History of Street Names
Ave Alvarado
Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first European expedition to explore what is now the west coast of the United States.
Clinton Keith Road, Murrieta
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, Spanish explorer of the Southwest, searched in vain for the Seven Lost Cities of Gold (Cibola) in the 1500s.
Cupeño Lane
Bill Dendy was a self-employed real estate developer. His development of the Westside Business Center, off Diaz Road north of Winchester Road, helped fulfill the plans of the early builders of Rancho California.
Domenigoni Parkway
- Juan Bautista Alvarado
- Mexican governor of Alta California during Mexican era
- Nephew of General Vallejo
- Juan Bautista de Anza
- Spanish explorer and official in the Southwest and the far West
- Reputed founder of San Francisco
- Opened (1774) an overland road from Sonora through present-day Arizona to California
- George Auld
- Came to California from Canada in the 1860s
- Acquired substantial amount of land in region to grow grain and raise cattle
- Family was among the largest landowners in the region, so people often referred to it as Auld Valley
- Borel family arrived in the region in the 1870s
- Pioneer family of the French Valley
- Stage line created by entrepreneur John Butterfield
- Operated from 1858-1861
- Carried U.S. mail and transport passengers from St. Louis to San Francisco
Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first European expedition to explore what is now the west coast of the United States.
Clinton Keith Road, Murrieta
- Adna Clinton Keith was appointed as County Surveyor for Riverside in 1945.
- "Clinton Keith Road" was named after Mr. Keith in honor of his many years of service.
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, Spanish explorer of the Southwest, searched in vain for the Seven Lost Cities of Gold (Cibola) in the 1500s.
Cupeño Lane
- One of the smallest tribes in California
- Related to the Cahuilla tribe with a similar language
- Territory was centered around Warner Hot Springs
- Main village there was known as Cupa - hence their name
- Gaspar De Portola
- Spanish army soldier
- Governor of Las Californias, 1768-1770
- Led explorations for establishment of bases and missions in California
Bill Dendy was a self-employed real estate developer. His development of the Westside Business Center, off Diaz Road north of Winchester Road, helped fulfill the plans of the early builders of Rancho California.
Domenigoni Parkway
- Angelo Domenigoni
- Swiss pioneer of French Valley
- First settler in the valley which bears his name and where he took up a large tract of unsurveyed government land in 1880
Felix Valdez Road
French immigrants, Virgile and Angele Galleron settled in the heart of what is now the Rutherford grape growing region of Napa Valley in 1918.
Jedediah Smith Road
John Trumbull Warner, who later changed his name to Juan Jose, purchased land that became the Warner Ranch, where emigrants could secure food and shelter after enduring the hardships of the long desert crossing on the Southern emigrant route.
- Mexican army officer
- Granted Temecula rancho by Mexican governor Micheltoreno in 1844
French immigrants, Virgile and Angele Galleron settled in the heart of what is now the Rutherford grape growing region of Napa Valley in 1918.
Jedediah Smith Road
- Trapper, fur trader, and explorer of the American West (1799-1831)
John Trumbull Warner, who later changed his name to Juan Jose, purchased land that became the Warner Ranch, where emigrants could secure food and shelter after enduring the hardships of the long desert crossing on the Southern emigrant route.
Lake Skinner
The 6,000-acre Lake Skinner Regional Park and the Robert A. Skinner Filtration Plant are named for a former general manager of the Metropolitan Water District.
Max Gilliss Boulevard, Murrieta
U.S. Army General Stephen Watts Kearny commanded forces against the Californios in the Battle of San Pasqual in 1846.
Magee Road
Early pioneer of Temecula region, John Magee built what is believed to be first store in Temecula.
Margarita Road
Granted Santa Rosa rancho by Mexican Governor Pio Pico in 1846, Juan Moreno later sold it to Augustine Machado in 1855.
Murrieta Hot Springs Road
With D. Pujol and F. Sanjurjo, Juan Murrieta purchased the Pauba and Temecula ranchos in 1875.
Nicolas Road
The 6,000-acre Lake Skinner Regional Park and the Robert A. Skinner Filtration Plant are named for a former general manager of the Metropolitan Water District.
Max Gilliss Boulevard, Murrieta
- C.M. "Max" Gillis
- Veteran state and local transportation executive
- Fought for a public rapid transit system in Southern California in the early 1960s
- Later member of Murrieta city council
U.S. Army General Stephen Watts Kearny commanded forces against the Californios in the Battle of San Pasqual in 1846.
Magee Road
Early pioneer of Temecula region, John Magee built what is believed to be first store in Temecula.
Margarita Road
- Italian saint Santa Margarita was a 3rd-century Antioch maiden who was martyred.
- Father Crespi of the Portola Mission arrived at the river on the feast day of Santa Margarita in 1769, and hence named the river Santa Margarita.
- Mercedes Pujol
- Widow of Domingo Pujol
- Came to Temecula in 1884
- Donated acreage for Temecula public cemetery and schoolhouse
- Sold land for Santa Fe railroad depot
Granted Santa Rosa rancho by Mexican Governor Pio Pico in 1846, Juan Moreno later sold it to Augustine Machado in 1855.
Murrieta Hot Springs Road
With D. Pujol and F. Sanjurjo, Juan Murrieta purchased the Pauba and Temecula ranchos in 1875.
Nicolas Road
- Marius Nicolas
- Early pioneer of French valley in the 1880s
- Came from the Alsace region in Europe
- Waterman Lilly Ormsby
- Reporter
- In 1858 wrote reports that appeared in the New York Herald as he crossed the western states as sole through passenger of the Butterfield Overland Mail stage on its first trip from St. Louis to San Francisco
Pauba Road
Luiseño word meaning "traces of strangers."
Pechanga Parkway
Luiseño word meaning "place where the water drips."
Pio Pico Road
Franciscan padre Juan Norberto de Santiago first set foot in Temecula Valley in 1797 in search of land for a new mission.
Vallejo Avenue
On May 22, 1886, Amy Winchester and Dennis O'Leary of Colton made the first purchase of 320 acres in the region that was to become Winchester.
Wolf Valley Road
Luiseño word meaning "traces of strangers."
Pechanga Parkway
Luiseño word meaning "place where the water drips."
Pio Pico Road
- Mexican governor of territorial California
- Defeated in Mexican-American war
- Secured provisional grant to Rancho Temecula in 1840
- Pierre Pourroy
- Swiss family pioneer of the French Valley
-
Domingo Pujol
- Spaniard
- In partnership with Murrieta and Sanjurjo, purchased the Pauba and Temecula ranchos in 1875
- With partner, J.P.M. Rainbow purchased land for a townsite which included Peter Larsen's homestead near Fallbrook.
- Mr. Rainbow proposed "Larsen" for the town name; Mr. Larsen proposed "Rainbow", stating that the connotation of Rainbow included a pot of gold.
- "Rainbow" won the coin flip.
Franciscan padre Juan Norberto de Santiago first set foot in Temecula Valley in 1797 in search of land for a new mission.
Vallejo Avenue
-
Mariano Vallejo
- Mexican general
- Named Commandant General and military governor of the "Free State of Alta California"
- Later elected to California office
-
Serbulo Varela
- Californio soldier
- Led forces in battle for pueblo of Los Angeles in 1846
- Official of the pueblo of Los Angeles
- Granted deed to Rancho Pauba by Mexican governor Micheltoreno in 1844
On May 22, 1886, Amy Winchester and Dennis O'Leary of Colton made the first purchase of 320 acres in the region that was to become Winchester.
Wolf Valley Road
-
Louis Wolf
- Early settler of Temecula
- From Alsace region of Europe
- Ran a store with John Magee
- Later built own store and empire
- Called "King of Temecula"
- Purchased the Little Temecula rancho from widow of Pablo Apis in 1872
- Spanish for Saint Agnes
- Santa Ynez mission named after her