 The lake is adjacent to the smaller Rosamond Lake which through the Holocene, together made up one large water-body.The area of the lakebed was first used by the railroads, with a watering station for steam engines located nearby by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.In 1910, the Corum family settled on the lake bed; they attempted to create a small community called "Muroc" (the name reversed), which failed.