About Temecula

The Pechanga Band of Indians believes that their ancestors have lived in the Temecula area for more than 10,000 years.  The name Temecula comes from the Indian word “Temeekunga”, with a few related meanings: “the place of the sun”, “the sun that shines through the mist”, or “where the sun breaks through the mist”. 

The second post office in the state of California was established in Temecula in 1859.  A stagecoach line with the route between St. Louis Missouri and San Francisco had a stop at Temecula’s Magee Store where the post office was established.  The first post office in California was San Francisco.  Over the years, the post office in Temecula moved and more offices were built to serve the growing population.  Temecula’s main post office is now on Rancho California Road, opening in 1991. 

Before wine and tourism flourished in Temecula, cattle, and agriculture were the main businesses in Temecula.  At the turn of the 20th Century, Walter Vail bought 38,000 acres of land. By 1947, Vail Ranch contained over 87,500 acres and the family built a dam to catch water from the Temecula Creek, creating Vail Lake.  In the mid-1960s the ranch was sold and when the I-15 freeway was completed in 1980, the subdivision of houses boom began. This supported the people drawn to affordable housing from San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange County. Over the years,  all of Temecula thrived with the Wine Country, Old Town Temecula, the Polo Club, the Valley Balloon & Wine Festival, the International Film Festival, golf courses, and resorts. 

Temecula Valley Unified School District is the area’s top employer followed by companies in the medical field such as the hospital or with medical-related products.