Editing Temecula, California (section)

===1900–1989===
[[File:Temecula-1909.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Temecula, 1909]]
In 1904, [[Walter Vail]], who had come to the United States with his parents from [[Nova Scotia]], migrated to California. Along with various partners, he began buying land in Southern California. Vail bought ranchland in the Temecula Valley, buying {{convert|38000|acre|km2|0}} 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 {{convert|87500|acre|km2|0}}. In 1948, the Vail family built a dam to catch the [[Temecula Creek]] water and created [[Vail 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 the [[Kaiser Aluminum|Kaiser]]—[[Aetna]] partnership. A later purchase by the group brought the total area to {{convert|97500|acre|km2|0}}, and the area became known as Rancho California.

In the 1970 census, the [[United States Census Bureau]] [[census#Enumeration strategies|enumerated]] the population of the entire Murrieta-Rancho California-Temecula area at 2,769.

In 1970, the Temecula Town Association, a non-profit, charitable organization, incorporated.<ref name="oldtemecula-history2">{{cite web |last1=Gerstbacher |first1=Emily |title=Temecula Valley History 1970-1993 |url=http://www.oldtemecula.com/history/history2.htm |website=OldTemecula.com |access-date=December 13, 2021}}</ref> In 1977, the present-day Rancho California Water District was formed.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.ranchowater.com/96/History |website=Rancho California Water District |publisher=CivicPlus |access-date=September 21, 2022}}</ref> On November 5, 1979, [[KRTM]] 88.9 FM went on the air in Temecula.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=52141&Callsign=KRTM |title=KRTM Call Sign History |work=United States [[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division }}</ref>

In the 1980 census, 10,215 people were enumerated in the area, a 269 percent increase from the prior census.<ref name="pe.com/2014/11/23/hunneman">{{cite news |last1=Hunneman |first1=John |title=The top stories from Temecula's first 25 years |url=https://www.pe.com/2014/11/23/hunneman-the-top-stories-from-temeculas-first-25-years/ |access-date=December 12, 2021 |work=[[Press-Enterprise]] |date=November 23, 2014}}</ref>

In 1984, the Temecula American Viticultural Area (AVA), the official designation for the local wine country (renamed the [[Temecula Valley AVA]] in 2004), was established.<ref>{{cite web |title=50 Years |url=https://www.temeculawines.org/50-years/ |website=Temecula Valley Winegrowers |publisher=Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association |access-date=September 21, 2022}}</ref> In 1985, the completion of [[Interstate 15 in California|Interstate 15]] between the [[Greater Los Angeles]] area and San Diego began a [[Subdivision (land)|subdivision]] [[land boom]], making it possible to own a new home in Temecula and have a manageable work [[Commuting|commute]] to [[San Diego County]].<ref name="pe.com/2014/11/23/hunneman"/>

On December 1, 1989, Temecula incorporated as a city, with Ron Parks as the first mayor.<ref>{{cite web |title=First City Council |url=https://temeculaca.gov/1447/First-City-Council |website=City of Temecula |access-date=September 21, 2022}}</ref>