Originally established as a farming community called Crumville in 1912 and renamed in 1941, Ridgecrest is located in the northeast corner of Kern County and surrounded by four mountain ranges – the Sierra Nevada on the west, the Coso Range on the north, the Argus Range on the east and the El Paso Mountains on the south.
The city evolved and grew during the 1950s and 1960s and was vital to the mission of the Navy as a support community. The China Lake Naval Weapons Center, China Lake Air Weapons Station and Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division are all located in Ridgecrest and is a major source of employment for its residents.