Potash wars (California)
| Searles Lake | |
|---|---|
Trona, California, abuts northwest of the dry Searles Lake bed. | |
| Location | Trona Rd at Center St., San Bernardino County, California |
| Coordinates | 35°45′28″N 117°22′38″W / 35.7577694444444°N 117.377358333333°W |
| Designated | August 16, 1962 |
| Reference no. | 774 |
The Potash wars were a series of events that took place from 1910 to 1915 in the Searles Valley near Searles Lake, a dry lake (also called Slate Range Lake and Borax Lake), near the current town of Trona in the San Bernardino County of California. The Potash wars gained national and international news at the time due to the involvement of famous lawman Wyatt Earp and the importance of the valley's supply of potash at the time. Potash is an important crop fertilizer and the Searles Valley was a major supplier in the 1910s.