation by nearby Palmdale, (which had already incorporated itself into a city in 1962) and with the work of the local body called Citizens for Incorporation, independent cityhood became a reality for Lancaster in 1977.

www.cityoflancasterca.org/