In 1844, CPT John C. Fremont, with Kit Carson, was the first U.S. Army member to visit the Fort Irwin area. In 1846, the Army patrolled the Fort Irwin area to control the raiding and horse stealing from the prosperous Gold Rush. During the Indian Wars the Army constructed a small stone fort overlooking Bitter Springs.
In the 1880's the discovery of borax at Death Valley brought growth. From the late 1800's to the early 1900's, the area's growth led to the establishment of the nearby town of Barstow.
In 1942, the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Range was renamed Camp Irwin, in honor of MG George Leroy Irwin, Commander of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade during World War l, The post was designated a permanent istallation on August 1, 1961 and renamed Fort Irwin.
On August 9, 1979, the Department of the Army announced that Fort Irwin had been selected for the site if the National Training Center. The National Training Center (NTC) was officially activated October 16, 1980.
Today, Fort Irwin is also home to fourteen new villages designed to train troops for desert warfare. The villages are Medina Wasl, Al Jaff, Wadi Al Ra'id, Al Khalouwa Hogg, Mutahaya Kukh, Ain Ghar, Bahira Quda, Dara Tihan, Medina Ma'aki, Al Sharq, Medina Jabal, Mezra'a Madik Ahmar, and Abar Layla.
