Ballena, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ballena, California
|
|
|---|---|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County |  San Diego |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
92065
|
| Area codes | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-66004 |
Ballena is a small, unincorporated community in the beautiful Ballena Valley of San Diego County, California. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's governed by the county. Ballena is located between the towns of Ramona and Santa Ysabel, right where two important roads, California State Route 78 and the Old Julian Highway, meet.
Contents
The Story of Ballena
Where Does the Name "Ballena" Come From?
The name "Ballena" comes from a nearby mountain called Whale Mountain. The native Ipai people, who lived in this area long ago, called this mountain Epank, which means "whale." Since ballena is the Spanish word for "whale," the name stuck! It's a cool way to remember the history of the land and its first inhabitants.
A Busy Stop on the Old Roads
Ballena started way back in 1870. It was a very important stop for freight wagons traveling between the gold rush camps and the ports of National City and San Diego. Imagine big wagons pulled by teams of horses and mules, carrying valuable goods. Ballena was a place where these wagons could stop, rest, and get fresh animals for their long journeys.
The General Store and Post Office
A person named Sam Warnock opened a general store and a post office in Ballena. The post office was open for many years, helping people send and receive mail in this growing area. It operated from July 27, 1870, to September 26, 1894, and then again from August 12, 1896, to August 30, 1902. After that, it moved to a nearby place called Witch Creek.
