Someone found a wagon tire in the desert and the area surrounding it became knows as “Wagontire”. Romantics speculate that the wheel came from a wagon train that was attacked by Indians, but no one really knows why the relic was left behind. Another mystery is the history of 49 three-inch cannon balls that were found between Wagontire and Riley in 1978.

Before 1900, a German named Anton Egli settled on a ranch near Wagontire Mountain. The family moved to North Hollywood in the 1920’s. Joe Egli (Anton’s son) became the senior casting director for Paramount Studios during the heyday of large movie companies. Ed Egli (another son) drove the multi-horse teams in many early day cowboy westerns. As people settled the high desert area, they received their mail at the Egli ranch. Later, the ranch became an official post office called Egli. In 1919 the post office name was changed from Egli to Wagontire.

The only good water for miles around was from springs on Wagontire Mountain, which led to waterhole feuds, gun battles and murder. The early pioneers were tough, uncompromising people, they did whatever they considered necessary to survive in a hard land.