Lemon Grove, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lemon Grove, California
City
Motto(s):  Best Climate on Earth
Location of Lemon Grove in San Diego County, California.
Lemon Grove, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	San Diego
Incorporated	July 1, 1977
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	3.88 sq mi (10.05 km2)
• Land	3.88 sq mi (10.05 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	446 ft (136 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	27,627
• Estimate  (2021)	27,413
• Density	7,120/sq mi (2,749.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	91945
Area code	619
FIPS code	06-41124
GNIS feature IDs	1660902, 2410818

Lemon Grove is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. It is known for its warm climate and a giant lemon sculpture. In 2020, about 27,627 people lived here. The city's motto is "Best Climate on Earth."

Exploring Lemon Grove's Past: A Brief History

The land where Lemon Grove now stands was once part of a large area owned by Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Later, after Mexico became independent, a man named Santiago Argüello received over 59,000 acres of land.

Early Settlers and Lemon Farming

In 1850, Robert Allison arrived in the region. He bought thousands of acres from Santiago Argüello's family. This land later became Lemon Grove and other nearby towns. Robert Allison also helped build the San Diego and Cuyamaca Railroad.

His son, Joseph Allison, officially named the area "Lemon Grove" in 1892. The name came from Joseph's mother, Tempa Waterman Allison. The climate was perfect for growing subtropical fruits like lemons. Many farmers moved here from other parts of the U.S.

In 1893, the Lemon Grove Fruit Growers Association was created. By 1894, a newspaper called the San Diego Union described Lemon Grove as "a sea of lemon trees."

Sonka Family and Community Growth

Joseph and Anton Sonka, who were immigrants from Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic), settled in Lemon Grove. They opened a very popular general store called A. Sonka and Son. Today, this historic building is home to the Lemon Grove Bistro.

Anthony "Tony" F. Sonka, Anton's son, was also important to the town. He strongly supported building the huge lemon sculpture that became the town's symbol. He and other local ranchers hired an architect to create the giant lemon. They wanted it to show the town's purpose, success, and hopeful spirit.

A Landmark Court Case: The Lemon Grove Incident

In 1931, something very important happened in Lemon Grove. Mexican American parents successfully challenged the local school board in court. The board had decided to build a separate school just for Mexican American students.

The Superior Court for San Diego County ruled in favor of the parents in a case called Alvarez v. Lemon Grove. This was the first time a lawsuit successfully fought against school segregation in the United States.

Becoming an Official City

By World War II, most of the lemon groves had been replaced by homes. People started discussing whether Lemon Grove should become an official city. This topic caused a lot of debate.

Finally, on July 1, 1977, Lemon Grove officially became a city. It was the 414th city in California. Even though it's a city, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office still provides law enforcement services.

Where is Lemon Grove? Geography and Location

Lemon Grove is located in San Diego County, California. It covers an area of about 3.9 square miles (10.05 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Getting Around: Transportation in Lemon Grove

The city is served by major roads like California State Routes 94 and 125. You can also travel by the San Diego Trolley's Orange Line. The trolley has stops at Lemon Grove Depot and Massachusetts Avenue Station.

Who Lives in Lemon Grove? Demographics

In 2010, Lemon Grove had a population of 25,320 people. About 33.3% of the residents were White, 13.8% African American, and 6.3% Asian. A large part of the population, about 45.2%, identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The city's population grew to 27,627 by the 2020 census.

Famous Faces: Notable People from Lemon Grove

Many interesting people have connections to Lemon Grove, including:

• Rob Crow, a musician
• Rob $tone, a rapper
• John Forester, a cycling activist and author
• Actor Dennis Hopper, who lived here around age 13
• Mary Moore, a professional baseball player
• Bobby Sones, a singer-songwriter
• Abdussattar Shaikh, co-founder of San Diego's Islamic Center
• "Shotgun Tom" Kelly, a radio personality
• Lalo Alcaraz, a cartoonist
• Boyd Rice, a musician and artist
• Mark Williamson, a former baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles
• Rodrigo Toscano, a poet
• Conan Gray, a singer-songwriter

The World's Biggest Lemon: A Town Symbol

Lemon Grove is famous for its huge lemon sculpture, often called "The World's Biggest Lemon." This giant lemon weighs about 3,000 pounds and is roughly 10 feet long and 6 feet wide.

Where to Find the Giant Lemon

You can find this landmark on a concrete base at the corner of Broadway and Lemon Grove Avenue. It sits near the Orange Line Trolley tracks and the local trolley station. The words "Best Climate On Earth" are written on its base.

History of the Giant Lemon

Local architect Alberto O Treganza designed the lemon. It was first built as a parade float for the 1928 Fourth of July Fiesta de San Diego parade. Treganza's 16-year-old daughter, Amorita, who was the first Miss Lemon Grove, rode on the float.

In 1930, the float was made into a permanent sculpture. It was then placed near its current spot, becoming a lasting symbol of Lemon Grove.

Learning in Lemon Grove: Education

Public elementary schools in Lemon Grove are part of the Lemon Grove School District. For high school and adult education, students attend schools in the Grossmont Union High School District.

Middle Schools

• Lemon Grove Academy Middle School

K-8 Schools (Kindergarten to 8th Grade)

• Vista La Mesa Academy
• Mount Vernon School

Elementary Schools

• Lemon Grove Academy Elementary School
• Monterey Heights Elementary School
• San Altos Elementary School
• San Miguel Elementary School

See also

In Spanish: Lemon Grove (California) para niños