The city of Temecula, forming the southwestern anchor of theInland Empire region, is approximately 58 miles (93 km) north of downtown San Diego and 85 miles (137 km) southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Temecula is part of theGreater Los Angeles area. Temecula is bordered by the city ofMurrieta to the north and thePechanga Indian Reservation andSan Diego County to the south. Temecula is also the principal city of the Temecula–Murrieta–Menifee, CA urban area, which had a population of 528,991 as of the2020 census.[5]
The area was inhabited by the Temecula Indians for hundreds of years before their contact with the Spanishmissionaries (the people are now generally known as theLuiseños, after the nearbyMission San Luis Rey de Francia).[15] Seven bands of Luiseño Indians inhabited the Temecula valley pre-contact: thePechanga,La Jolla,Soboba,Pala,Rincon,Pauma, and San Luis Rey bands (presently, all of the bands except the San Luis Rey arefederally recognized tribes).[16][17] ThePechanga Band of Luiseño believe their ancestors have lived in the Temecula area for more than 10,000 years, though ethnologists think they arrived at a more recent date. In Pechanga history, life on Earth began in the Temecula Valley. They call it "'Éxva Temeéku", the place of the union of Sky-father, and Earth-mother ("Tuukumit'pi Tamaayowit").[16] The Temecula Indians ("Temeekuyam") lived at "Temeekunga", or "the place of the sun".[18] Other popular interpretations of the name include "The sun that shines through the mist"[19] or "Where the sun breaks through the mist".[20]
The first recorded Spanish visit occurred in October 1797, with aFranciscan padre, Father Juan Norberto de Santiago, and Captain Pedro Lisalde.[20][21] Father Santiago kept a journal in which he noted seeing "Temecula ... an Indian village".[22] The trip included theLake Elsinore area and the Temecula Valley.
Little is known about the early 1800s because Temecula records were destroyed in the fire that followed the1906 San Francisco earthquake.[23]
In 1798, Spanish missionaries established the Mission of San Luis Rey de Francia and designated the Indians living in the region as "Sanluiseños", shortened to "Luiseños".[24] In the 1820s, the nearbyMission San Antonio de Pala was built.
TheMexican land grants made in the Temecula area wereRancho Temecula, granted to Felix Valdez, and to the eastRancho Pauba, granted to Vicente Moraga in 1844.Rancho Little Temecula was made in 1845 to Luiseño Pablo Apis, one of the few former mission converts to be given a land grant. It was fertile well watered land at the southern end of the valley, which included the village of Temecula.[25][26][27][28] A fourth grant, known asRancho Santa Rosa, was made to Juan Moreno in 1846, and was in the hills to the west of Temecula.
As American settlers moved into the area after the war, conflict with the native tribes increased. Atreaty was signed in the Magee Store in Temecula in 1852, but was never ratified by theUnited States Senate.[30] In addition, the Luiseños challenged the Mexican land grant claims, as, under Mexican law, the land was held in trust to be distributed to the local Indian tribes after becoming subjects.[31][32] They challenged the Apis claim to the Little Temecula Rancho by taking the case to the1851 California Land Commission. On November 15, 1853, the commission rejected the Luiseño claim; an appeal in 1856 to the district court was found to be in favor of the heirs of Pablo Apis (he had died in late 1853 or early 1854). The Luiseño of Temecula village remained on the south side of Temecula Creek when the Apis grant was acquired by Louis Wolf in 1872; they were evicted in 1875.[33]
Astagecoach line started a local route from Warner Ranch toColton in 1857 that passed through the Temecula Valley. Within a year, theButterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line, with a route betweenSt. Louis, Missouri, and San Francisco, stopped at Temecula's Magee Store.[34] 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 moved in the ensuing years; its present locations are the seventh and eighth sites occupied. TheAmerican Civil War put an end to the Butterfield Overland Stage Service, but stage service continued on the route under other stage companies until the railroad reached Fort Yuma in 1877.[35]
In 1862, Louis Wolf, a Temecula merchant and postmaster, married Ramona Place, who was mixed-race and half Indian. AuthorHelen Hunt Jackson spent time with Louis and Ramona Wolf in 1882 and again in 1883. Wolf's store became an inspiration for Jackson's fictional "Hartsel's store" in her 1884 novel,Ramona.[36]
In 1882, the United States government established the Pechanga Indian Reservation of approximately 4,000 acres (16 km2) some 6 miles (9.7 km) from downtown Temecula. Also in 1882, theCalifornia Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of theSanta Fe Railroad, completed construction of the section fromNational City to Temecula. In 1883, the line was extended toSan Bernardino. In the late 1880s, a series of floods washed out the tracks and the section of the railroad through the canyon was finally abandoned. The old Temecula station was used as a barn and later demolished.
In the 1890s, with the operation ofgranite stone quarries, Temecula granite was shaped into fence and hitching posts, curbstones, courthouse steps, and building blocks. At the turn of the 20th century, Temecula became an important shipping point for grain and cattle.
In 1904,Walter Vail, who had come to the United States with his parents fromNova Scotia, migrated to California. Along with various partners, he began buying land in Southern California. Vail bought ranchland in the Temecula Valley, buying 38,000 acres (154 km2) of Rancho Temecula and Rancho Pauba, along with the northern half of Rancho Little Temecula. Vail was killed by a streetcar 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.
By 1947, the Vail Ranch contained over 87,500 acres (354 km2). In 1948, the Vail family built a dam to catch theTemecula Creek water and createdVail Lake. Through the mid-1960s, the economy of the Temecula Valley centered around the Vail Ranch; the cattle business and agriculture were the stimuli for most business ventures.
In 1964, the Vail Ranch was sold to theKaiser—Aetna partnership. A later purchase by the group brought the total area to 97,500 acres (395 km2), and the area became known as Rancho California.
In 1970, the Temecula Town Association, a non-profit, charitable organization, incorporated.[37] In 1977, the present-day Rancho California Water District was formed.[38] On November 5, 1979,KRTM 88.9 FM went on the air in Temecula.[39]
In the 1980 census, 10,215 people were enumerated in the area, a 269 percent increase from the prior census.[40]
In 1990, the first United States Census Bureau count of Temecula as a city enumerated 27,099 people.[40] The 1990s brought rapid growth to the Temecula Valley. Many families began moving to the area from San Diego, Los Angeles, andOrange County, drawn by the affordable housing prices and the popular wine country.
In 2012, the city and the Pechanga tribe successfully blocked a proposal byGranite Construction to construct a rock quarry south of the city. The Pechanga tribe purchased the 365-acre (1.48 km2) site for $3 million, now known as Pu'eska Mountain.[47]
In 2013, the 140-bed Temecula Valley Hospital opened, providing the city with a full range of hospital services.[48]
In 2016, the Vail Headquarters historic district opened in the Redhawk Towne Center shopping center, repurposing several historic buildings such as the Wolf Store for retail, dining, and entertainment uses.[49][50]
The Temecula City Limits Sign near the border betweenRiverside andSan Diego Counties.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.19 square miles (96.3 km2), of which 37.18 square miles (96.3 km2) is land and 0.012 square miles (0.031 km2), or 0.03%, is water. South of the city,Murrieta Creek andTemecula Creek join to form theSanta Margarita River. The city is located near the border between the counties ofRiverside andSan Diego, and is also around 90 miles from Los Angeles, making it a popular tourist destination for San Diegans and Angelinos.[51]
Temecula has a hot-summerMediterranean climate (Köppen:Csa).[52] August is typically the hottest month of the year with December being the coldest month. Most precipitation occurs from November to March with February being the wettest month. Winter storms generally bring moderate precipitation, but strong winter storms are not uncommon, especially during "El Niño" years. The driest month is June. Annual precipitation is 14.14 inches (359 mm). Morningmarine layer is common during May and June. From July to September, Temecula experiences hot, dry weather with the occasional North American monsoonal flow that increases the humidity and brings isolated thunderstorms. Most of the storms tend to be short-lived with little rainfall. During late fall into winter, Temecula experiences strong, dry northeasternSanta Ana winds. Snowfall is rare, but Temecula has experienced traces of snowfall on occasion,[53] some as recently as December 2014.[54] A rare F1 tornado touched down in a Temecula neighborhood on February 19, 2005.[55]
Temecula city, California – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
The census reported that 99.8% of the population lived in households, 0.0% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.1% were institutionalized.[61]
There were 35,869 households, out of which 42.0% included children under the age of 18, 61.2% were married-couple households, 5.4% werecohabiting couple households, 21.1% had a female householder with no partner present, and 12.3% had a male householder with no partner present. 15.0% of households were one person, and 6.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.06.[61] There were 28,755families (80.2% of all households).[62]
The age distribution was 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.3% aged 18 to 24, 25.5% aged 25 to 44, 26.7% aged 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 37.0years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males.[61]
There were 37,170 housing units at an average density of 997.4 units per square mile (385.1 units/km2), of which 35,869 (96.5%) were occupied. Of these, 65.4% were owner-occupied, and 34.6% were occupied by renters.[61]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $117,840, and theper capita income was $44,826. About 5.2% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line.[63]
As of 2010 Temecula had a population of 100,097.[64] The population density was 3,318 inhabitants per square mile (1,281/km2). The racial makeup of Temecula was 70,880 (70.8%)White (57.2% Non-Hispanic White),[65] 4,132 (4.1%)African American, 1,079 (1.1%)Native American, 9,765 (9.8%)Asian, 368 (0.4%)Pacific Islander, 7,928 (7.9%) fromother races, and 5,945 (5.9%) from two or more races. There were 24,727 people ofHispanic orLatino origin, of any race (24.7%).
The Census reported that 99,968 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 121 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and eight (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 31,781 households, out of which 15,958 (50.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 20,483 (64.5%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 3,763 (11.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,580 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,463 (4.6%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 186 (0.6%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,400 households (13.8%) were made up of individuals, and 1,387 (4.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15. There were 25,826families (81.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.46.
The population was spread out, with 30,690 people (30.7%) under the age of 18, 9,317 people (9.3%) aged 18 to 24, 27,869 people (27.8%) aged 25 to 44, 24,416 people (24.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,805 people (7.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
There were 34,004 housing units at an average density of 1,127.2 units per square mile (435.2 units/km2), of which 21,984 (69.2%) were owner-occupied, and 9,797 (30.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.1%. 69,929 people (69.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 30,039 people (30.0%) lived in rental housing units.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey reported an estimated 1.5% of the population of Temecula's working force, or 1,085 individuals, were involved with the U.S. Armed Forces as of 2011. This figure is slightly higher than the 2011 estimated national average of 0.5%.[66]
During 2013–2017, Temecula had a median household income of $87,115, with 6.8% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[67] In 2017, Temecula had an estimated average household income of $97,573.[68] According to the Temecula Office of Economic Development, the city has an actual average household income of $103,945 in 2019.[69]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the percentage of city residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher during 2013–2017 was 32.1%.[70]
TheTemecula Valley Wine Country, whose first commercial winegrapes were planted in 1967, features nearly 50 wineries,[74] many tasting rooms,[75] and more than 3,500 acres (14 km2) of producing vineyards. The wine country is located east of the Temecula city limits. The annualTemecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival, held at nearbyLake Skinner, offers live entertainment, hot air balloon rides, and wine tasting.
There are several local golf courses, including Pechanga's Journey, Redhawk, Temecula Creek Inn, The Legends Golf Club at Temeku Hills, CrossCreek, Pala Mesa Resort (near Fallbrook) and The Golf Club at Rancho California (in nearby Murrieta).
Old Town Temecula, the city's downtown district, is a collection of historic buildings, hotels, museums, event centers, specialty food stores, restaurants, boutiques, gift and collectible stores, and antique dealers. On Saturdays, Old Town has an outdoorfarmers' market featuring approximately 70 to 80 local vendors.[76] Old Town is also home to special events including the Rod Run car show, 4 July Parade, Outdoor Quilt Show, and Santa's Electric Parade Show. Old Town also hosts a growing nightlife.
Old Town is also home to the Temecula Valley Museum, which features exhibits about the local band of Native Americans and the local natural history and city development.[77] The City Hall is located in the center of Old Town.
Old Town has the Old Town Temecula Community Theater, a 354-seatproscenium theater[78] as well as The Merc, a 48-seatblackbox performance venue adjacent to the main theater.
In 2002, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians opened the $262 millionPechanga Resort Casino outside of the city limits. It employs 5,000 people and is Temecula Valley's largest employer.[79]
Temecula is home to the Temecula Valley Inline Hockey Association (TVIHA), a localinline hockey organization that provides school and recreational programs.[83]
Since 2012, Temecula has also been home to the Wine Town Rollers (WTR) roller derby league.
Temecula is home to a semi-pro soccer team,Temecula FC (also known as the Quails). The area used to have another semi-pro soccer team, the Murrieta Bandits, in the 2000s.
Temecula has 41 parks, 22 miles (35 km) of trails, and 14 major community facilities.[86] In 2013, it was named a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community and it was named a Playful City USA.[87][88] Temecula's Pennypickle's Workshop was a winner of Nickelodeon's Parents' Picks Award for "Best Museum" and "Best Kids' Party Place".[89]
Temecula's sports parks include the Ronald Reagan Sports Park (formerly the Rancho California Sports Park)[90] and the Patricia H. Birdsall Sports Park.
Temecula offers various sport options as youth extracurricular activities, such as football (both flag and Pop Warner), cheerleading, roller hockey, wrestling, basketball, baseball, soccer, and lacrosse. In 2010, the Temecula Mountain Lions Rugby Club was started. The club offers men's, women's, and youth teams. In their first season, the Temecula Mountain Lions Rugby Club's men's team won the SCRFU Open Division Championship.
The district's general boundaries extend north to French Valley, south to the Riverside/San Diego county line, east toVail Lake, and west to the Temecula city limit. The district covers approximately 148 square miles (383 km2), with an enrollment of over 28,000 students.[96]
Temecula is home toMt. San Jacinto College, a public community college. Mt. San Jacinto College relocated from a smaller site west of Interstate 15 after purchasing two 5-story buildings fromAbbott Laboratories in 2018.[97] The first phase of the nearly 350,000-square-foot (33,000 m2) campus opened in August 2021.[98][99]
Interstate 15 has three full interchanges in Temecula, and a fourth, French Valley Parkway, is partially constructed, with only the southbound off-ramp completed. Construction has begun on a set of additional northbound lanes that would eliminateweaving near the planned interchange between Winchester Road and the I-15/I-215 split, but completion of the interchange itself, and thecollector-distributor lane system that accompanies it, is not anticipated for several more years.[103][104]
State Route 79 enters the Temecula area after passing Vail Lake, parallelingTemecula Creek for several miles, and it becomes a six-lane, city-maintained thoroughfare known as Temecula Parkway before it overlaps with Interstate 15. It leaves the freeway three miles (5 km) later as Winchester Road (which is maintained by the city until it reaches the northern city limits) and continues north toward the cities ofHemet,San Jacinto, andBeaumont.
Major west-east thoroughfares in the city include Murrieta Hot Springs Road, Nicholas Road, Rancho California Road, Pauba Road, and Temecula Parkway. Major north-south thoroughfares include Jefferson Avenue, Ynez Road, Margarita Road, Meadows Parkway, and Butterfield Stage Road. Pechanga Parkway, which runs through the southwest portion of the city, carries the routing ofCounty Route S16, although it is not signed as such within the city limits.
The possibility of extendingMetrolink's91/Perris Valley Line fromSouth Perris to Temecula was considered in a 2005 feasibility study, which would have the extension run along either Winchester Road or Interstate 215, though this extension was never created.[106]
The Temecula Cemetery is operated by the Temecula Public Cemetery District.[108] Land for the cemetery was originally donated by Mercedes Pujol in 1884 from the estate of her husband, Domingo Pujol.[109]
Temecula is home to Temecula Valley Hospital, a five-story, 140-bed hospital that opened in October 2013.[110][111] Temecula Valley Hospital is a member ofUniversal Health Services.[112]
Police service in Temecula is provided in cooperation with theRiverside County Sheriff's Department via a contract with the department fulfilled through its Southwest Sheriff's Station, located in the unincorporated community ofFrench Valley, just north of the city of Temecula, east ofState Route 79 (Winchester Road). The station is adjacent to the Riverside County Superior Court's Southwest Regional Judicial District Courthouse and Southwest Detention Center, one of the five regional jails in Riverside County. The sheriff's station is currently commanded by Captain Lisa McConnell,[116] who also serves as Temecula's Chief of Police.
The city of Temecula contracts for fire and paramedic services with the Riverside County Fire Department through a cooperative agreement withCAL FIRE. Temecula currently has five fire stations with five paramedic engine companies, one truck company and two CAL FIRE wildland fire engines.[117]
The Islamic Center of Temecula Valley, which is located in the northeastern part of the city.[122][123][124]
Reliance Church, located on Santiago Road east of Old Town Temecula. The church is built on the site of Temecula's first schoolhouse, which was built in 1889. The schoolhouse was converted into a chapel in 1915 and is still in use as part of the church.[125]
St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Parish, which was established in 1910 with a chapel built in Old Town Temecula in 1917. To make space for its growing congregation, the parish relocated and sold its former chapel (now known as theChapel of Memories) to the Old Town Museum for a dollar.[126]
The city dedicated a Japanese Garden at the Temecula Duck Pond to honor the 10th anniversary of their relationship with sister city Daisen.
The Temecula Duck Pond is also home to an art piece entitled "Singing in the Rain". It was commissioned by the city of Leidschendam-Voorburg as a gift to the city to commemorate the resilient American spirit in the aftermath of theSeptember 11 attacks. The piece depicts a mother and her children bravely pedaling a bicycle into the strong headwinds of a storm.[128]
^Barnett, Loretta, and Rebecca Farnbach. (2006).Temecula. San Francisco: Arcadia Publishing. p. 18.ISBN0738530956.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^In one of Ronald Reagan's presidential speeches, Temecula was mentioned by President Reagan, where he said: "There are similar stories right here in California, the folks in a rather small town, Temecula. They got together and built themselves a sports park, held fundraising barbecues and dinners. And those that didn't have money, volunteered the time and energy. And now the young people of that community have baseball diamonds for Little League and other sports events, just due to what's traditional Americanism." – at a luncheon meeting of the United States Olympic Committee in Los Angeles, California March 3, 1983. SeeCity of Temecula: Ronald Reagan Sports ParkArchived September 21, 2013, at theWayback Machine
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