Anza, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anza
Census-designated place
Anza, California, View of the Cahuilla mountains from Cahuilla road
Location of Anza in Riverside County, California.
Anza Location in California Show map of California Anza Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Riverside
Area
• Total	27.68 sq mi (71.68 km2)
• Land	27.59 sq mi (71.47 km2)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2)  0.30%
Elevation	3,921 ft (1,195 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,075
• Density	111.43/sq mi (43.02/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	92539
Area code(s)	951
FIPS code	06-02294
GNIS feature ID	269555; 2582935

Anza is a small community in Riverside County, California. It is called a census-designated place, which means it's a special area the government uses for counting people. Anza is located in the Anza Valley, which is a dry area high up in the mountains. It sits about 3,921 feet (1,195 meters) above sea level.

Anza is about 13 miles (21 km) south of Idyllwild, California. It is also about 32 miles (51 km) east of Temecula, California. You can find Anza along State Route 371. Two famous trails, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, also pass through Anza. In 2020, about 3,075 people lived there.

Locally, Anza and other nearby mountain towns are known as "the Hill." This includes places like Garner Valley and Aguanga. The ZIP code for Anza is 92539. Its phone area code is 951.

History of Anza

Who Lived in Anza First?

Anza is named after Juan Bautista de Anza, a Spanish officer. He led expeditions into California.

For more than 2,000 years, the Cahuilla tribes lived in the Anza Valley. They were the first people to call this area home. Europeans first arrived in 1774. This was when a Spanish group was looking for a land route to California.

How Anza Got Its Name

The explorer Juan Bautista de Anza traveled through the valley twice. He passed through on March 16, 1774, and again on December 27, 1775. De Anza first named the valley "San Carlos." Later, on September 16, 1926, it was renamed Anza Valley in his honor.

Early Settlers and Changes

Spring blooms, Anza, California

Long ago, around 1580, a large inland lake called Lake Cahuilla was near Anza. This lake was bigger than the current Salton Sea. But the lake dried up, making the Anza Valley more like a desert.

In the 1800s, people like ranchers, miners, and honey producers settled here. This isolated community grew and became successful during that time.

Homesteading in Anza

From the late 1860s, many families came to Anza to build ranches. They did this under the Homestead Act. This act allowed people to claim land if they lived on it and improved it. One of these early ranches, the Cary Ranch, still exists today. It is owned by the Hopkins family, who are descendants of the original Cary settlers. The ranch used to be huge, but now it's a smaller 20-acre (81,000 m²) piece of land. The Anza post office opened in 1926.

Protecting Anza's Culture

In the 1970s, people started selling land in Anza. They highlighted its natural beauty and closeness to bigger cities. Anza is known for being friendly to new people. However, since the 1980s, the community has worked to keep its unique artistic culture. They carefully review new building plans. This helps them avoid problems that other growing areas have faced.

Geography of Anza

What is Anza's Landscape Like?

Anza covers about 27.7 square miles (71.7 km²). Most of this area is land, with only a small part being water. The town has different areas. These include Anza Valley and Cave Rocks in the center. Tripp Flats, Chandler Heights, and Cahuilla are to the west. Oak Spring, Burnt Spring, and Heller Spring are to the east.

The Anza Valley is surrounded by three important mountains. These are Cahuilla Mountain to the west, Thomas Mountain to the northeast, and Beauty Mountain to the southwest.

Anza's High Desert Environment

The area is known as a high desert. This means it has bigger temperature changes than cities near the coast. Even on summer evenings, temperatures can drop suddenly. This is because of Anza's high elevation. The Anza Trail goes through the community. This trail was first used by Juan Bautista de Anza in 1774.

Climate in Anza

What is Anza's Weather Like?

Anza has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Because Anza is high up, about 4,000 feet (1,219 meters), its weather is cooler and changes more often. Temperatures can change a lot from day to day.

Seasons in Anza

• Summer: From July to September, highs are usually in the 80s to mid-90s Fahrenheit (27-35°C). Nights are cooler, in the 50s and 60s (10-16°C). Thunderstorms are common in the afternoons. About 3–6 inches (7.6–15.2 cm) of rain falls during this time.
• Fall: In October, highs are in the 60s and 70s (16-26°C). Nights are in the 40s and 50s (4-10°C). There is usually less than 0.25 inches (0.6 cm) of rain. From November to early December, highs are in the 50s and 60s (10-16°C). Lows are in the upper 20s and 30s (-2 to 4°C). Light rain or even a dusting of snow can happen.
• Winter: Highs are typically in the 40s and 50s (4-10°C). Overnight lows are in the lower 20s and 30s (-6 to -1°C). Rain and snow fall about 1–2 days a week. Anza usually gets 5–10 inches (12.7–25.4 cm) of rain and 8–16 inches (20.3–40.6 cm) of snow. Snow melts quickly during the day.
• Spring: Spring is short. Snow usually stops by early April. Rain becomes rare by May and June. Most rain, about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm), falls in March and April.

People and Culture in Anza

Who Lives in Anza?

In 2010, Anza had 3,014 people. Most residents, about 80%, were White. About 26% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. The average age in Anza was 44.8 years old. About 22.5% of the people were under 18. Most homes, about 71.6%, were owned by the people living in them.

What is Anza's Culture Like?

In the 1990s, Anza became known as a growing place for artists. Many creative people moved there, even from other countries. People in Anza enjoy many outdoor activities. These include:

• Walking on trails
• Learning about local history
• Attending festivals
• Motorbiking
• Rockhounding (looking for rocks and minerals)
• Horseback riding along the Anza Trail

The Mountain Cahuilla tribe runs a casino on their reservation nearby.

Anza's Community Events

Every summer, Anza celebrates the Fourth of July with a parade. This festival is called Anza Days. The whole town celebrates, and people travel from far away to see it.

Anza also has a local gymkhana horse showing circuit. The Lions Club organizes this event six months a year. It is another popular activity that the public enjoys.

Education in Anza

Anza is part of the Hemet Unified School District.

• Hamilton High School is located here.

There is also a university in Anza:

• Olivet University, a private Christian university.

Notable People from Anza

• Red Skelton, a famous comedian, lived in Anza until he passed away. He owned a large 600-acre (2.4 km²) horse ranch in the Anza Valley.

See also

In Spanish: Anza (condado de Riverside) para niños