Quote:
Originally Posted by downshift180
whoever has the balls to love tap when u pass. WIN!. jk..no clue what im saying...
time for another corona..
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City of Corona Fiscal Year 2005-06 Page 369
THE HISTORY OF CORONA: THE “CIRCLE CITY”
By Gloria Scott Freel, Corona Public Library, Senior Librarian, Heritage Room
The City of Corona is located approximately 45 miles southeast of Los Angeles in western
Riverside County. The community is ideally situated at the base of the mountainous Cleveland
National Forest on an alluvial plain leading down or north to the Santa Ana River. The
estimated population for July 1, 2005 is 142,522, and the city limits cover approximately 38
square miles. The mean temperature in January has averaged 51.6 degrees, and in July 74.8
degrees. Rainfall averages 2.71 inches in January and .01 inches in July. Corona is a
General Law City. Five Corona citizens make up the Corona City Council and each is elected
to a four-year term of office.
Historically, the area has many significant features: The Luiseno Indians, the site of the first
Spanish family to settle in Riverside County, the Temescal Tin Mines, and some of the best
clay and mineral deposits in the United States. The City is also renowned for its circular Grand
Boulevard where international road racing events once took place. Other business firsts
include: the first United States lemon processing plant built in 1915; and the world’s largest
cheese plant, which opened on Lincoln Avenue in 1985 on land where the Desi Arnaz horse
ranch once stood. The local Luiseno Indians were known as hunters and gatherers. They
hunted for such animals as bear, snakes, rodents, coyote, rabbits, birds and fish. They made
straw baskets from wild grasses, constructed clay containers and gathered acorns, seeds, wild
berries, and roots for food. These Native Americans were very clean and used the hot waters
and natural springs in the Temescal Canyon to bathe on a daily basis and as part of their
religious ceremonies. (Current residents and visitors still enjoy the rejuvenating mud baths
and hot springs at the Glen Ivy resort.) Luiseno religious ceremonies were strictly followed and
remnants of some of their artistic pictographs and petroglyphs can still be found on some of
the rocks in the undeveloped areas.
These Shoshonean Indian tribes came under the influence of the Spanish settlers at the
Mission San Luis Rey, and they were given the name Luiseno. As Spanish settlement
progressed inland, the land soon was taken over by the Spanish ranchos. Sheep and cattle
dotted the hills from the ranchos run by the Serrano, Cota, Sepulveda and Botiller families.
Remnants of the Serrano tanning vat are still found on Old Temescal Canyon Road. This is
also the route that was taken by the Butterfield State Route that brought many Americans to
California along the southern route between 1858 and 1861. Plaques marking the sites of
Indian petroglyphs, the Butterfield Stage stops and the Serrano adobe and tanning vats are
still found along this road.
In 1886, developer Robert Taylor persuaded his partners: Rimpau, Joy, Garretson and Merrill
to form the South Riverside Land and Water Company. Together they raised approximately
$110,000 to purchase approximately 12,000 acres of good agricultural land. Taylor realized
the importance of water for the soon to be developed community, and additional funds were
used to ensure that sufficient water rights were obtained. Taylor hired Anaheim engineer H. C.
Kellogg to design a circular Grand Boulevard three miles round. Early residents used to
parade their fancy buggies on this circular street that enclosed the main functions of the
community: schools, churches, residences and stores. To the north along the railroad tracks
were the manufacturing plants and packing houses. The southern end of town was left to the
citrus industry, and the mining companies were established just outside the city’s southeastern
and eastern city limits.
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City of Corona Fiscal Year 2005-06 Page 370
THE HISTORY OF CORONA: THE “CIRCLE CITY”
By Gloria Scott Freel, Corona Public Library, Senior Librarian, Heritage Room
The town’s founders initially named their development South Riverside after the successful
citrus community of Riverside, just a few miles away. In 1896 there was a movement to
incorporate and change the town name. The citizens were anxious to establish their own
identity and did not want to be considered an extension of the City of Riverside. On July 26,
1896 an incorporation vote was successful and the City of Corona’s date of incorporation was
July 13, 1896. The name "Corona" was suggested, standing for the circle within the City and
the connotative crown.
Since Corona’s 1900 population of 1,434, there have been numerous changes. On September
9, 1913, in observance of California’s Admission’s Day, Corona residents celebrated with an
international automobile race on the Boulevard. The event attracted such auto racing greats
as: Ralph DePalma, Barney Oldfield, Terrible Teddy Tetzlaff and Earl Cooper. More than
100,000 people came to the town of 4,000 to watch Cooper win the race and a prize of $8,250.
It was so successful that races were held again in 1914 and 1916. The demise of the Corona
road races was due not only to the tragic deaths which occurred in 1916, but because of the
cost and local effort needed to continually stage such an extravagant event.
During the teens and twenties, Corona citizens built numerous churches, a library and a new
city hall. By 1915 the production of lemons was exceeding national demand, and local
businessmen worked together to form the first Lemon Exchange By-Products Company in the
United States. Located on Joy and the railroad tracks, this cooperative was eventually bought
out by Sunkist. In 1954 they employed more than 700 people and marketed a variety of lemon
products for worldwide disbursement. The plant produced citric acid, lemon oil, lemon juice
and pectin which helped Corona to gain the nickname “Lemon Capital of the World.” As
housing developments began to overtake the Southern California citrus orchards, Sunkist
found that the lack of a local supply was forcing them to move. They closed the Corona plant
in 1982.
Mining has always played a secondary but vital role to the more prominent citrus industry.
Now that citrus has declined and the mines remain, they have again become a focal point in
Corona industry. Historically this area is known for having the only productive tin mine in the
country, and it produced tin until 1893. Other more successful mining ventures included the
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (previously Blue Diamond Mine), the Pacific
Clay Company (organized in 1886), Redlands Clay Tile, Maruhachi Ceramics, Monier Roof
Tile and US Tile. By 1954, the city had more than 11,000 inhabitants and was home to such
industries as the Corona Clipper Company, Liston Brick Company, Borden Food Products, and
Tillotsen Refractories. The only oil wells in Riverside County were located in the hills just
northwest of the town.
During the 1980s, both Southern California and Corona began to grow. The Riverside
Freeway (Highway 91) was constructed through Corona in 1962. Downtown Corona went
through urban renewal in the late 60s and 70s, razing the old and putting in a new downtown.
By 1989, the I-15 was constructed on the east of town, and the development of Sierra del Oro,
Corona Hills, and South Corona were put into full gear. New commercial developments began
opening on Lincoln Avenue, McKinley Avenue, and in Sierra del Oro. Price Club, Walmart,
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City of Corona Fiscal Year 2005-06 Page 371
THE HISTORY OF CORONA: THE “CIRCLE CITY”
By Gloria Scott Freel, Corona Public Library, Senior Librarian, Heritage Room
and the new auto mall became important parts of the city’s revitalization plan. In June 1993,
the City opened the newly redone Corona Public Library at 650 South Main Street with 62,300
square feet of space. The new library had not only devoted the usual space to adult and
children’s services, but added a Friends of the Corona Public Library bookshop, exhibit gallery,
Heritage Room, community meeting rooms, study rooms and an adult literacy program, along
with expanded automated technology. Additional plans for revitalizing downtown were
addressed at an October 1995 community charette. By 1996, Corona’s population had
topped 100,000 people, there were 32 Corona parks, a Senior Center, gymnasium, and 30
schools in the Corona/Norco Unified School District.
CORONA TODAY
Corona has been a high growth City in the last decade and has doubled its size since 1987 to
the July 1, 2005 estimated population of 142,522 (Source: California Department of Finance).
The incorporated boundaries of Corona currently encompass approximately 38 square miles.
The attractiveness of the City as a residential and business community is attributable to
several factors. Corona is centrally situated in the heart of Southern California at the gateway
to Orange County and the "Inland Empire" counties of Riverside and San Bernardino. The
community is strategically located at the intersection of two major freeway systems, the
east/west 91 Riverside Freeway that connects Riverside with Orange and Los Angeles County
communities, and the north/south I-15 Interstate Freeway that connects San Diego and Las
Vegas.
Large vacant parcels of affordable land ready for development have attracted many housing
and industrial developers away from Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Likewise, the
development of a variety of master planned housing opportunities from custom lot estates to
luxury apartments with parks, green belts and bicycle trails has allowed new development to
be priced considerably below the Los Angeles and Orange County markets and has resulted in
significant increases in population.
City of Corona Fiscal Year 2005-06 Page 372
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CORONA PROFILE
Date of Incorporation July 26, 1896
Form of Government General Law, City Council – City Manager
Incorporated Area Approximately 38 square miles
Population 142,522 Source: California Department of Finance
July 2005 projection
Ethnicity White 47.0%
Hispanic 35.7%
Asian and Pacific Islander 7.8%
Black or African American 6.4%
Other 3.1%
Source: U.S. Census 2000
Median Age 29.9 years Source: U.S. Census 2000
Average Household Income $78,000 Source: Redevelopment & Economic Development Dept.
Registered Voters 59,414 Source: Riverside County Registrar of Voters
Housing Total Housing Units: 44,248 Source: Planning Department
School District Corona-Norco Unified School District
Elementary Schools 27
Intermediate Schools 6
High Schools 4
Other (Alternative, Special Ed., etc.) 4
Source: Corona-Norco Unified School District Website
Corona-Norco is the largest school district in Riverside County.
Source: CA Dept. of Education
Enrollment in the Five Largest Riverside
County School Districts, 2004-05
45,551 45,521
35,937
27,059 25,653
Corona
Norco
Riverside
Unified
Moreno
Valley
Desert
Sands
Temecula
Valley
City of Corona Fiscal Year 2005-06 Page 373
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CORONA PROFILE
30.48
30.52
31.44
43.69
50.55
54.02
Colleges/Universities There are 28 public and private colleges within 45 minutes of
the City of Corona including:
California Baptist College
California State University San Bernardino
La Sierra University
Riverside Community College
University California Riverside
Fire Protection Services City of Corona
Number of Stations 7
Number of Firefighters/Fire Personnel 105
Police Protection Services City of Corona
Number of Stations 1
Number of “Zone Offices” 3
Number of Sworn Police Personnel 166
Crime Ranking Corona has one of the lowest crime rates among
Inland Empire cities with populations of 100,000 people or more.
Source: State of California, Office of the Attorney General
2003 Crime Statistics
* Crime Rates include violent crimes, property crimes, and larceny-theft.
Water/Wastewater Services City of Corona – number of accounts 40,219
Inland Empire Cities – Population Greater than 100,000
Crime Rates* – Crimes per 1,000 people
Rancho Cucamonga - Population: 146,700
Fontana - Population: 145,800
Corona - Population: 137,000
Moreno Valley - Population: 150,200
Ontario - Population: 165,700
Riverside - Population: 274,100
City of Corona Fiscal Year 2005-06 Page 374
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CORONA PROFILE
Parks and Landscape Areas Neighborhood Parks 132.85 acres
Community/Sports Parks 208.44 acres
People per park acre 417.60
Based on California Dept. of Finance July 2005 population estimate
Community Airport 96.00 acres
Total maintained acreage 437.29 acres
Employment Base 63,000 Source: Redevelopment and Economic
Development Department
Top Employers Corona-Norco Unified School District
Watson Laboratories, Inc.
Corona Regional Medical Center
Kaiser Permanente
City of Corona
All American Asphalt
Dart Container Corporation
Fender USA
Recreation and Entertainment Corona Public Library
Movie theaters
Four golf courses
Laser tag
Inline skating
Various restaurants and shopping
Fender Museum of Music and the Arts
City of Corona Fiscal Year 2005-06 Page 375
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CORONA PROFILE
* Sacramento
* San Diego
* Los Angeles
* San Francisco
* Eureka
* Corona
* Bakersfield
* Fresno
* San Bernardino
* San Luis Obispo
* Palm Springs
City of Corona
County: Riverside
Incorporation: July 26, 1896
Population: 142,522
Source: California Department of
Finance July 2005 projection
Incorporated Area: Approximately 38 square miles
City