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. In 1996 the city population will reach over 100,000 and the city limits cover approximately 32.83 square miles, and this grows continuously through annexations. 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 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 Luiseño 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 are located here. Also, the renowned circular Grand Boulevard where three international road racing events took place in 1913, 1914 and 1916. The first lemon processing plant in the country was built here in 1915 and the world's largest cheese plant was opened on Lincoln Avenue in 1985 where the Desi Arnaz horse ranch had once stood.

The local Luiseño Indians were known as hunters and gatherers. They hunted for such animals as black 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 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.) Luiseño 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 Indian tribes came under the influence of the Spanish settlers at the Mission San Luis Rey, and they were given the name Luiseño. As Spanish settlement progressed inland, the land soon was taken over by Spanish ranchos. Sheep and cattle dotted the hills from ranchos run by the Serrano, Cot, Sepulveda and Botiller families. Remnants of the Serrano tanning vats are still found on Old Temescal Canyon Road. This is also the route that was taken by the Butterfield Stage 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 adobes 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.

The town's founders initially named their development South Riverside after the successful citrus community of Riverside, just a few miles away. Almost all of the new settlers planted orange and lemon trees in hopes of gaining future profits. New groves continued to spring up and by 1912 there were 5,000 acres of established lemon and orange groves. By 1913 Corona shipped more fruit than any other town in Southern California. In 1961 citrus was still considered the backbone of Corona's economy, and the largest source of revenue. In that year citrus covered 7500 acres. The labor force fluctuated between 400 and 1800 workers at the peak of the harvest. An additional 500 people worked at the Exchange Lemon Products plant. By 1982 Corona's agricultural industry faced a bleak future as "production costs made the economics of farming only fair or poor." Plans were begun to replace the groves with approximately 12,500 dwelling units.

Since Corona's 1900 population of 1434, there have been numerous changes. On July 13, 1896 residents voted to incorporate and change the name of the community to Corona, which is Spanish for crown, in honor of the City's circular Grand Boulevard. On September 9, 1913, in observance of California's Admissions Day, Corona residents celebrated with an international automobile race on the Boulevard. The event attracted such auto racing greats of Ralph De Palma, 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 road races were due not only to the tragic deaths which occurred in 1916, but because of the cost and local effort needed to 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 co-operative was eventually bought out by Sunkist. In 1954 they employed over 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 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 U.S. 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 this area.

Agriculture has always played a significant role in Corona's history. The land to the northwest was more suitable for alfalfa, grin, sugar beets, tomatoes, beans, walnuts and dairy land as far back as 1914. In the 1930s the average dairy consisted of 5-10 acres with 35 to 70 cows. By 1982 operations had become highly mechanized with almost 500 cows per 60 to 200 acres. With increased development the future of agricultural pursuits within the city limits is significantly decreasing.

As Southern California began to grow, so did Corona. 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-15went in to the east of town, and development of Sierra del Oro, Corona Hills and South Corona were in full gear. New commercial developments began opening on Lincoln Avenue, McKinley Avenue and in Sierra del Oro. Price Club, Walmart, and the new auto mall became important parts of the city's revitalization. In June 1993 the City opened the newly redone Corona Public Library at 650 South Main Street with 62,300 square feet of space and the addition of new automated technologies. Additional plans for revitalizing downtown was 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 th Corona Norco Unified School District. The City also celebrated the Centennial of the City's Incorporation with numerous events, parades, picnics, banquets and ceremonial dedications to mark the City of Corona's 100th birthday.

The City of Corona has a remarkable and unique history. In order to collect and preserve information about the community, the City of Corona opened a Heritage Room at the Corona Public Library in November 1980. Library staff and volunteers from the community and the Heritage Committee work to collect, organize, display and preserve materials relevant to the history of the city and immediate environs. Collected items on display in the library's mezzanine and available for research in the Heritage Room include maps, photographs, original documents, artifacts, oral histories, videos and books. The 2,400 square foot Heritage Room is open M-Th, noon to 8 pm, Fri and Sat, 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday closed. For additional information please call (951) 736-2386.

The Legends of R. B. Taylor:
Stories from the Songer Collection
There are great stories and accounts about the man who founded the City of Corona, his third city-building endeavor before the turn of the century. Everything he touched seemed to turn to gold, blossom and flourish. He had incredible timing, and in some cases the good fortune to have luck on his side. What follows here are true stories about the many incidences that made him a legend, even in his own time. South American Gold & Near Arrest! (Written by R. B. Taylor)

1898 January I made a trip alone to South America to see what the prospects were for business and to examine some gold mine property. On my return I stopped at Havanna (sic) in Cuba which then belonged to Spain but I had not seen any papers from United States and so knew nothing about the trouble between the United States and Spain. I arrived in Havanna on April 2 and soon found out that it was too hot for Americans. So, on April 4 to save my life I boarded an english ship going to the United States. Three Spanish officers came to the ship to arrest me as a spy but the Captain told them that I was same as on(board), English and refused to allow my arrest - so, I got home by way of New Orleans. Fourteen days later, war was declared on Spain April 18.

Of Wanderlust, Sitting Bull & Lost Millions (R. B. Taylor)

The history of the Taylor families from the Colonial days of 1776 to date shows that they were never satisfied remaining in one place for a life time. But I will only speak of the last generation of my father's Uncle John Taylor spent many years in the Sitting Bull Indian Country of the North as a trapper of fur bearing animals and he was a dead shot with the rifle and revolver and had a few Indian scalps to his credit. Sitting Bull, the Indian Chief, tryed (sic) to get him but failed and he came home to die.

My father's brother when quite a young man went to Australia and lived there many years to his death and never married and left a fortune of value of near two million dollars but father had no notice of his death for nearly four years after his death and the law there provides that estates not claimed within two years -- it goes to the Government.

Paid Three Bucks an Acre and Called a Fool (Account by Frank Rolfe)

In 1882 Mr. Taylor learned through a friend, A. S. Garretson, cashier of the Sioux National Bank, of Sioux City, Iowa, that a new railroad was about to be built on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River, which would pass through Wayne county to Norfolk, Neb., and that a new townsite to be called Wayne was being laid out about six miles west of the county seat, Laport. At this time the settlement of the county -- some 225 population -- was located in and about Laport.

In January, 1882, Mr. Taylor drove a team to Sioux City, crossed the river and continued on to Laport and beyond to the new townsite. After looking over the country he decided that the rich prairies about Wayne must make it a good farming section. He returned to Ida Grove and explained the inducements of this new country to his father and partner. Mr. McHugh, however, decided to remain in Ida Grove. Mr. James Taylor, the father, who had recently lost his wife, decided to join his son, and from that time until his death, in Corona, he remained a member of his son's family.

Returning to Wayne, Mr. R. B. Taylor secured the names and addresses of the land-owners in and about Wayne townsite and succeeded in buying about sixteen hundred acres at an average price of about $3.00 per acre. In March he sent teams with lumber and hardware ahead to the location and followed himself with a good team, spring wagon, two carpenters and a camping outfit and supplies. He arrived at the townsite in a big blizzard, put up a tent for the horses, spread a canvas over the wagons, under which he and his men slept and ate until a building was completed. This was the first house built in Wayne, Nebraska.

At this point in the interview Mr. Taylor related a little incident occurring while he was erecting his office. Late one evening while his carpenters were on the roof and he himself on the ground handing material to the men, two men in a buggy drove up and stopped and inquired, "Who is doing this building?"

"Oh, some fellow from the east," Mr. Taylor replied.

They then wanted to know for what it was intended. When told that the party expected to go into the real estate business and also to start a bank, one of them remarked that the builder was either a big fool, or else he had a lot of nerve to start out in any business where there was only the prospect of a railroad and not another building in sight. At this point Mr. Taylor left them to prepare supper for his carpenters, as it was quitting time.

As the men came down from the roof, the newcomers asked who was the owner of the building. Not knowing of the previous conversation, they answered, "That fellow over there, cooking supper."

The visitors came over, then, to apologize for their remarks. Mr. Taylor told them that what they had said might prove true, and insisted that they should stay in his camp until morning, as a big storm was showing in the northwest. During the evening one of the strangers asked Mr. Taylor if he would sell 160 acres of his Wayne lands. When Mr. Taylor told him that he might have 160 acres about a mile from the townsite for $7.50 an acre, the party answered at once, "I'll take it. Send the deed to my bank at Omaha; I want to buy something from a man who has the nerve to start a town in this lonely spot."

Mr. Taylor advised the new purchaser to hold on to the land for four years and he would probably be able to sell it for $100.00 an acre. The buyer agreed and before the expiration of the four years refused the price named -- an example of the foresight which has been one of Mr. Taylor's best assets.