The community of Lancaster California was 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, LancashireLancaster, 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 United States Air ForceAir 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 the Antelope Valley. Until it was incorporated in 1977, 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; and, with the work of Citizens for Incorporation, cityhood became a reality. The first wave of home buyers to Lancaster from the L.A. area came in the 1970s, known as "escapees" and employees in the booming aviation industry. The city grew astoundingly, with the population doubled throughout the 1980s, from 45,000 people to 97,000 by 1990 to make Lancaster a large suburban city. Since incorporation in 1977, the City of Lancaster has grown in size and diversity. Today, Lancaster, California is the largest city named Lancaster in the world. For a list of others, see Lancaster (disambiguation). With inexpensive land and business-friendly policies, the City today attracts national and local companies in many businesses and industries as well as families pursuing the American Dream of homeownership in a close community. Throughout its recent growth, the City of Lancaster has retained a family-focused hometown spirit. The median age for residents is 31. The city morphed into one of a bedroom community for urban professionals drive to work in Los Angeles. The city is home to a higher percentage of African Americans than in Los Angeles proper (which has dropped to 6 percent in the 2000 census). The home values continue to soar in new highs, but remains fairly affordable than in most of Southern California. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancaster%2C_California