Yorba Linda is named after DonBernardo Yorba, notedCalifornio figure in early 19th century California.
The name Yorba Linda is made up of two parts: Yorba, after DonBernardo Yorba, aCalifornio ranchero who historically owned the area, andlinda, Spanish for beautiful. The name was created in 1908 by theJanss Investment Company.[8][9]
The area is the home of theTongva,Luiseño, andJuaneño tribal nations, who were there "as early as 4,000 years ago."[10] The Tongva defined their world asTovaangar, a nation which "extended from Palos Verdes to San Bernardino, from Saddleback Mountain to the San Fernando Valley" and included the entire territory of present-day Yorba Linda. Spanish colonization between 1769 and 1840 brought "disease, invasive species, and livestock" into the area, which "upended the ecological balance of the region and forced the Tongva to resettle around three missions."[11] The village ofHutuknga was located in the area of Yorba Linda.[12][13]
In 1810, the Spanish crown grantedJosé Antonio Yorba 63,414 acres of land, which "spread across much of modern-day Orange County." In 1834, following Mexico's independence from Spain, Yorba's most successful son,Bernardo Yorba (after whom the city would later be named), was granted the 13,328-acre (53.94 km2)Rancho Cañón de Santa Ana by Mexican governorJosé Figueroa. Most of this original land was retained after theMexican–American War in 1848 by descendants of the Yorba family. A portion of the city's land is still owned and developed by descendants ofSamuel Kraemer, who acquired it through his marriage to Angelina Yorba, the great-granddaughter of Bernardo Yorba. The site of theBernardo Yorba Hacienda, referred to as the Don Bernardo Yorba Ranch House Site, is listed as aCalifornia Historical Landmark.[14]
Near that same site sits the second oldest private cemetery in the county, the historicYorba Cemetery.[15] The land was given to theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Bernardo Yorba[15] in 1858[16] since Orange County was not established out ofLos Angeles County as a separate county until 1889.[17] The cemetery closed in 1939 and was subsequently vandalized; however, in the 1960s, the Orange County Board of Supervisors took possession of the property to repair the damage, and tours are now available one day per month.[15]
A section of the land was sold in 1907 by the Yorba family to Fullerton businessman Jacob Stern, who used the land for barley fields and sheep grazing. Stern subsequently sold the tract to theJanss Investment Company, which first called the area Yorba Linda,[8] and proceeded to subdivide the land and sell it for agriculture and manufacturing. In 1910, the agricultural aspect of that endeavor materialized, and the first of manylemon andorangegroves were planted: at the time, the population was still less than 50.[16] A year later,The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company began serving Yorba Linda, and the firstschool was constructed.[16]
In 1912, several things happened in Yorba Linda: it received its firstpost office; the Yorba Linda Citrus Association was founded; theSouthern California Edison Company began providingelectricity; and the firstchurch was constructed.[16] The area that would later become downtown was also connected to Los Angeles by thePacific Electric Railway in 1912, primarily for citrus transport.[8]
In 1913,Richard Nixon was born in Yorba Linda, thechamber of commerce was set up, a library opened as part of the school, andavocado trees were first planted.[16] A year later, a separate district was established for the library system.[16]
In 1915, theSusanna Bixby Bryant Ranch house was constructed.[16] It is a museum that is open to the public.[18]
In 1917, the first street was paved, Yorba Linda Boulevard.[16] TheYorba Linda Star began publication also.[19] It has since become an online section of theOC Register.[20] A printed version of the Star is available at various city buildings free of charge and is delivered to every household in Yorba Linda each Thursday. Past articles are onmicrofilm at the Yorba Linda Public Library.[19]
The population exceeded 300 for the first time prior to 1920.[16] In 1929, the citrus association'spacking house burned down, as it was made of wood.[16] It reopened the next year.[16] During this period, the eastern two-thirds of Yorba Linda (east of the Yorba Linda Country Club) remained part of cattle and agricultural ranches controlled by pioneer families such as the Yorba, de los Reyes, Kraemer, Travis, Dominguez, Friend, and Bryant ranches.
From 1943 to 1958, "approximately seventy thousandbraceros were transported to Orange County," used by employers to service citrus crops. Braceros lived in temporary housing projects referred to as "camps," which were policed by local deputies throughout the county.[21] The townspeople of Yorba Linda "refused to allow the housing of braceros in their city, forcing the nearby town ofPlacentia to board them within the segregated Mexicancolonia."[22]
Sunkist citrus packing house, 1961This housing development in 1966 was the result of a population increase in the 1960s, from 1,198 people in 1960 to 11,856 in 1970.Yorba Linda's city flag from 1981 to 2021.
The small town had grown significantly by the 1960s, with more than 1,000 residents by the1960 census. Three annexation attempts were made by adjoining cities:Brea in 1958 andAnaheim andPlacentia in 1963.[16] These experiences culminated in incorporation, which occurred in 1967.[8]
The new city implemented a municipalgeneral plan in 1972.[16] By the1980 census, the population was nearing 30,000.[16] Within ten years it exceeded 50,000.[16]
In November 2008, eastern Yorba Lindasuffered from fires that destroyed 113 homes and damaged 50 others. The destruction was due largely to erratic winds causing embers to fly up to half a mile away.
On February 3, 2019, at approximately 1:45 pm, a twin engine 1981 Cessna (N414RS) on route fromFullerton Municipal Airport to Nevada crashed from roughly 7,500 ft into a single family residence in the 19700 block of Crestknoll Drive near Glenknoll Elementary School. The pilot (75-year-old Antonio Pastini) and four individuals in the residence were killed.[27]
In October of the heightened2020 California wildfires, fires destroyed one home and damaged ten others in the Yorba Linda area. Initially a brush fire, the Blue Ridge Fire quickly spread to 13,964 acres before being doused on November 11, 2020.[28][29]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.97 square miles (51.7 km2). 19.95 square miles (51.7 km2) of which is land and 0.02 square miles (0.052 km2) (0.10%), water.[5]
It has twoZIP codes, 92886 and 92887, covering approximately the western and eastern portions of the city, respectively. A third, 92885, exists exclusively forPO Boxes.[30] The city is served byarea codes 657 and 714 in a geographical overlay situation, in which 714 numbers were running out, so that 657 numbers are now also being issued in the same area. Eleven-digit dialing is therefore now required for local calls.
The city receives 14 inches (360 mm) to 15 inches (380 mm) ofrain per year on average.[32] The averagetemperatures in January and July are 55 °F (13 °C) and 71 °F (22 °C), respectively, with the overallaverage for the year at 63 °F (17 °C).[32]Humidity, likewise respectively, is 52%, 60%, and 56% on average.[32] Yorba Linda is in aMediterranean climate (Csa).[33]
Yorba Linda first appeared as a city in the1960 U.S. census.[45] Prior to that, the area was part of unincorporated Orange Township.[44]
Yorba Linda 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 99.3% of the population lived in households, 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.5% were institutionalized.[57]
There were 23,083 households, out of which 35.0% included children under the age of 18, 68.3% were married-couple households, 3.1% werecohabiting couple households, 19.0% had a female householder with no partner present, and 9.5% had a male householder with no partner present. 14.2% of households were one person, and 8.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.94.[57] There were 18,974families (82.2% of all households).[58]
The age distribution was 21.5% under the age of 18, 8.4% aged 18 to 24, 20.5% aged 25 to 44, 29.8% aged 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 44.7years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males.[57]
There were 23,685 housing units at an average density of 1,187.0 units per square mile (458.3 units/km2), of which 23,083 (97.5%) were occupied. Of these, 82.6% were owner-occupied, and 17.4% were occupied by renters.[57]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $152,060, and theper capita income was $67,109. About 4.9% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line.[59]
The population density was 3,208.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,238.9/km2).
The racial makeup of Yorba Linda was:
48,246 (75.1%) White (65.7% Non-Hispanic White, 9.4% White Hispanic)[61]
10,030 (15.6%) Asian
9,220 (14.4%) Hispanic or Latino of any race
835 (1.3%) African American
230 (0.4%) Native American
85 (0.1%) Pacific Islander
2,256 (3.5%) from other races
2,552 (4.0%) from two or more races.
The Census reported that 64,044 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 97 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 93 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 21,576 households, out of which 8,535 (39.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,102 (70.0%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 1,844 (8.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 758 (3.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 554 (2.6%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 101 (0.5%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,119 households (14.5%) were made up of individuals, and 1,515 (7.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97. There were 17,704families (82.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.29.
There were 15,792 residents (24.6%) under the age of 18, 5,574 (8.7%) aged 18 to 24, 13,848 (21.6%) aged 25 to 44, 21,414 (33.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,606 (11.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
There were 22,305 housing units at an average density of 1,114.2 per square mile (430.2/km2), of which 18,108 (83.9%) were owner-occupied, and 3,468 (16.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.0%. 54,464 people (84.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 9,580 people (14.9%) lived in rental housing units.
During 2009–2013, Yorba Linda had a median household income of $112,259, with 3.1% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[61]
In 2016, construction began on the Yorba Linda Town Center, a 125,000-square-foot shopping and dining center on the corner of Yorba Linda Boulevard and Imperial Highway, featuringBristol Farms as an anchor tenant. The shopping center opened in April 2019.[68][69]
There are over 1,000 businesses in the city, not including an additional 1,500 home-based businesses.[70] The city also owns Black Gold Golf Club.[71] Non-profit charities based in Yorba Linda includeInternational Student Volunteers and STEMpowerment Inc.
Savi Ranch is an acronym ofSantaAnaValleyIrrigation, an early water company.[72] Savi Ranch today contains retailers, auto dealers, restaurants, hotels, and office buildings.[73]
Originally, the city pursued construction of anauto mall on the entire Savi Ranch site.[74] The original plan was rejected by residents in favor of a combination of retail stores, restaurants, hotels, and office buildings
As a significant source ofsales tax revenue to Yorba Linda and as one of the firstanchor tenants (along withBest Buy),[75]The Home Depot became a political talking point in its own right,[76] due to the geography that divides Savi Ranch into two sections, the larger east side falling within Yorba Linda's city limits, and the west side where Home Depot is situated falling within the adjacent city of Anaheim boundaries.
Also located in the Yorba Linda side of Savi Ranch is the headquarters ofJohn Force Racing, housing operations & hosting displays of legendary 16-timeNHRAFunny Car ChampionJohn Force, his team of drivers, and their cars.
The Library Commission, founded in 1913, operates the Yorba Linda Library.[78] A new library was opened in 1960.[79] The library has several special collections, including aseed saving collection.[80]
Yorba Linda was, at one point in time, California's most conservative large community, as measured by the proportion of conservative to liberal voters.[87] Although Democrats have been making inroads in Orange County as a whole, as well as the city itself, Yorba Linda is still one of the most consistently Republican cities in the county and state as a whole. Every GOP candidate for president since the city's incorporation in 1967 has received over 52% of the vote in the city.
As of February 2020, the California Secretary of State reported that Yorba Linda had 43,989 registered voters; of those, 10,413 (23.67%) are registered Democrats, 22,025 (50.07%) are registered Republicans, and 9,604 (21.83%) have stated no political party preference.[88] The city voted forCalifornia Proposition 8 by 65.8% and forProposition 4 by 59.3%, displaying a socially conservative bent.[89] Yorba Linda was one of just three Californian cities to pass a measure in their city council proclaiming its support for the Arizona immigration law, SB1070.[90]
Yorba Linda city vote by party in presidential elections[91]
Thecity council consists of five members that are elected by residents to four-year terms, with a three-term limit.[106] The council elects its own mayor at the end of every year, whose duties are largely ceremonial because the city employs acouncil-manager form of government and thecity manager runs day-to-day operations.[107]
Yorba Linda has four commissions, which meet monthly or bimonthly, to advise the city council about their respective projects: planning, traffic, parks and recreation, and library.[108]
From 1971 to 2013, police services were provided by theBrea Police Department, the first time a municipality, rather than a county sheriff's department, provided police services to another municipality in California.[119] Law enforcement was then contracted to theOrange County Sheriff's Department.[120]
Richard Nixon – 37th President of the United States. Richard Nixon was born in Yorba Linda in 1913 and lived there until 1922. His reconstructed home is listed as aNational Historic Landmark and a California Historical Landmark. Adjacent to this home is theRichard Nixon Library and Museum.
Jessamyn West – second cousin to Richard Nixon on her mother's side of the family,[138] authored 1945 novelThe Friendly Persuasion; a city park is named in her honor, Jessamyn West Park on Yorba Linda Boulevard
^"Timeline".yorba linda history. RetrievedJuly 24, 2020.1908 The Janss Investment Company bought from Jacob Stern part of the land that made up the Rancho Cañon de Santa Ana. They named the area "Yorba Linda" and began selling it by the acre in 1909.
^Koerper, Henry; Mason, Roger; Peterson, Mark (2002).Catalysts to complexity : late Holocene societies of the California coast. Jon Erlandson, Terry L. Jones, Jeanne E. Arnold, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA. Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA. pp. 64–66, 79.ISBN978-1-938770-67-8.OCLC745176510.
^Akins, Damon B. (2021).We are the land : a history of Native California. William J., Jr. Bauer. Oakland, California. p. 263.ISBN978-0-520-28049-6.OCLC1176314767.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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