Originally a citrus growers' organization, it purchased the lands of Rancho La Sierra of Bernardo Yorba, and the Rancho Temescal grant and the colony of South Riverside was laid out. The company was incorporated in 1886 founding members included ex-Governor of Iowa Samuel Merrill, R.B.

The street layout was designed by Hiram Clay Kellogg, a civil engineer from Anaheim who was an influential figure in the early development of Orange County.Ĭorona was established as a town by the South Riverside Land and Water Company. The city derived its name (and its nickname, 'The Circle City') from the unique layout of its streets, with a standard grid enclosed by the circular Grand Boulevard, 2.75 miles (4.43 km) in circumference. A museum there presents the lemon's former role in the local economy. The town of Corona was once the 'Lemon Capital of the World'. Early years Ĭorona was founded at the height of the Southern California citrus boom in 1886, and is situated at the upper end of the Santa Ana River Canyon, a significant pass through the Santa Ana Mountains. When it came time to incorporate the city a number of different names were considered, but the name Corona was chosen to play upon a unique feature of the city, the one-mile diameter drive that circled the center of the town. Originally called South Riverside, citizens wanted to distinguish their city from the larger city of Riverside to the north. See also: List of Riverside County, California, placename etymologies § CoronaĬorona is Spanish for crown or wreath. It is one of the most residential cities in the Inland Empire, but also has a large industrial portion on the northern half, being the headquarters of companies such as Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Monster Beverage Corporation, and supercar manufacturer Saleen. Corona is approximately 48 miles (77 kilometers) southeast of Downtown Los Angeles and 95 miles (153 km) north-northwest of San Diego.Ĭorona, located along the western edge of Southern California's Inland Empire region, is known as the 'Circle City' due to Grand Boulevard's 3 mi (4.8 km) circular layout.

The cities of Norco and Riverside lie to the north and northeast, Chino Hills and Yorba Linda to the northwest, Anaheim to the west, Cleveland National Forest and the Santa Ana Mountains to the southwest, and unincorporated Riverside County along the rest of the city's borders. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 157,136, up from 152,374 at the 2010 census. Corona ( Spanish for 'Crown') is a city in Riverside County, California, United States.

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