Point of Rocks station was as good a name as any that could be found for the small
station that was situated just north of present day Helendale. In fact, the name fit
perfectly as passengers and drivers unloaded beneath the towering rocks for a brief spell
from the dust coating they wore from the Mojave Desert. The year was 1897 and something
different was in the air besides clouds of blowing sand. It was that year that a baby girl
was born to Mr. Wells, the Vice President of the Santa Fe Railroad, and it was the year
that Point of Rocks was renamed, Helen, in honor of Mr. Wells daughter. The name would
endure for nearly twenty-one years until some of the town folk in Helen believed their
growing area may be confused for Helena, Montana It was agreed to keep the honor of Helen
Wells but to change the name of the station to Helendale so there would be no chance of
consternation along the railroad line.
With the change of name in 1918 from Helen to Helendale so was the post office changed
from Judson Post Office to Helendale Post Office. Mrs. Scullin was the postmistress at the
time of the name change (having taken over the job in July of 1914) and her daughter, Cora
(Decrow) Jones, often helped her mother out in the duties of the Post Office. The best
description of what life was like in the Helendale of 1918 comes from a quote Of Cora
Jones in a letter written to Sarah Orebaugh on October 29,1960.
"Nearly everyone coming in for their mail came on horseback or by team. There were
only about four cars in the neighborhood from Oro Grande to Hodge." Modern technology
was coming but at a slower rate in the true west of Helendale.
