About Johannesburg CDP, California
Johannesburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Mojave Desert, in Kern County, California. The population was 2,042 at the 2010 census. It is located on U.S. Route 395 in the southeastern corner of the county, between the cities of Ridgecrest and Adelanto.
The community was named after gold prospector Edward Johannes who settled in the area in 1876. A post office opened in 1884, closed in 1887, and reopened in 1888. Johannesburg became a mining boomtown in the early 1900s as gold and silver were discovered in the area. The mines began to close in the 1920s and the population declined.
Today, Johannesburg is a quiet desert community with a population that is mostly Hispanic. There are several businesses in town, including a grocery store, gas station, and restaurant. The community is home to a school and a church.