About Temecula
 

Temecula is an unusual bedroom city that is a mix of upscale suburb, wine country, horse country, and Old West. Located at Interstate 15 in the southwest corner of the county, Temecula draws many of its residents from the job center of San Diego County. 

Crime is low in this area and school rankings are high. The population count is 53,791, but if several developments just outside the city limits were included, the true number would be over 70,000. 

The name ?Temecula? may derive from the Shoshone Indian word for ?sun,? or possibly the place where ?sun breaks through and shines on the white mist,? reported Jane Davies Gundther in her book on Riverside place names. In 1858, the Butterfield Stage laid its route through Temecula, a hamlet. The region turned to farming and cattle and continued in this vein until the 1960s when a large ranch was sold to developers and a master plan was drawn up for ?Rancho California.? 

On the west side of town, residents and businesses have done a first-class job of preserving, restoring, or rebuilding the Old Town into what it was in the 1850s. The restaurants are modern, of course, and the shops are electrified. Some of the buildings date back to the early 1900s. The Old Town, just a few blocks long, is good enough to draw tourist buses, and one of its establishments, the ?Stampede? draws 800-plus young people on Friday nights. 

Next to the Old Town, the city has zoned land for business parks. New businesses are coming, which means a short commute for some residents and a stronger tax base for the town. 

East of Interstate 215, which splits the town, Temecula has built large discount stores, including a Costco, and a regional mall that includes a Sears, a Penny?s, a Robinson-May and about 100 other stores, including a Barnes and Noble. There are also restaurants and movie complexes. 

Nearest hospitals are Inland Valley Regional Medical Center, just north of Murrieta, the adjoining town, and Sharp Healthcare in Murrieta. 

Temecula contracts with the sheriff?s department for protection. There were zero homicides in 1999. Counts for previous years are 1,0,0,0,0,3,0,0. The overall crime rate is very low. 

There are about 20 parks in this area, a skate park, two pools, two community centers, and two golf courses. The Pechanga Indians run a casino. The county is buying 1,476 acres near Temecula as wildlife preserve. A giant reservoir to the east of the city opened in 2000, which offers fishing, boating, and hiking. 

This area offers many Seniors Centers and a lot of activities for the elderly. City Hall runs activities and ?how-to? classes, including how to teach the kids to read, how to play music, Yoga, self defense, quilting, kinder gym, tap and ballroom dancing, drawing, tumbling for kids, and much more!