Temecula, California
Temecula is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The
population was 57,716 at the 2000 census. The current population as
of January 2006 has skyrocketed to 93,923. It was incorporated on
December 1, 1989.
Temecula is bordered by Murrieta on the northwest and the Pechanga
Indian Reservation on the east, with unincorporated areas of Riverside
County on all of its other borders. It is served by the Temecula Valley
Freeway.
With neighboring Murrieta, Temecula forms the southern anchor of the
Inland Empire region. However, it is somewhat closer to San Diego
than to Los Angeles, and many consider it a suburb (or at least an
exurb) of the former.
Temecula's Population History
1980......1,783*
1990.....27,099
2000.....57,716
2005.....90,000
*Population figures taken prior to incorporation
History
Pre-1800
The area was inhabited by the Temecula native people for many
hundreds of years before their first meeting with the Spanish
missionaries (the people are now generally known as the "Luiseños",
after the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia), but they lost an estimated
40% of their population due to introduced epidemics in the last few
years of the 18th century. [1]
The name Temecula comes from the Luiseño word Temecunga -
roughly, "place of the sun". It was the Spanish who transcribed the
word as "Temecula". According to the city website, "Temecula is the
only city in California to still retain its original Indian name".
The first recorded Spanish visit, in October of 1797, was that of
Franciscan padre, Father Juan Norberto de Santiago, who was
searching for a new mission site. He visited what is now Lake Elsinore,
and eventually visited much of the rest of the Temecula Valley.
1800-1900
Little is known about Temecula during the early 1800’s because so
many records were destroyed in the fire that followed the great San
Francisco earthquake in 1906.
In the 1820s, the Mission San Antonio de Pala was built, and a serious
attempt to Christianize the local natives was begun.
In 1845, during the disintegration of Mexico's hold on California, the
Temecula Ranch was granted to Felix Valdez. The Luiseño and
Cahuilla tribes were involved, rather bloodily, in the local battles of the
Mexican-American War during the following years.
One of the most often told stories of Temecula’s early days is of the
Temecula Massacre in a nearby canyon that took place in January,
1847. The canyon is just below the present site of the Vail Lake Dam
and was the scene of the bloodiest battle of the Mexican War. The
Luiseño Indians captured 11 Mexican soldiers, who had stolen some
of the tribe's horses. The tribal council decided to execute the horse
thieves at a place now known as Warner Springs. The event came to
be known as the Pauma Massacre. A Mexican contingency, led by José
del Carmen Lugo, was soon dispatched to run them down and avenge
the deaths.
The Temeculans, who were now on the run, went into the canyon
hoping to ambush their pursuers. The tables were turned on them, by
the Mexicans who enlisted the aid of the nearby Cahuilla Indians, who
had been itching to settle the score with the Temeculans over some
previous skirmishes between the two tribes.
The Mexicans, feigning weariness and illness, lured the Temeculans
out of the canyon and into the hands of the Cahuillas who promptly
slaughtered them. Several days later the dead Temeculans were
buried in a common grave, the mound of which is still visible from
Highway 79.
Shortly after the Massacre, the Mormon Battalion entered the
Temecula Valley. The Luiseño Indians asked the Mormons to guard
them as they buried their dead. The Battalion passed through
Temecula, then headed south to San Diego.
As white American settlers began to move into California in the
aftermath of the war, friction with the native tribes increased. At last a
"Treaty with the San Louis Rey, Etc., 1852.", negotiated in good faith
by both sides, was signed in the Magee Store in Temecula in 1852.
Unfortunately, it was never ratified by the American Congress. [2]
Temecula had its share of experiences with desperadoes. Early in
1857, Juan Flores, the leader of a gang of outlaws, killed a
storekeeper in San Juan Capistrano and then again in Temecula. With
the help of Manuelito Chapalac, he hid out near Santiago Peak where
he and his remaining followers, who by that time had also killed the
Los Angeles County Sheriff, were captured by posses from El Monte
and San Diego. He later escaped, triggering the greatest manhunt
ever conducted in California. Flores was finally recaptured in Simi Pass
north of Los Angeles. On February 21, 1857, the Los Angeles jailer
surrendered him to a mob and he was hanged on a street of the town.
On the night of September 18, 1858, the first of the Butterfield
Overland stagecoach line, which was to run between St. Louis, Missouri
and San Francisco, pulled up in front of the Magee Store. A previous
stage line had started running between the trading post on Warner
Ranch and Colton and the first stage to ever enter the Temecula
Valley arrived from Warner Ranch on October 27, 1857. With the
arrival of the stages also came the beginning of change in the Valley.
Stagecoaches were synonymous with holdups and sure enough a
stage was held up and robbed near Temecula. The stage driver was
slain when he refused to give up the strong box.
The stages brought new settlers to the area and mail became an
important link with the rest of the country. On April 22, 1859, the first
inland Southern California post office was established in Temecula in
the Magee Store.
This was the second post office in the state, the first being located in
San Francisco. The Temecula post office was destined for a number of
moves over the ensuing years; its present locations are the seventh
and eighth sites it has occupied.
While the United States mail delivery in Temecula was being
transformed from stagecoaches to military couriers and from saddle
pouches to wagons, other phases of history were also transpiring. Born
of discontent bred by the Civil War, in the late 1860’s, a great
migration reached Temecula Valley. The Civil War put an end to the
great Butterfield Overland Stage Service and transportation once again
became a problem.
In 1882, the Pechanga Indian Reservation of approximately 4,000
acres (16 km²) was formed by executive order and formally created
some eight miles from downtown Temecula.
On January 23, 1882, a rail line from National City to Temecula was
completed and the valley’s silence was broken by the whistle of a
locomotive. Regular service was started between National City and
Temecula two months later and local residents had good access to
San Diego. A minor business boom began in Temecula with the
advent of rail service and several new stores were built and started to
garner trade. In 1883 the line was extended to San Bernardino. In the
late 1880’s, a series of floods washed out the tracks and the railroad
was finally abandoned. The old Temecula station wound up as a barn
and was later demolished.
American writer Helen Hunt Jackson visited Temecula in 1882–83, and
much of the action of her best-known novel, Ramona, takes place in
and around the Temecula Valley.
The stone age was revived in the 1890’s with the operation of granite
stone quarries. Temecula granite was shaped into fence and hitching
posts, curb stones, courthouse steps, and building blocks. Many of the
fence posts and curb stones can still be seen in Temecula, Riverside,
and San Francisco.
At the turn of the century Temecula gained a place of importance as a
shipping point for grain and cattle. During this period the cowboys
ruled the roost and the great cattle drives from the back country took
place. Temecula had become a cow town.
1900-1989
In 1904 Walter L. Vail, who had come to the United States with his
parents from Nova Scotia, migrated to California and with various
partners began buying vast areas of land in Southern California. Vail
was already a cattle rancher on a grand scale before he started buying
ranch land in the Temecula Valley in 1905, buying large tracts
beginning with 38,000 acres (154 km²) of Temecula and Pauba
Ranchos, along with the northern half of the Little Temecula Ranch.
Vail was run over and killed by a street car in Los Angeles in 1906; his
son, Mahlon Vail, took over the family ranch.
In 1914, financed by Mahlon Vail and local ranchers, the First National
Bank of Temecula opened on Front Street.
In 1915, the first paved, two-lane county road was built through
Temecula.
Temecula had its share of excitement in the late 1920’s and 30’s.
There were murders, a bank robbery, a flood, and visits by Hollywood
celebrities. Prize fighters Jack Dempsey and Jack Sharkey worked out
in a makeshift ring on the second floor of the old Welty building at
Front and Main Streets over the Blind Pig Saloon and some moon-
shining was conducted in the surrounding hills.
By 1947, the Vail Ranch contained just over 87,500 acres (354 km²).
For years the Vail family had dreamed of building a dam to catch the
Temecula Creek water which ran its course to the Pacific Ocean. In
1948, at a cost of more than $1 million, the dam was completed and
created Vail Lake.
Through the mid-1960's the economy of the Temecula Valley centered
around the Vail Ranch; the cattle business and agriculture were the
stimuli for most business ventures. During that period, the clientele of
the Swing Inn, the Long Branch Saloon and the Stables Bar seemed to
be confined to ranchers, cowboys, and Indians. While the Old West
lifestyle continued here, the outside world was evolving dramatically.
On December 4, 1964, the Vail Ranch was sold to Kaiser Development
Company and launched the transformation of the Temecula Valley. A
later purchase by the group brought the total area to 97,500 acres
(395 km²) – a spread of land two and a half times the size of the city
and county of San Francisco.
The last years of the 1960's and early 70's witnessed the beginnings
of dramatic change in the Temecula Valley. Engineers, contractors,
heavy-equipment operators and real estate agents quickly edged out
the cowboys and Indians as the main customers at the local
establishments. Pickup trucks towing horse trailers, trucks hauling
cattle and tractors rigged with farm implements were replaced by
cement mixers, lumber trucks and industrial grading equipment. Sales
activity switched from cattle, hay and grain to subdivided real estate
land.
The Kaiser Land Development Company marketed the valley's
attractions actively. Soon, the area became known as Rancho
California. Many land sales were accomplished by means of limited
partnership syndications, which helped to spread awareness of the
area.
One side effect of this high-profile development was a second tier real
estate boom in land suitable for avocado groves and grape vineyards
on the east side of the valley. The value of plantable land
skyrocketed.
The late '70s brought changes to some of the original Old West sites.
The Long Branch Saloon was converted into a meeting house, while
the Stables Bar became the site for retail stores. Although the Swing
Inn remains, new restaurants began to open.
The I-15 corridor between Los Angeles County and San Diego was
completed in the early 1980's and the subdivision land boom began.
When Rancho California incorporated in December, 1989, the citizens
voted to officially name their city "Temecula".
1990-Present
The 1990s brought rapid growth to the Temecula Valley. Many families
began to move to the area from San Diego and Orange County drawn
by the affordable housing prices. However, as the years have
progressed, the housing has become more expensive and the area
has become primarily middle to upper-middle class.
In 1999, The Promenade Mall opened in Temecula on land that had
once been used for farming and grazing. The mall made Temecula a
regional center for shopping and dining.
In 2005, Temecula expanded by annexing the neighboring planned
community known as Redhawk. The annexation brought the rapidly
growing population to 90,000. Due to the rapid growth of the city,
Temecula has experienced severe traffic conditions in the area.
Wineries
Temecula is the site of one of the oldest wineries in California, and
the Temecula Valley continues to be a small but significant wine
production center, supporting nineteen wineries as of 2004. Its wines
are generally less known than those from better-known California wine
districts such as Santa Ynez and the Napa Valley. The hotter climate is
particularly well-suited to grapes such as the Rhone varietals and
Zinfandel, and less well-suited to growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Baily Vineyard & Winery
Bella Vista Cilurzo Vineyard & Winery
Callaway Vineyard & Winery
Churon Winery
Falkner Winery
Filsinger Vineyards & Winery
Hart Winery
Keyways Vineyard & Winery
Leonesse Cellars
Maurice Car'rie Winery
Miramonte Winery
Mount Palomar Winery
Palumbo Family Vineyards & Winery
Ponte Family Estate Winery
South Coast Winery
Stuart Cellars
Thornton Winery
Van Roekel Vineyards & Winery
Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyard
Tourism
Although the area is not as well known as Palm Springs, the warm
desert climate attracts tourists year-round, especially golfers who can
use one of the nine local golf courses.
Temecula is well known for its hot air balloon rides and tours, floating
over wineries and desert terrain. The image of colorful hot air balloons
is used throughout the Temecula Valley as a quickly recognizable
symbol of the city.
Old Town Temecula
A collection of historic 1890s buildings, antique stores, shopping and
restaurants, Old Town Temecula is also home to such events as car
shows, western days and summer entertainment. Over 600 antique
dealers do business in the district.
Every Saturday, Old Town also plays host to the state certified
Temecula Farmer's Market. Here, local farmers only sell products that
they grow themselves.
Old Town is also home to the Temecula Museum which features
exhibits about the local band of Native Americans and the local natural
history and city development.
Pechanga Resort and Casino
In 2001, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians built the $262 million
Pechanga Resort & Casino complex. Linked together in an
architectural design that subtly highlights the tribe's Luiseño culture,
the facility includes: an 85,000-square foot casino, 1,200-seat bingo
hall, 515,000 square-foot, 14-story, 522-room hotel and 38,800
square-foot convention center, 1,200-seat showroom, 200-seat
cabaret lounge, and seven restaurants. The new casino also features
2,000 slot machines, 60 card tables and 15 poker tables.
The venue also attracts big name performances. Pechanga has played
host to the musical Chicago, singer and actress Liza Minnelli, and
comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld among countless others.
The resort attracts gamblers and tourists from all over California and
the U.S.
The Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival
Filmmakers and musicians from across America and around the globe
have come to Temecula every September since 1995 to participate
and enjoy in the celebration of film and music.
Attendance has grown from 600 in 1995 to 10,000 in 2004. Media
coverage is extensive and global, boasting of over 15,000,000 media
impressions worldwide. Over 700 films have been screened from more
than 20 countries since 1995.
Lifetime and Career Achievement Award honorees include
distinguished film and music icons of past and present such as Howard
W. Koch, Robert Wise, Carl Reiner, Karl Malden, Shirley Jones, Michael
York, Ray Charles, Rita Coolidge, Marsha Mason, Robert Stack, Gale
Ann Hurd, William Shatner, Patty Duke, Billy Preston, Sam Grogg, Julie
Corman, Etta James, John Spencer, Diane Ladd, Penelope Spheeris,
Howard Suber, AC Lyles, Louis Gossett, Jr, Lou Rawls, Jonathan Lynn,
Dr. Elizabeth Daley, Gina Gershon, Trevor Rabin, and Michael Childers.
The festival is open to US and Foreign films in five categories: Full
Length Features, Shorts, Documentaries, Animation and Student Films.
The music competition component of TVIFF is designed to showcase
the music vision and artistic wizardry of talented individuals and
groups from across America and the world. Entries for all genres of
music, from rock, jazz and pop, Hip Hop, R&B, Latin, Country, Folk,
and World are accepted.
The festival's social calendar starts with Opening Night Festivities,
followed by daily & nightly filmmaker/musician receptions, industry
workshops, a Lifetime and Career Achievement Awards Black Tie Gala,
a Sunday morning Hot Air Balloon Ride, a Closing Night Wrap party
and Best of Fest special screening presentations and much more.
Temecula Valley Unified School District
The Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) has schools in
Temecula, Murrieta and Winchester, California. The general
boundaries extend north to Baxter Road in French Valley, south to the
Riverside County line, east to Vail Lake, and west to the Temecula city
limit. The district covers approximately 148 square miles.
The district has expanded rapidly in the last few years. In 2004, the
district opened its third high school, Great Oak High School, only six
years after the opening of its second high school, Chaparral High.
Approximately 25,000 students (Grades K-12) are currently enrolled in
the district. The district offers many programs for students to advance
their educational experience.
Geography
Temecula is located at 33°30′12″N, 117°7′25″W (33.503295,
-117.123687)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total
area of 68.1 km² (26.3 mi²). 68.0 km² (26.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.1
km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.11%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 57,716 people, 18,293
households, and 15,164 families residing in the city. The population
density was 848.6/km² (2,198.3/mi²). There were 19,099 housing
units at an average density of 280.8/km² (727.4/mi²). The racial
makeup of the city was 78.93% White, 3.42% African American, 0.86%
Native American, 4.73% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 7.41% from
other races, and 4.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of
any race were 19.01% of the population.
There were 18,293 households out of which 52.4% had children under
the age of 18 living with them, 68.8% were married couples living
together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present,
and 17.1% were non-families. 12.6% of all households were made up
of individuals and 3.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years
of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the
average family size was 3.45.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.7% under the age of
18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64,
and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31
years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100
females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $76,892 (2003),
and the median income for a family was $68,051 (2003). Males had a
median income of $47,113 (2000) versus $31,608 (2000) for
females. The per capita income for the city was $24,312 (2003). About
5.6% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65
or over.
Temecula is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The
population was 57,716 at the 2000 census. The current population as
of January 2006 has skyrocketed to 93,923. It was incorporated on
December 1, 1989.
Temecula is bordered by Murrieta on the northwest and the Pechanga
Indian Reservation on the east, with unincorporated areas of Riverside
County on all of its other borders. It is served by the Temecula Valley
Freeway.
With neighboring Murrieta, Temecula forms the southern anchor of the
Inland Empire region. However, it is somewhat closer to San Diego
than to Los Angeles, and many consider it a suburb (or at least an
exurb) of the former.
Temecula's Population History
1980......1,783*
1990.....27,099
2000.....57,716
2005.....90,000
*Population figures taken prior to incorporation
History
Pre-1800
The area was inhabited by the Temecula native people for many
hundreds of years before their first meeting with the Spanish
missionaries (the people are now generally known as the "Luiseños",
after the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia), but they lost an estimated
40% of their population due to introduced epidemics in the last few
years of the 18th century. [1]
The name Temecula comes from the Luiseño word Temecunga -
roughly, "place of the sun". It was the Spanish who transcribed the
word as "Temecula". According to the city website, "Temecula is the
only city in California to still retain its original Indian name".
The first recorded Spanish visit, in October of 1797, was that of
Franciscan padre, Father Juan Norberto de Santiago, who was
searching for a new mission site. He visited what is now Lake Elsinore,
and eventually visited much of the rest of the Temecula Valley.
1800-1900
Little is known about Temecula during the early 1800’s because so
many records were destroyed in the fire that followed the great San
Francisco earthquake in 1906.
In the 1820s, the Mission San Antonio de Pala was built, and a serious
attempt to Christianize the local natives was begun.
In 1845, during the disintegration of Mexico's hold on California, the
Temecula Ranch was granted to Felix Valdez. The Luiseño and
Cahuilla tribes were involved, rather bloodily, in the local battles of the
Mexican-American War during the following years.
One of the most often told stories of Temecula’s early days is of the
Temecula Massacre in a nearby canyon that took place in January,
1847. The canyon is just below the present site of the Vail Lake Dam
and was the scene of the bloodiest battle of the Mexican War. The
Luiseño Indians captured 11 Mexican soldiers, who had stolen some
of the tribe's horses. The tribal council decided to execute the horse
thieves at a place now known as Warner Springs. The event came to
be known as the Pauma Massacre. A Mexican contingency, led by José
del Carmen Lugo, was soon dispatched to run them down and avenge
the deaths.
The Temeculans, who were now on the run, went into the canyon
hoping to ambush their pursuers. The tables were turned on them, by
the Mexicans who enlisted the aid of the nearby Cahuilla Indians, who
had been itching to settle the score with the Temeculans over some
previous skirmishes between the two tribes.
The Mexicans, feigning weariness and illness, lured the Temeculans
out of the canyon and into the hands of the Cahuillas who promptly
slaughtered them. Several days later the dead Temeculans were
buried in a common grave, the mound of which is still visible from
Highway 79.
Shortly after the Massacre, the Mormon Battalion entered the
Temecula Valley. The Luiseño Indians asked the Mormons to guard
them as they buried their dead. The Battalion passed through
Temecula, then headed south to San Diego.
As white American settlers began to move into California in the
aftermath of the war, friction with the native tribes increased. At last a
"Treaty with the San Louis Rey, Etc., 1852.", negotiated in good faith
by both sides, was signed in the Magee Store in Temecula in 1852.
Unfortunately, it was never ratified by the American Congress. [2]
Temecula had its share of experiences with desperadoes. Early in
1857, Juan Flores, the leader of a gang of outlaws, killed a
storekeeper in San Juan Capistrano and then again in Temecula. With
the help of Manuelito Chapalac, he hid out near Santiago Peak where
he and his remaining followers, who by that time had also killed the
Los Angeles County Sheriff, were captured by posses from El Monte
and San Diego. He later escaped, triggering the greatest manhunt
ever conducted in California. Flores was finally recaptured in Simi Pass
north of Los Angeles. On February 21, 1857, the Los Angeles jailer
surrendered him to a mob and he was hanged on a street of the town.
On the night of September 18, 1858, the first of the Butterfield
Overland stagecoach line, which was to run between St. Louis, Missouri
and San Francisco, pulled up in front of the Magee Store. A previous
stage line had started running between the trading post on Warner
Ranch and Colton and the first stage to ever enter the Temecula
Valley arrived from Warner Ranch on October 27, 1857. With the
arrival of the stages also came the beginning of change in the Valley.
Stagecoaches were synonymous with holdups and sure enough a
stage was held up and robbed near Temecula. The stage driver was
slain when he refused to give up the strong box.
The stages brought new settlers to the area and mail became an
important link with the rest of the country. On April 22, 1859, the first
inland Southern California post office was established in Temecula in
the Magee Store.
This was the second post office in the state, the first being located in
San Francisco. The Temecula post office was destined for a number of
moves over the ensuing years; its present locations are the seventh
and eighth sites it has occupied.
While the United States mail delivery in Temecula was being
transformed from stagecoaches to military couriers and from saddle
pouches to wagons, other phases of history were also transpiring. Born
of discontent bred by the Civil War, in the late 1860’s, a great
migration reached Temecula Valley. The Civil War put an end to the
great Butterfield Overland Stage Service and transportation once again
became a problem.
In 1882, the Pechanga Indian Reservation of approximately 4,000
acres (16 km²) was formed by executive order and formally created
some eight miles from downtown Temecula.
On January 23, 1882, a rail line from National City to Temecula was
completed and the valley’s silence was broken by the whistle of a
locomotive. Regular service was started between National City and
Temecula two months later and local residents had good access to
San Diego. A minor business boom began in Temecula with the
advent of rail service and several new stores were built and started to
garner trade. In 1883 the line was extended to San Bernardino. In the
late 1880’s, a series of floods washed out the tracks and the railroad
was finally abandoned. The old Temecula station wound up as a barn
and was later demolished.
American writer Helen Hunt Jackson visited Temecula in 1882–83, and
much of the action of her best-known novel, Ramona, takes place in
and around the Temecula Valley.
The stone age was revived in the 1890’s with the operation of granite
stone quarries. Temecula granite was shaped into fence and hitching
posts, curb stones, courthouse steps, and building blocks. Many of the
fence posts and curb stones can still be seen in Temecula, Riverside,
and San Francisco.
At the turn of the century Temecula gained a place of importance as a
shipping point for grain and cattle. During this period the cowboys
ruled the roost and the great cattle drives from the back country took
place. Temecula had become a cow town.
1900-1989
In 1904 Walter L. Vail, who had come to the United States with his
parents from Nova Scotia, migrated to California and with various
partners began buying vast areas of land in Southern California. Vail
was already a cattle rancher on a grand scale before he started buying
ranch land in the Temecula Valley in 1905, buying large tracts
beginning with 38,000 acres (154 km²) of Temecula and Pauba
Ranchos, along with the northern half of the Little Temecula Ranch.
Vail was run over and killed by a street car in Los Angeles in 1906; his
son, Mahlon Vail, took over the family ranch.
In 1914, financed by Mahlon Vail and local ranchers, the First National
Bank of Temecula opened on Front Street.
In 1915, the first paved, two-lane county road was built through
Temecula.
Temecula had its share of excitement in the late 1920’s and 30’s.
There were murders, a bank robbery, a flood, and visits by Hollywood
celebrities. Prize fighters Jack Dempsey and Jack Sharkey worked out
in a makeshift ring on the second floor of the old Welty building at
Front and Main Streets over the Blind Pig Saloon and some moon-
shining was conducted in the surrounding hills.
By 1947, the Vail Ranch contained just over 87,500 acres (354 km²).
For years the Vail family had dreamed of building a dam to catch the
Temecula Creek water which ran its course to the Pacific Ocean. In
1948, at a cost of more than $1 million, the dam was completed and
created Vail Lake.
Through the mid-1960's the economy of the Temecula Valley centered
around the Vail Ranch; the cattle business and agriculture were the
stimuli for most business ventures. During that period, the clientele of
the Swing Inn, the Long Branch Saloon and the Stables Bar seemed to
be confined to ranchers, cowboys, and Indians. While the Old West
lifestyle continued here, the outside world was evolving dramatically.
On December 4, 1964, the Vail Ranch was sold to Kaiser Development
Company and launched the transformation of the Temecula Valley. A
later purchase by the group brought the total area to 97,500 acres
(395 km²) – a spread of land two and a half times the size of the city
and county of San Francisco.
The last years of the 1960's and early 70's witnessed the beginnings
of dramatic change in the Temecula Valley. Engineers, contractors,
heavy-equipment operators and real estate agents quickly edged out
the cowboys and Indians as the main customers at the local
establishments. Pickup trucks towing horse trailers, trucks hauling
cattle and tractors rigged with farm implements were replaced by
cement mixers, lumber trucks and industrial grading equipment. Sales
activity switched from cattle, hay and grain to subdivided real estate
land.
The Kaiser Land Development Company marketed the valley's
attractions actively. Soon, the area became known as Rancho
California. Many land sales were accomplished by means of limited
partnership syndications, which helped to spread awareness of the
area.
One side effect of this high-profile development was a second tier real
estate boom in land suitable for avocado groves and grape vineyards
on the east side of the valley. The value of plantable land
skyrocketed.
The late '70s brought changes to some of the original Old West sites.
The Long Branch Saloon was converted into a meeting house, while
the Stables Bar became the site for retail stores. Although the Swing
Inn remains, new restaurants began to open.
The I-15 corridor between Los Angeles County and San Diego was
completed in the early 1980's and the subdivision land boom began.
When Rancho California incorporated in December, 1989, the citizens
voted to officially name their city "Temecula".
1990-Present
The 1990s brought rapid growth to the Temecula Valley. Many families
began to move to the area from San Diego and Orange County drawn
by the affordable housing prices. However, as the years have
progressed, the housing has become more expensive and the area
has become primarily middle to upper-middle class.
In 1999, The Promenade Mall opened in Temecula on land that had
once been used for farming and grazing. The mall made Temecula a
regional center for shopping and dining.
In 2005, Temecula expanded by annexing the neighboring planned
community known as Redhawk. The annexation brought the rapidly
growing population to 90,000. Due to the rapid growth of the city,
Temecula has experienced severe traffic conditions in the area.
Wineries
Temecula is the site of one of the oldest wineries in California, and
the Temecula Valley continues to be a small but significant wine
production center, supporting nineteen wineries as of 2004. Its wines
are generally less known than those from better-known California wine
districts such as Santa Ynez and the Napa Valley. The hotter climate is
particularly well-suited to grapes such as the Rhone varietals and
Zinfandel, and less well-suited to growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Baily Vineyard & Winery
Bella Vista Cilurzo Vineyard & Winery
Callaway Vineyard & Winery
Churon Winery
Falkner Winery
Filsinger Vineyards & Winery
Hart Winery
Keyways Vineyard & Winery
Leonesse Cellars
Maurice Car'rie Winery
Miramonte Winery
Mount Palomar Winery
Palumbo Family Vineyards & Winery
Ponte Family Estate Winery
South Coast Winery
Stuart Cellars
Thornton Winery
Van Roekel Vineyards & Winery
Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyard
Tourism
Although the area is not as well known as Palm Springs, the warm
desert climate attracts tourists year-round, especially golfers who can
use one of the nine local golf courses.
Temecula is well known for its hot air balloon rides and tours, floating
over wineries and desert terrain. The image of colorful hot air balloons
is used throughout the Temecula Valley as a quickly recognizable
symbol of the city.
Old Town Temecula
A collection of historic 1890s buildings, antique stores, shopping and
restaurants, Old Town Temecula is also home to such events as car
shows, western days and summer entertainment. Over 600 antique
dealers do business in the district.
Every Saturday, Old Town also plays host to the state certified
Temecula Farmer's Market. Here, local farmers only sell products that
they grow themselves.
Old Town is also home to the Temecula Museum which features
exhibits about the local band of Native Americans and the local natural
history and city development.
Pechanga Resort and Casino
In 2001, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians built the $262 million
Pechanga Resort & Casino complex. Linked together in an
architectural design that subtly highlights the tribe's Luiseño culture,
the facility includes: an 85,000-square foot casino, 1,200-seat bingo
hall, 515,000 square-foot, 14-story, 522-room hotel and 38,800
square-foot convention center, 1,200-seat showroom, 200-seat
cabaret lounge, and seven restaurants. The new casino also features
2,000 slot machines, 60 card tables and 15 poker tables.
The venue also attracts big name performances. Pechanga has played
host to the musical Chicago, singer and actress Liza Minnelli, and
comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld among countless others.
The resort attracts gamblers and tourists from all over California and
the U.S.
The Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival
Filmmakers and musicians from across America and around the globe
have come to Temecula every September since 1995 to participate
and enjoy in the celebration of film and music.
Attendance has grown from 600 in 1995 to 10,000 in 2004. Media
coverage is extensive and global, boasting of over 15,000,000 media
impressions worldwide. Over 700 films have been screened from more
than 20 countries since 1995.
Lifetime and Career Achievement Award honorees include
distinguished film and music icons of past and present such as Howard
W. Koch, Robert Wise, Carl Reiner, Karl Malden, Shirley Jones, Michael
York, Ray Charles, Rita Coolidge, Marsha Mason, Robert Stack, Gale
Ann Hurd, William Shatner, Patty Duke, Billy Preston, Sam Grogg, Julie
Corman, Etta James, John Spencer, Diane Ladd, Penelope Spheeris,
Howard Suber, AC Lyles, Louis Gossett, Jr, Lou Rawls, Jonathan Lynn,
Dr. Elizabeth Daley, Gina Gershon, Trevor Rabin, and Michael Childers.
The festival is open to US and Foreign films in five categories: Full
Length Features, Shorts, Documentaries, Animation and Student Films.
The music competition component of TVIFF is designed to showcase
the music vision and artistic wizardry of talented individuals and
groups from across America and the world. Entries for all genres of
music, from rock, jazz and pop, Hip Hop, R&B, Latin, Country, Folk,
and World are accepted.
The festival's social calendar starts with Opening Night Festivities,
followed by daily & nightly filmmaker/musician receptions, industry
workshops, a Lifetime and Career Achievement Awards Black Tie Gala,
a Sunday morning Hot Air Balloon Ride, a Closing Night Wrap party
and Best of Fest special screening presentations and much more.
Temecula Valley Unified School District
The Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) has schools in
Temecula, Murrieta and Winchester, California. The general
boundaries extend north to Baxter Road in French Valley, south to the
Riverside County line, east to Vail Lake, and west to the Temecula city
limit. The district covers approximately 148 square miles.
The district has expanded rapidly in the last few years. In 2004, the
district opened its third high school, Great Oak High School, only six
years after the opening of its second high school, Chaparral High.
Approximately 25,000 students (Grades K-12) are currently enrolled in
the district. The district offers many programs for students to advance
their educational experience.
Geography
Temecula is located at 33°30′12″N, 117°7′25″W (33.503295,
-117.123687)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total
area of 68.1 km² (26.3 mi²). 68.0 km² (26.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.1
km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.11%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 57,716 people, 18,293
households, and 15,164 families residing in the city. The population
density was 848.6/km² (2,198.3/mi²). There were 19,099 housing
units at an average density of 280.8/km² (727.4/mi²). The racial
makeup of the city was 78.93% White, 3.42% African American, 0.86%
Native American, 4.73% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 7.41% from
other races, and 4.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of
any race were 19.01% of the population.
There were 18,293 households out of which 52.4% had children under
the age of 18 living with them, 68.8% were married couples living
together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present,
and 17.1% were non-families. 12.6% of all households were made up
of individuals and 3.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years
of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the
average family size was 3.45.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.7% under the age of
18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64,
and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31
years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100
females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $76,892 (2003),
and the median income for a family was $68,051 (2003). Males had a
median income of $47,113 (2000) versus $31,608 (2000) for
females. The per capita income for the city was $24,312 (2003). About
5.6% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65
or over.
