My Analysis of the Central Coast and Southern California (Part 7): Riverside County

Riverside County

Demographics (2010): 45.5% Hispanic, 40.7% Non-Hispanic White, 6.4% Black, 6.0% Asian

Population (2010): 2,189,641

Growth rate: Very fast (59.9% since 2000)

President: 57.83% R/41.04% R (2004); 50.21% D/47.90% R (2008); 49.62% D/47.97% R (2012); 49.73% D/44.35% R (2016)

MHI (2000): $42,887

% Bachelor’s (2018): 21.8%

Stretching 180 miles from east to west with about as much land as New Jersey, Riverside County has been one of the fastest-growing counties in recent decades, mostly from people moving from Los Angeles and Orange County, and later San Diego for relatively affordable housing. It is now the fourth-most populous county in the state and the tenth-most populous county in the country.

Riverside County has two significant population centers: its share of the Inland Empire in the west, and the Coachella Valley in the center. The rest of the population lives scattered throughout the deserts in the rest of the county, including communities along the Salton Sea and Colorado River (the largest being Blythe). Most of Joshua Tree National Park is in the county.

The county got its name from the city of Riverside, which itself was named after its geography, being on a side of the Santa Ana River. Portions of San Bernardino and San Diego Counties were carved out in 1893 to form Riverside County.

Lane markings on roads started in Riverside County, when Dr. June McCarroll suggested them to the state government in 1915.

One of the oldest airfields still in operation is also in Riverside County. March Air Reserve Base was established in 1918 as an Army Air Service training camp after the United States entered World War I and was named after Lieutenant Peyton C. March, Jr. It was renamed March Air Force Base in 1947 and then became a reserve base in 1996.

The promotion of Riverside as a prime real estate destination began in the 1970s, after being strictly where long-distance commuters to Los Angeles and Orange County lived. The establishment of manufacturing, light industry, and trucking businesses in and around Riverside brought the rapid growth. After a long history of voting Republican, including for Herbert Hoover in 1932, Riverside became more of a swing county. While it has gone Democratic for President in the last 3 elections, it voted for John Cox (R) for governor in 2018 even as neighboring Orange County went to Gavin Newsom (D).

Inland Empire

Riverside

Demographics (2010): 49.0% Hispanic, 34.0% Non-Hispanic White, 7.4% Asian, 7.0% Black

Population (2010): 303,871

President: 52.05% R / 46.69% D (2004), 56.08% D / 41.77% R (2008), 56.64% D / 40.84% R (2012), 56.41% D / 37.20% R (2016)

MHI (2010): $56,403

% Bachelor’s (2018): 22.6%

The city of Riverside, now the largest city in the Inland Empire, got its name from its being situated on a side of the Santa Ana River. Unlike many California cities, no mission went up in what is now Riverside. In the 1860s, abolitionist and temperance advocate John W. North formed the Southern California Colony Association. Riverside followed North’s ideology and was also temperance-minded and Republican.

The famous California citrus industry started in Riverside. Navel orange trees were first planted here in 1871 and produced a great harvest. The industry took off in 1874 with the introduction of three Brazilian navel orange trees from Bahia, that fared significantly better in Southern California than in Florida. One of the trees died when a cow trampled it. The other two were transplanted, one of them to the Mission Inn in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt (R). This tree died in 1922. The remaining tree, the Parent Washington Navel Orange Tree from which all West Coast navel orange trees descend, still stands today in a major intersection.

A gold rush-like boom came to Riverside when many Brazilian navel oranges were cultivated. At the peak of citrus in the area, more than half a million citrus trees existed statewide, with almost half in Riverside alone. The advent of refrigerated railroad cars and an extensive irrigation system resulted in Riverside having the highest median income per capita in 1895. The citrus industry is commemorated in the California Citrus State Historic Park.

Mission Inn, the largest Mission Revival-style building in the country was built in the early 1900s and hosted many celebrities and presidents.

Like in much of Southern California, in the mid-20th century the citrus trees and groves gave way to urban and suburban development. Today Riverside’s economy is mostly based on light industry with some legal, accounting, engineering, and banking firms.

Moreno Valley

Moreno Valley

Demographics (2010): 54.4% Hispanic, 18.9% Non-Hispanic White, 18.0% Black, 6.1% Asian

Population (2010): 193,365

President: 52.59% D / 46.43% R (2004), 65.56% D / 32.86% R (2008), 68.83% D / 29.44% R (2012), 67.35% D / 27.21% R (2016)

MHI (2000): $47,387

% Bachelor’s (2018): 16.1%

Moreno means “brown” in Spanish. Frank E. Brown, one of the founders of the town of Moreno, didn’t want the city named directly after him, so “Moreno” was chosen. Moreno started out supplying water from the San Bernardino Mountains in Bear Valley. Redlands later won a lawsuit in which it claimed to own the Bear Valley water, so Moreno went into decline.

Revival came in the 1910s with the establishment of March Field by the Army Air Service for World War I. The field became a full-fledged air force base in the 1920s, and the surrounding communities including Moreno became more developed. Military pilots during World War II were also trained at March Field. After World War II March Field became March Air Force Base, and then March Joint Air Reserve Base in 1996.

Economic growth in the 1980s brought population growth to Moreno Valley, which incorporated in 1984. The economic downturn and the downsizing of March Air Force Base to March Joint Air Reserve Base in the 1990s hit the city hard. The relatively cheap land and housing prices at the turn of the 21st century brought a revival to Moreno Valley. The city took a hit from the late-2000s recession but development returned soon after.

Corona

Demographics (2010): 41.9% Hispanic, 40.1% Non-Hispanic White, 10.6% Asian, 5.9% Black

Population (2010): 152,374

President: 60.91% R / 38.20% D (2004), 49.49% R / 48.81% D (2008), 50.61% R / 47.12% D (2012), 48.87% D / 45.58% R (2016)

MHI (2000): $98,615

% Bachelor’s (2018): 27.2%

Corona means “crown” in Spanish and was so named (and nicknamed, Circle City) because of its street layout. Corona’s streets consist of a grid and Grand Boulevard, which is shaped like a circle. Celebrities were drawn to Corona’s upscale areas and its relative seclusion; Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were among them.

Corona started out as a community called South Riverside and was founded at the peak of the 1886 citrus boom. Lemons played a considerable role in the local economy, so much that Corona was dubbed “The Lemon Capital of the World”. Later Corona became “the Gateway to the Inland Empire” and the citrus orchards, dairy farms, and ranches gave way to housing development for Los Angeles and Orange County residents seeking affordable housing.

Residents of Corona and other cities nearby that were dissatisfied with how services were handled elsewhere, considered forming their own county, Corona County, in 2002. The plans never saw the light of day.

Murrieta

Demographics (2010): 55.7% Non-Hispanic White, 25.9% Hispanic, 9.2% Asian, 5.4% Black

Population (2010): 103,466

President: 69.61% R / 29.60% D (2004), 58.49% R / 40.01% D (2008), 61.58% R / 36.52% D (2012), 57.90% R / 36.77% D (2016)

MHI (2000): $78,883

% Bachelor’s (2018): 30.1%

Murrieta started as a railroad depot in the late 1800s on the Southern California Railroad that drew tourists to the area including the local hot springs. The boom in Murrieta went bust when the trains and tourists stopped coming in the Great Depression. The growth would not come back until Interstate 15 in the 1980s brought in people from surrounding cities.

Murrieta’s motto is “Gem of the Valley”, and a diamond is prominently featured on its seal and other city signs.

Temecula

Demographics (2010): 57.2% Non-Hispanic White, 24.7% Hispanic, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% Black

Population (2010): 100,097

President: 68.95% R / 30.27% D (2004), 57.87% R / 40.65% D (2008), 61.05% R / 36.83% D (2012), 55.67% R / 38.18% D (2016)

MHI (2000): $75,335

% Bachelor’s (2018): 32.7%

Temecula is a wine and resort city with its location in the Temecula Valley Wine Country. Being part of the southwest anchor of the Inland Empire, Temecula is closer to San Diego (58 miles) than to Los Angeles (85 miles). Temecula’s name comes from the Luiseño word “Temecunga” (place of the sun).

The first inland post office in Southern California was established in Temecula in 1859, in the Magee Store. The Magee Store was a stop for stagecoaches traveling between St. Louis and San Francisco. Later the economy shifted to granite stone quarries and shipping grain and cattle.

The completion of the Interstate 15 corridor in the 1980s brought the land boom to Temecula, drawing families attracted by affordable housing, the wine country, and Old Town.

Hemet

Demographics (2010): 51.8% Non-Hispanic White, 35.8% Hispanic, 6.4% Black, 3.0% Asian

Population (2010): 85,275

President: 60.41% R / 38.49% D (2004), 53.82% R / 44.34% D (2008), 53.92% R / 44.03% D (2012), 52.02% R / 43.16% D (2016)

MHI (2000): $34,974

% Bachelor’s (2000): 11.6%

Hemet was founded in 1887 around Lake Hemet and incorporated in 1910. Early economic activity included trade for the San Jacinto Valley farms. The Agricultural District Farmer’s Fair began in Hemet in 1936 and had been hosted there for many years before moving to Perris.

Hemet was once a sundown town where African Americans worked during the day but had to leave at night, for cities such as Perris. Later, residential development began, with mobile home parks and retirement communities. Single-family homes came in the next few decades and the city rapidly grew as working-class families found the city’s relatively rural atmosphere and relatively affordable home prices attractive.

Today Hemet is known for hosting The Ramona Pageant, California’s official outdoor play and one of the longest running outdoor plays in the United States, dating to 1923. The city has also been named a Tree City for preserving its local forest.

Menifee

Demographics (2010): 54.2% Non-Hispanic White, 33.0% Hispanic, 5.0% Black, 4.9% Asian

Population (2010): 77,519

President: 58.04% R / 40.21% D (2012), 56.52% R / 38.55% D (2016)

MHI (2000): $54,903

% Bachelor’s (2018): 19.1%

Menifee

Starting out as a farming community, Menifee got its name from miner Luther Menifee Wilson, who found a quartz lode. Development came when Phoenix contractor Del Webb envisioned a retirement community in the early 1960s. This community came to be called Sun City. Further growth came in 1989 when the master-planned Menifee Lakes community went up. Without much in the way of businesses, residents worked or patronized businesses in nearby cities. Residents voted to incorporate in 2008.

Perris

Demographics (2010): 71.8% Hispanic, 12.1% Black, 11.0% Non-Hispanic White, 3.6% Asian

Population (2010): 68,386

President: 57.17% D / 41.66% R (2004), 72.14% D / 26.51% R (2008), 77.91% D / 20.56% R (2012), 75.19% D / 19.06% R (2016)

MHI (2000): $35,522

% Bachelor’s (2000): 8.5%

The city of Perris is named after the chief engineer of the Southern California Railroad, Fred T. Perris. Perris is home to Lake Perris and is recognized for its options of aerial activities such as skydiving and hot-air ballooning. Like many Southern California communities, Perris grew rapidly in the boom of the 1880s, around a depot on the California Southern Railroad. After a land title dispute in Pinacate, citizens moved north to establish Perris.

Pinacate Station is now in Perris and the location of the Orange Empire Railway Museum, or “the trolley museum”.

More recently, Perris was referred to as “the epicenter” of the foreclosure crisis in 2008. The infamous Turpin house is in Perris and was where in 2018 authorities found 13 siblings held captive by their parents and were found to be malnourished.

Eastvale

Demographics (2010): 40.0% Hispanic, 24.2% Asian, 23.7% Non-Hispanic White, 9.7% Black

Population (2010): 53,668

President: 55.87% D / 42.26% R (2012), 55.27% D / 40.06% R (2016)

MHI (2010): $109,841

% Bachelor’s (2018): 35.7%

Eastvale started out as an agricultural area with many dairy farms and remained that way for most of its history. Like many cities in Riverside County, expats from Los Angeles and Orange Counties came for more affordable housing. Attempts to incorporate were made in the 2000s after the passage of AB 1602 added funds from vehicle license fees. Opposition groups feared that the community didn’t have a large enough tax base to support itself, and that county resources were enough. Eventually, the campaign to incorporate succeeded in 2010.

Lake Elsinore

Demographics (2010): 48.4% Hispanic, 37.8% Non-Hispanic White, 5.8% Asian, 5.3% Black

Population (2010): 51,821

President: 62.05% R / 36.76% D (2004), 50.74% D / 47.37% R (2008), 49.19% R / 48.51% D (2012), 48.41% R / 46.22% D (2016)

MHI (2010): $62,436

% Bachelor’s (2018): 17.1%

Located on the natural freshwater lake of Lake Elsinore in the Elsinore Valley, Lake Elsinore got its name from the Danish city Helsingor, from the famous Shakespearean play Hamlet. The lake was a camping and watering spot for Mexican rancheros, American trappers, gold prospectors, and John C. Fremont. Lake Elsinore began as a resort town and its economy later expanded to mining and agriculture. Many celebrities in the early 20th century came to Lake Elsinore to get out of the city including Aimee Semple McPherson and Bela Lugosi.

In 1966, Lake Elsinore was the first city in California to elect a black mayor, Tom Yarborough, three years before Douglas Dollarhide was elected mayor of Compton.

After many cycles of droughts and heavy rains repeatedly emptying and refilling the lake while flooding the surrounding areas, the Alberhill Creek was built. Later, rapid growth in the early 2000s brought many upper middle-class professionals to Lake Elsinore.

San Jacinto

Demographics (2010): 52.3% Hispanic, 35.1% Non-Hispanic White, 6.6% Black, 3.0% Asian

Population (2010): 44,199

President: 60.15% R / 38.85% D (2004), 50.22% D / 47.88% R (2008), 51.58% D / 45.74% R (2012), 52.65% D / 41.67% R (2016)

MHI (2010): $47,453

% Bachelor’s (2018): 12.2%

San Jacinto is one of the oldest cities in Riverside County, incorporated in 1888. Originally part of Rancho San Jacinto Viejo land grant, San Jacinto arose from a small American community in the rancho. Agriculture was historically the economic backbone of San Jacinto, as well as tourists who patronized the area’s hot springs. California’s official State Outdoor Play, the Ramona Pageant, began in San Jacinto in 1923. In 1937, the longest uninterrupted plane flight at the time landed in San Jacinto from Moscow in the USSR. The San Jacinto Reservoir is an artificial lake that supplies the San Diego Aqueduct, a branch of the Colorado River Aqueduct.

Beaumont

Demographics (2010): 42.9% Non-Hispanic White, 40.3% Hispanic, 7.7% Asian, 6.2% Black

Population (2010): 36,877

President: 61.48% R / 37.18% D (2004), 50.96% R / 47.28% D (2008), 52.60% R / 45.39% D (2012), 50.75% R / 44.25% D (2016)

MHI (2010): $67,758

% Bachelor’s (2018): 25.3%

Upon the discovery of the San Gorgonio Pass, plans were made to connect a railway from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, and the Southern Pacific Railroad got down to business. A site at the summit of the pass was named Edgar Station after a physician that was part of the original expedition, and served as a rest stop for desert travelers. Later Edgar Station was renamed to San Gorgonio, and in 1912 upon incorporation, Beaumont (“beautiful mountain” in French). Beaumont was nicknamed “the land of the big red apple” because of the many apple orchards in the area. Later, they capitalized on the growing presence of tourists with dude ranches. The early-2000s population boom from Angelenos moving to the San Gorgonio Pass area made Beaumont the fastest-growing city in the state.

Jurupa Valley

Demographics (2010): 70.7% Hispanic, 21.4% Non-Hispanic White, 3.2% Black, 3.2% Asian

Population (2010): 94,234

President: 56.62% D / 40.84% R (2012), 57.51% D / 36.98% R (2016)

MHI (2018): $67,002

% Bachelor’s (2018): 12.1%

After an unsuccessful campaign to incorporate in 1992, residents of Jurupa Valley voted to incorporate in 2011. Before then, the area consisted of the communities of Glen Avon, Mira Loma, Pedley, Rubidoux, and Sunnyslope.

Wildomar

Demographics (2010): 53.6% Non-Hispanic White, 35.3% Hispanic, 4.5% Asian, 3.3% Black

Population (2010): 32,176

President: 58.40% R / 39.24% D (2008), 60.16% R / 37.28% D (2012), 58.16% R / 35.62% D (2016)

MHI (2010): $60,219

% Bachelor’s (2018): 17.1%

One of the newest cities, incorporating in early 2008, Wildomar began as a railroad depot on a line from San Diego to Barstow, part of the California Southern Railroad. Flood damage in the 1880s became too much for the California Southern Railroad, so the Santa Fe Railroad took over. In 1886, Wildomar was given its name, after William Collier, Donald Graham, and Margaret Collier Graham, Donald’s wife and William’s sister.

Continued floods in the early 20th century led to the abandonment of the railroads and the slowing of Wildomar’s development so that the community fell into obscurity. The building of I-15 in this area, the Temecula Valley Freeway, restored interest in the area.

Banning

Demographics (2010): 43.4% Non-Hispanic White, 41.1% Hispanic, 7.3% Black, 5.2% Asian

Population (2010): 29,603

President: 56.84% R / 42.28% D (2004), 51.56% R / 46.61% D (2008), 51.43% R / 46.90% D (2012), 49.21% R / 46.26% D (2016)

MHI (2010): $38,919

% Bachelor’s (2018): 15.5%

Banning was named after stagecoach line owner Phineas Banning, who was also the “Father of the Port of Los Angeles”, and developed during the Colorado River Gold Rush. Before, Banning was called Moore City, after rancher Ransom B. Moore. From 1880 to 1980, Banning was the largest city in terms of year-round population between Redlands and the Colorado River. Banning is situation in the San Gorgonio Pass, created by the San Andreas Fault.

Norco

Demographics (2010): 56.4% Non-Hispanic White, 31.1% Hispanic, 7.0% Black, 3.1% Asian

Population (2010): 27,063

President: 70.35% R / 28.60% D (2004), 64.00% R / 34.27% D (2008), 66.79% R / 31.32% D (2012), 65.72% R / 29.33% D (2016)

MHI (2010): $82,074

% Bachelor’s (2018): 19.1%

Norco is a portmanteau of “North Corona”, named after the Land Company of the same name. City ordinances require the city to reflect a traditional Western equestrian theme, and the city was granted the trademark “Horsetown USA”. To accommodate the horses, there are few sidewalks and many businesses have corrals and hitching rails for “parking” the horses. This horse-based culture has come under strain from Orange County commuters buying homes that have few provisions for keeping horses. Local politics are dominated by pro-horse and pro-suburbanization sides.

After the wildfires in 2003 that ravaged San Diego and San Bernardino Counties, the Norco Animal Rescue Team was founded to provide a safe haven for horses evacuated from wildfire zones, and has since expanded to include rescuing horses from floods and from being trapped in canyons.

French Valley

Demographics (2010): 44.4% Non-Hispanic White, 27.4% Hispanic, 11.6% Asian, 7.9% Black

Population (2010): 23,067

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): 110,293

% Bachelor’s (2018): 31.3%

Temescal Valley

Demographics (2010): 44.5% White, 30.0% Hispanic, 9.6% Asian, 6.7% Black

Population (2010): 22,535

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $103,534

% Bachelor’s (2018): 30.3%

Temescal Valley was named after the Rancho Temescal established here in the early 1800s, when this part of Riverside County was part of San Bernardino and San Diego Counties. When the Temescal Overland station was established in the 1850s, it was seen as “a splendid place to camp, wood, and water plenty”. This led to the growth of the community of Temescal in later decades. Temescal used to be a ranching community until grape-growing and beekeeping took over.

In the 1890s the California Mining and Smelting came to town, bringing miners to mine the tin in the area. This didn’t last, as the mines were in operation for only 2 years. Also, the diversion of water from the local springs by the South Riverside Land and Water Company led the Temescal Valley to dry up and the farms to be abandoned.

Mead Valley

Demographics (2010): 72.4% Hispanic, 14.7% Non-Hispanic White, 8.2% Black, 1.4% Asian

Population (2010): 18,510

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $49,072

% Bachelor’s (2018): 5.1%

East Hemet

Demographics (2010): 41.8% Non-Hispanic White, 38.9% Hispanic, 11.9% Black, 1.6% Asian

Population (2010): 17,418

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $39,828

% Bachelor’s (2018): 12.8%

Valle Vista

Demographics (2010): 51.5% Non-Hispanic White, 27.6% Hispanic, 13.0% Black, 1.9% Asian

Population (2010): 11,036

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $32,455

% Bachelor’s (2018): 14.3%

Woodcrest

Demographics (2010): 42.7% Non-Hispanic White, 28.7% Hispanic, 5.0% Black, 5.0% Asian

Population (2010): 14,347

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $80,269

% Bachelor’s (2018): 26.8%

The community of Woodcrest was named “Wood” after several prominent property owners including Marie and Charles Wood, and “crest” because the original tract was at the crest of hills. Woodcrest started out as a dry-land grain farming area. Later in the 1950s, the approval of the Western Municipal Water District brought affordable water to the area and more diverse agriculture including citrus. Population growth in the 1980s resulted in the decline of the citrus groves. Many residents of Woodcrest own and ride horses, though many houses are going up there as Riverside’s population continues to grow.

El Sobrante

Demographics (2010): 12,723

Population (2010): 52.0% White, 28.5% Hispanic, 17.6% Asian, 7.9% Black

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $114,982

% Bachelor’s (2018): 42.2%

Meaning “leftovers”, “surplus”, or “remaining land” in Spanish. El Sobrante’s original name was “El Sobrante de San Jacinto”.

Home Gardens

Demographics (2010): 73.7% Hispanic, 12.8% Non-Hispanic White, 5.8% Asian, 3.1% Black

Population (2010): 11,570

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $47,535

% Bachelor’s (2018): 12.8%

Lakeland Village

Demographics (2010): 44.3% Hispanic, 38.3% Non-Hispanic White, 2.5% Black, 1.5% Asian

Population (2010): 11,541

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $34,136

% Bachelor’s (2018): 9.8%

Canyon Lake

Demographics (2010): 81.7% Non-Hispanic White, 12.3% Hispanic, 1.8% Asian, 1.2% Black

Population (2010): 10,561

President: 74.79% R / 24.55% D (2004), 68.64% R / 30.25% D (2008), 72.88% R / 25.32% D (2012), 74.76% R / 21.68% D (2016)

MHI (2010): $74,133

% Bachelor’s (2018): 28.0%

Canyon Lake is a gated community on the Canyon Lake Reservoir. In the 1920s a dam was built to store water. The Railroad Canyon Reservoir was once a large lake for freshwater fishing, hunting, and camping in Southern California, and later a resort. The resort was temporarily closed when the lake was drained for repairs. The resort reopened and remained in operation until 1968, when the Corona Land Development Community developed the master-planned community. Most of the roads here are privately held. Canyon Lake has voted strongly Republican in statewide elections since its incorporation in 1990, and was one of few cities in California to give a greater percentage of the vote to Donald Trump (R) in 2016 than Mitt Romney (R) in 2012.

Good Hope

Demographics (2010): 79.6% Hispanic, 7.8% Non-Hispanic White, 7.3% Black, 0.7% Asian

Population (2010): 9,192

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $44,710

% Bachelor’s (2018): 5.0%

Calimesa

Demographics (2010): 72.7% Non-Hispanic White, 22.4%, 1.3% Asian, 1.1% Black

Population (2010): 7,879

President: 63.42% R / 35.42% D (2004), 61.27% R / 36.81% D (2008), 63.90% R / 33.92% D (2012), 63.11% R / 31.40% D (2016)

MHI (2000): $44,817

% Bachelor’s (2018): 18.8%

Until incorporation, much of Calimesa’s land was in what is now Yucaipa in San Bernardino County. Incorporation across county lines is not permitted under California law.Like many communities in Southern California, Calimesa started as a rural ranching community until the completion of freeways brought more businesses and growth. Calimesa’s name was chosen by a contest in 1929, “Cali” referring to California and “mesa”, Spanish for table or table-lands.

Nuevo

Demographics (2010): 54.5% Hispanic, 40.2% Non-Hispanic White, 1.8% Black, 1.3% Asian

Population (2010): 6,447

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $49,129

% Bachelor’s (2018): 15.2%

Nuevo, Spanish for “new”, is located near Lake Perris, the southern terminus of the California State Water Project.

Cherry Valley

Demographics (2010): 73.5% Non-Hispanic White, 21.2% Hispanic, 1.4% Asian, 1.0% Black

Population (2010): 6,362

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2010): $54,929

% Bachelor’s (2018): 19.9%

Cherry Valley was named after the many cherry trees planted in the area. Beginning as a mission outpost called San Gorgonio Rancho, the land was bought by Dr. Isaac William Smith, who was awestruck by the beauty of the land. Smith’s ranch became a stagecoach stop in the 1860s, popular with travelers including Wyatt Earp. Eventually Smith’s home became the Highland Springs Resort, a retreat for the health-conscious that included a vegetarian menu supplied by vegetables grown there. The resort became known as “The Last Resort” because many sick people who did not improve with traditional medicine did improve while staying there, following the rules of Arnold Ehret, a proponent of juice fasting and colon cleansing.

Homeland

Demographics (2010): 52.1% Hispanic, 33.6% Non-Hispanic White, 2.2% Black, 0.8% Asian

Population (2010): 5,969

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $20,607

% Bachelor’s (2018): 7.7%

Lake Mathews

Demographics (2018): 44.5% Non-Hispanic White, 45.1% Hispanic, 5.1% Asian, 4.0% Black

Population (2010): 5,890

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $79,402

% Bachelor’s (2018): 23.0%

The community of Lake Mathews is near the reservoir named Lake Mathews. The reservoir is the western terminus of the Colorado River Aqueduct that provides much of the water used by the cities under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, or “Met”. Met was established in 1928 to run the aqueduct.

El Cerrito

Demographics (2010): 52.1% Hispanic, 38.1% Non-Hispanic White, 1.9% Asian, 1.8% Black

Population (2010): 5,100

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $62,981

% Bachelor’s (2018): 24.1%

El Cerrito is a suburb of Riverside with a rural feel.

Highgrove

Demographics (2010): 65.3% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 4.1% Black, 2.8% Asian

Population (2010): 3,988

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $30,685

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Highgrove is a sparsely populated suburb of San Bernardino.

Highgrove

Demographics (2010): 55.4% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 4.1% Black, 1.6% Asian

Population (2010): 3,185

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): Unknown

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Meadowbrook

Demographics (2010): 46.0% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 4.4% Black, 3.8% Asian

Population (2010): 2,676

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): Unknown

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Coronita

Demographics (2010): 51.7% Hispanic, 39.7% Non-Hispanic White, 4.1% Asian, 1.5% Black

Population (2010): 2,608

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2010): $76,713

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Meaning “little crown” in Spanish, Coronita is surrounded by the city of Corona.

Cabazon

Demographics (2010): 44.8% Hispanic, 42.3% White, 5.3% Black, 1.5% Asian

Population (2010): 2,535

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $33,333

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Cardrooms played a big role in Cabazon’s history as an incorporated city. Businessmen hoped they would bring people and business to the community, but the cardroom operators vied with other residents for control and wanted to keep population low so their profits would stay high.Anger over cardroom owners’ opposition to raising cardroom license fees led the residents to vote in favor of disincorporation in the early 1970s.Later Cabazon became a popular tourist stop, with a casino on the nearby Morongo reservation, resort, a luxury shopping center, and the famous dinosaurs designed by Knott’s Berry Farm sculptor Claude Bell. The dinosaurs were shown in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) and The Wizard (1989).

Winchester

Demographics (2010): 48.7% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 1.8% Asian, 1.5% Black

Population (2010): 2,534

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $33,472

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Winchester, named after Horace Winchester’s widow, Amy, was also historically agricultural, being home to the Winchester Cheese Company. In the 2000s, like many communities in Riverside County, Winchester saw a housing boom, bust, and recovery.

Lakeview

Demographics (2010): 64.2% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 0.7% Black, 0.3% Asian

Population (2010): 2,104

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $46,141

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Lakeview is named after nearby Mystic Lake, a part of the San Jacinto River that is only full in late winter and spring.

Green Acres

Demographics (2010): 47.4% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 1.9% Black, 1.4% Asian

Population (2010): 1,805

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): Unknown

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Romoland

Demographics (2010): 51.4% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 3.9% Black, 2.1% Asian

Population (2010): 1,684

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $33,523

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Romoland was originally a town named Ethanac, and became farms developed by a life insurance company for growing fig trees and grapes. Romola Farms became Romoland to avoid confusion with a community in San Diego County named Ramona. Later Leon E. Motte built a barn completely from salvaged materials. In 2011 the farms reopened as Motte Historical Museum, which houses classic cars and exhibits documenting the community’s history. In 2008 part of Romoland was annexed by Menifee.

Coachella Valley

Indio

Demographics (2010): 67.8% Hispanic, 27.0% Non-Hispanic White, 2.4% Black, 2.2% Asian

Population (2010): 76,036

President: 51.39% D / 47.72% R (2004), 58.16% D / 40.52% R (2008), 58.26% D / 40.36% R (2012), 59.14% D / 36.74% R (2016)

MHI (2000): $35,564

% Bachelor’s (2018): 15.5%

Meaning “Indian” in Spanish, Indio started out as the halfway point on the Southern Pacific Railroad between Yuma Arizona and Los Angeles. Growth in the city came after the railroad did, with the Southern Pacific Depot Station and hotel.

Like many communities, Indio also had significant agriculture, with onions, cotton, grapes, citrus, and dates. Indio also was a popular destination for those with respiratory ailments throughout the 20th century.

Dates played a big role in the local culture and economy. The Date Station of the United States Department of Agriculture was located here and was set up in 1907. This led to the city adopting Middle Eastern themes, including in cultural events such as the County Fair.

Indio has historically been known as “the Hub of the Valley”. Today it is better known for many cultural events including the famous Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Cathedral City

Demographics (2010): 58.8% Hispanic, 32.3% Non-Hispanic White, 5.0% Asian, 2.6% Black

Population (2010): 51,200

President: 53.75% D / 45.36% R (2004), 62.36% D / 36.26% R (2008), 64.81% D / 33.89% R (2012), 67.07% D / 28.89% R (2016)

MHI (2000): $38,887

% Bachelor’s (2018): 19.8%

Cathedral City was named after Cathedral Canyon, which itself was named after a rock formation that resembles a cathedral. It hosts an annual Mexican Independence Day every third weekend of September.

Palm Desert

Demographics (2010): 70.4% Non-Hispanic White, 22.8% Hispanic, 3.4% Asian, 1.8% BlackPopulation (2010): 48,445President: 60.30% R / 38.98% D (2004), 53.26% R / 45.32% D (2008), 55.04% R / 43.53% D (2012), 49.00% R / 47.00% D (2016)MHI (2010): $53,456% Bachelor’s (2018): 35.3%Palm Desert started out as a date palm-growing community, named after the date palms. An old World War II-era Army camp became an upscale shopping area, El Paseo Drive, comparable to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Today Palm Desert is a popular snowbird destination and the center of business in the Coachella Valley.

Palm Springs

Demographics (2010): 44,552

Population (2010): 63.6% Non-Hispanic White, 25.3% Hispanic, 4.4% Black, 4.4% Asian

President: 62.28% D / 36.92% R (2004), 67.65% D / 30.97% R (2008), 68.81% D / 29.60% R (2012), 72.24% D / 24.92% R (2016)

MHI (2000): $35,973

% Bachelor’s (2018): 37.3%

Palm Springs likely got the “Palm” part of its name from a palm tree native to California, Washingtonia filifera, that is common there.Like many cities in the Colorado Desert, Palm Springs was touted as a place for people with illnesses to seek relief in the hot, dry weather. Famous historical figures came to the Murray’s Hotel, including John Muir, Vice President Charles Fairbanks, and Fanny Stevenson, widow of Robert Louis. Nellie Coffman was a strong force behind the city’s development as a tourist destination. Palm Springs also became popular with celebrities in the 1930s. Singer and future Republican congressman Sonny Bono was mayor of Palm Springs from 1988 to 1992.

The first self-contained shopping center was opened here, the Plaza Shopping Center, in 1936. New exotic and artistic architectural styles flourished in Palm Springs in the late 1940s, and it is said that Palm Springs architecture inspired mass-produced postwar suburban housing in the southwest. Hollywood’s influence on the resort atmosphere of Palm Springs would inspire similar mindsets in other tourist areas.

After the early-1970s recession when many celebrities cut back on their spending, Chicago mobsters invested a lot in area homes and businesses. Palm Springs eventually became a year-round destination when retirees began moving there in the late 1970s, giving businesses a reason to stay open in the blistering summer heat. Palm Springs has still prospered to this day, formerly as a spring break destination and now with a significant gay community. In 2018 Palm Springs elected its first all-LGBT government.

Coachella

Demographics (2010): 96.4% Hispanic, 2.3% Non-Hispanic White, 0.8% Black, 0.7% Asian

Population (2010): 40,704

President: 74.24% D / 24.78% R (2004), 84.07% D / 14.75% R (2008), 88.07% D / 10.73% R (2012), 85.22% D / 9.84% R (2016)

MHI (2010): $41,611

% Bachelor’s (2018): 3.4%

Coachella is nicknamed “the City of Eternal Sunshine”, and got its official name from the “Coachella grapefruit”. It is not known where the name “Coachella” came from, but it is thought to have come from a misspelling of “conchilla”, or “small shell”, after snail shells found on the soil that was once an ancient lakebed. Coachella’s economy is mostly based on date palms and citrus.

La Quinta

Demographics (2010): 37,467

Population (2010): 63.1% Non-Hispanic White, 30.3% Hispanic, 3.1% Asian, 1.9% Black

President: 64.83% R / 34.46% D (2004), 55.73% R / 42.95% D (2008), 57.88% R / 40.74% D (2012), 51.31% R / 44.65% D (2016)

MHI (2000): $72,099

% Bachelor’s (2018): 35.8%

La Quinta started out as a farming town watered by runoff from the mountains. Today it is most famous for the La Quinta Resort and Club that went up in 1926 and was the site of the first golf course in the Coachella Valley. The construction of Interstate 10 here in the 1970s brought rapid growth to La Quinta and surrounding cities. La Quinta was mostly a snowbird destination until the 1990s.

Desert Hot Springs

Demographics (2010): 25,938

Population (2010): 52.6% Hispanic, 34.4% Non-Hispanic White, 8.2% Black, 2.6% Asian

President: 49.55% D / 48.95% R (2004), 60.14% D / 38.16% R (2008), 63.51% D / 33.74% R (2012), 61.29% D / 33.11% R (2016)

MHI (2000): $32,883

% Bachelor’s (2018): 13.3%

Desert Hot Springs got its name, of course, from the many natural hot springs here. The Mission Creek branch of the San Andreas Fault separates the hot and cold aquifers.

Many small hotels around the hot and cold mineral springs went up in the 1950s and attracted snowbirds. Subsequent rapid growth came from the 1960s to the 1990s. Desert Hot Springs was also the first city in Southern California to legalize medical marijuana cultivation, in 2014.

Rancho Mirage

Demographics (2010): 81.7% Non-Hispanic White, 11.4% Hispanic, 3.8% Asian, 1.5% Black

Population (2010): 17,218

President: 57.87% R / 41.73% D (2004), 52.99% R / 46.08% D (2008), 55.46% R / 43.49% D (2012), 50.21% D / 47.41% R (2016)

MHI (2000): $59,826

% Bachelor’s (2018): 44.1%

Rancho Mirage was formed from the merging of five unincorporated “Cove” communities: Desert, Magnesia, Palmas, Tamarisk, and Thunderbird. Rancho Mirage was put on the map by philanthropists Walter and Leonore Annenberg’s estate called Sunnylands. Sunnylands was popular with other celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Fred Astaire, and Ginger Rogers, as well as Presidents Richard Nixon (R), Gerald Ford (R), Ronald Reagan (R), and even Barack Obama (D). Ford even bought a house here and was living there when he died in 2006. The Betty Ford Center, a well-known alcohol addiction rehabilitation center, is located here.In recent years Rancho Mirage expanded its economy from that based on a seasonal resort to light industry, commerce, and retail.

Mecca

Demographics (2018): 99.1% Hispanic, 0.1% Non-Hispanic White

Population (2010): 8,577

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $23,895

% Bachelor’s (2018): 1.2%

Surrounded by agricultural land, the community of Mecca has a climate not too different from its namesake, the holiest city in Islam, in Saudi Arabia. A group that was studying the date industry gave the community its name.

Developers looking to irrigate the area got more than they bargained for when excess snow melt resulted in flooding of salt mines in the Salton Sink, creating the Salton Sea.

With a large share of residents working in agriculture, and after a history of complaints of discrimination, a Farmworker Service Center was opened to provide services to farm workers and their children.

Thousand Palms

Demographics (2010): 57.4% Hispanic, 38.5% Non-Hispanic White, 2.7% Asian, 1.0% Black

Population (2010): 7,715

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $34,172

% Bachelor’s (2018): $45,238

Thousand Palms, like many communities in Riverside County, started as small residential villages and are now home to businesses, an industrial park, and a College of the Desert fire training facility.

Garnet

Demographics (2010): 61.9% Hispanic, 29.1% Non-Hispanic White, 5.0% Black, 0.5% Asian

Population (2010): 7,543

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $35,234

% Bachelor’s (2018): 12.8%Garnet used to be a mining community, with many mines nearby.

Bermuda Dunes

Demographics (2010): 60.2% Non-Hispanic White, 32.6% Hispanic, 3.3% Asian, 2.5% Black

Population (2010): 7,282

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $51,082

% Bachelor’s (2018): 27.0%

Bermuda Dunes is home to a major country club from which it got its name, as well as the Bermuda Dunes Airport.

Desert Palms

(I couldn’t find a map of Desert Palms because Google Maps just showed a site in Palm Desert.)

Demographics (2010): 90.3% Non-Hispanic White, 3.7% Black, 3.3% Hispanic, 0.7% Asian

Population (2010): 6,957

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $56,571

% Bachelor’s (2018): 41.6%

Most of the population of Desert Palms is over 55 and includes the Sun City Palm Desert gated community.

Oasis

Demographics (2010): 94.3% Hispanic, 2.4% Non-Hispanic White, 1.6% Asian, 0.1% Black

Population (2010): 6,890

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $21,917

% Bachelor’s (2018): 3.0%

The community of Oasis got its fitting name from being an agricultural “oasis” between the Santa Rosa Mountains and Salton Sea. The shoreline of the ancient Lake Cahuilla is here.

Indian Wells

Demographics (2010): 92.3% Non-Hispanic White, 4.2% Hispanic, 1.7% Asian, 0.6% Black

Population (2010): 4,958

President: 73.11% R / 26.27% D (2004), 67.09% R / 31.65% D (2008), 73.24% R / 25.80% D (2012), 65.59% R / 31.22% D (2016)

MHI (2000): $93,986

% Bachelor’s (2018): 57.0%

Indian Wells is a well-known draw for tennis players, hosting the Indian Wells Masters tournament, the sixth-largest tennis tournament in the world. The Indian Wells Tennis Garden has the world’s second-largest tennis stadium.Before tennis came to town, settlers in the late 19th and early 20th century, Indian Wells was a date palm-growing center. The 1950s brought golf courses and avid golfers including President Dwight D. Eisenhower (R).

Indian Wells annexed in 1967 so they would not be incorporated by neighboring cities such as Palm Desert. The city has the second-highest percentage of registered Republicans of any California city.

Desert Edge

Demographics (2010): 65.5% Non-Hispanic White, 31.9% Hispanic, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% Black

Population (2010): 3,822

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2010): $35,089

% Bachelor’s (2000): Unknown

Desert Edge, not to far from Desert Hot Springs, itself has hot water springs that are a draw for snowbirds and the health-conscious seeking benefits from the mineral spas.

North Shore

Demographics (2010): 95.3% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 0.9% Black, 0.5% Asian

Population (2010): 3,477

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): Unknown

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

North Shore was a popular vacation spot until the Salton Sea became highly salty and polluted. Now it is home of the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, originally established in 1930 and renamed after the Republican congressman in 1998 because of his efforts to save the sea.Rising water levels from the Salton Sea meant that only a small fraction of the wildlife refuge’s land (2,200 of 37,600 acres) remained suitable for use.

Vista Santa Rosa

Demographics (2010): 85.0% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 0.3% Black, 0.2% Asian

Population (2010): 2,926

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): Unknown

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Vista Santa Rosa is a rural, agricultural communities with golf courses nearby.

Thermal

Demographics (2010): 95.3% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 1.1% Asian, 1.0% Black

Population (2010): 2,865

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): Unknown

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Thermal started out as a railroad camp for employees, along with Mecca and Arabia. Soon after, canal irrigation resulted in Thermal becoming a thriving agricultural area. Now Thermal is home to a motor-sports facility being built on land that used to belong to the Kohl’s (namesake of the department store of the same name and including former Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl). One of Riverside County’s main airports, Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, is located here.

Thermal is where Coachella Valley High School, the oldest public school in the Coachella Valley, is. Its mascot is the “Mighty Arab”. The school’s mascot has been the Arab since the 1930s, named in honor of the date palms grown by an Arab colony. There were talks about renaming the mascot after the September 11, 2001 attacks, and later in 2013 after the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee saw the mascot as an offensive stereotype. The AAADC eventually approved the “Mighty Arab” mascot.

Sky Valley

Demographics (2010): Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 28.3% Non-Hispanic White, 1.5% Black, 0.9% Asian

Population (2010): 2,406

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): Unknown

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Sky Valley gained a small amount of fame from Kyuss, a desert rock band, in their 1994 album Welcome to Sky Valley. The town’s welcome sign is featured on their album.

Desert

Blythe

Demographics (2010): 53.2% Hispanic, 28.3% Non-Hispanic White, 15.0% Black, 1.5% Asian

Population (2010): 20,817

President: 55.93% R / 43.06% D (2004), 50.18% R / 47.67% D (2008), 50.73% D / 47.19% R (2012), 48.83% R / 46.10% D (2016)

MHI (2010): $48,327

% Bachelor’s (2018): 8.4%Blythe was named after San Francisco financier Thomas Henry Blythe, who brought primary water rights to the region in 1877. In 1916 dramatic growth from the California Southern Railroad reaching Blythe brought national attention and dramatically higher economic output from cotton and cotton seeds in the late 1910s.The valley faced major floods each year until the Boulder Dam was built in 1935. Farms in the area grew about 40 crops and raised large cattle herds. Interstate 10 came in 1972 and has been the main thoroughfare since.

A bridge over the Colorado River between Blythe and Ehrenberg, Arizona was constructed in 1928, replacing a cable ferry that connected the two cities.

Idyllwild–Pine Cove

Demographics (2018): 47.3% Non-Hispanic White, 18.9% Hispanic, 23.3% Asian, 6.2% Black

Population (2010): 3,874

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): $107,500

% Bachelor’s (2018): 63.2%

Located in the San Jacinto Mountains, Idyllwild is a popular resort with well-known climbing rocks nearby. Idyllwild’s climate consists of the four seasons, but doesn’t have skiing and thus has remained minimally developed.

Idyllwild was originally Strawberry Valley, named after the wild fruit that grew there. In the 1890s the opening of a toll road lead to settlement, logging, and tourism. A sanitorium for tuberculosis patients opened in the early 1900s and later became a resort when the town’s name was changed to Idyllwild. The town had an alpine German feel, though the German names were abandoned during World War II. The Yosemite Decimal System, used for rating the difficulty of hikes and rock-climbing, was developed in Idyllwild.

Even though Idyllwild is unincorporated and has no mayor, in 2012 residents elected a Golden Retriever, Max, as part of a fundraiser for local animal rescue services. Max died the next year, and another Retriever, Maximus Mighty Dog Mueller II took Max’s place. In 2014 residents decided that Max continue to serve as mayor forever!

Anza

Demographics (2010): 67.5% Non-Hispanic White, 26% Hispanic, 1.2% Asian, 1.1% Black

Population (2010): 3,014

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2010): $39,637

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Located in the semi-arid Anza Valley, Anza used to be on the shore of a bigger body of water, Lake Cahuilla, but evaporation reduced the water and made the area drier. Anza was settled by ranchers. One of these ranches, Cary Ranch, still exists and is owned by descendents of the original settlers, though is a fraction of its historical area. Later in the 1970s Anza was promoted as an unspoiled rural area next to the larger cities in Southern California. Residents have been determined to keep out the problems that came with over-urbanization and to preserve its culture. Later Anza became known as an artists colony. People also travel to watch the Anza Days Parade on the Fourth of July.

Lake Riverside

Demographics (2010): Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 15.9% Hispanic, 1.8% Black, 0.2% Asian

Population (2010): 1,173

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): Unknown

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Aguanga

Demographics (2010): Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 24.3% Hispanic, 2.1% Asian, 1.0% Black

Population (2010): 1,128

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2000): $49,618

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Aguanga got its name from the Luiseno word meaning “dog place”. During the Civil War it was referred to as Giftaler’s Ranch, after German immigrant Joseph Griftaler, and then “Dutchman’s”. A camp was set up here for Union troops marching into the pro-Confederate Arizona Territory. Later the ranch was bought by another German immigrant and Union veteran, Jacob Bergman. After the Civil War, Bergman ran the ranch as a State Station. The station site and a marker honoring Bergman are found near the entrance to the ranch.

Mesa Verde

Demographics (2010): 69.9% Hispanic, Unknown Non-Hispanic White, 0.8% Black, 0.4% Asian

Population (2010): 1,023

President: % R / % D (2004), % R / % D (2008), % R / % D (2012), % R / % D (2016)

MHI (2018): Unknown

% Bachelor’s (2018): Unknown

Mesa Verde is a community in the Palo Verde Valley with one of the largest citrus orchards in the desert.