The Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation formed in 1993 to ensure the effort and resources focused on the Goffs Schoolhouse property and surrounding Cultural Center will exist in perpetuity.
The Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association was formed as a nonprofit extension of the already-established volunteer organization, the Friends of the Mojave Road.
The goals and objectives of the Friends of the Mojave Road are simple. We support leaving the desert as free as possible without risking destruction of the basic environmental values.
Our approach to achieving these goals is through education. That education is accomplished with the Mojave Road Report newsletter, educational field trips in the desert, and especially through our Tales of the Mojave Road publications — books and guides that people use when they are in the desert.
Our Founder
Dennis Casebier, 1934-2021
Casebier, an adventurer, steward, author, and historian, is most famously known for his work to re-establish the famous 140-mile Mojave Road off-road trail in California, a path he hiked in its entirety twice before realizing the appeal it would have for off-roaders. Through Dennis, a whole new generation of explorers was introduced the term "rock cairn" in his quintessential Mojave Road Guide, and Casebier founded the original Eastern Mojave Heritage Trail (EMHT) route, as well as publishing a quartet of complementary guidebooks. As one of the most knowledgeable and respected historians on the topic of the Mojave Desert, Casebier curated our museum and archive in Goffs, California, where his legacy lives on with the Mojave Desert and Cultural Association (MDHCA).
On-Site Staff
Laura Misajet
Director of Museum Operations
& Public Outreach
Open
Site Manager & Public Outreach
Meet the Board of Directors
The MDHCA Board of Directors is comprised of accomplished men and women from widely differing fields of endeavor, yet all share the same passion for Mojave Desert history. These individuals give their time, support, and invaluable experience to guide the Association in achieving its Mission. They meet regularly to conduct the organization’s business. and ensure the MDHCA will continue to flourish well into the future.
Sean P. Holman
President
Larry Vredenburg
Vice-President
Loris Mitchell
Secretary
Darelyn Casebier
Treasurer
Sam Sumitani
Director
John Fishell
Director
Rick Nisbet
Director
Jackie Ridge
Director
David Hess
Director
Open
Director