Corona, California, United States

🇺🇸 Corona is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The cities of Norco and Riverside lie to the north and north-east, Chino Hills and Yorba Linda to the north-west, Anaheim to the west, Cleveland National Forest and the Santa Ana Mountains to the south-west, and unincorporated Riverside County along the rest of the city's borders. Downtown Corona is approximately 48 miles (77 kilometers) south-east of Downtown Los Angeles and 95 miles (153 km) north-northwest of San Diego.

Corona, 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. 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.

History: Indigenous Prior to the late eighteenth century, the area was primarily inhabited by the Tongva and Payómkawichum, who lived in a series of villages throughout the area. What is now Corona stood at the south-eastern extent of Tovaangar, or the Tongva world, and at the northern edge of Payómkawichum territory.

The primary settlement in the area was the village of Paxauxa, which was established along the banks of the Temescal Creek at about where Corona is situated today. The settlement was shared by both the Tongva and Payómkawichum people. Cooperation and marriage between the two villages was common. High above the city of Corona, the village of Pamajam was also located in a small valley of the Santa Ana Mountains.

Colonial period The founding of Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1776 and Mission San Luis Rey in 1798 saw the introduction of Spanish soldiers and missionaries in the area. This resulted in villagers being brought to the mission to be baptized and as labor.

Spanish influence increased in the area with the establishment of the San Antonio de Pala Asistencia in 1816. Two years following the construction of this mission outpost, the Temescal Valley's first European resident, Leandro Serrano, was given permission by the Spanish to use the area for cattle grazing. His first order was to kill the local bear and mountain lion population for the imported herds.

After the secularization of the Spanish missions by the First Mexican Republic in 1833, the land under influence by the missions in Alta California was gradually granted to large landowners as ranches. In 1848, Californio governor Pio Pico issued this land to Bernardo Yorba, which included present-day city of Corona.

Establishment Corona 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. The town of Corona was once the "Lemon Capital of the World". A museum there presents the lemon's former role in the local economy. 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. 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.

Corona was established as a town by the South Riverside Land and Water Company. The company was incorporated in 1886; founding members included ex-Governor of Iowa Samuel Merrill, R.B. Taylor, George L. Joy, A.S. Garretson, and Adolph Rimpau. 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. They also secured the water rights to Temescal Creek, its tributaries and Lee Lake. Dams and pipelines were built to carry the water to the colony. In 1889, the Temescal Water Company was incorporated, to supply water for the new colony. This company purchased all the water-bearing lands in the Temescal valley and began drilling artesian wells.

Originally located in San Bernardino County, the city was named "South Riverside" and received its post office in that name on either May 27 or August 11, 1887 with Charles H. Cornell as the town's first postmaster. In 1893, South Riverside became part of the new Riverside County. In 1896, the city was renamed "Corona" for its circular Grand Boulevard, where three international automobile races were held in 1913, 1914 and 1916.

History: 20th century The city of Corona has been popular among celebrities drawn to its upscale areas and relative privacy compared to Los Angeles. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz spent time at their ranch, located in north Corona, and played golf often at the Cresta Verde Golf Course in the north-eastern section of the city. After their divorce, Mr. Arnaz continued to live in Corona.

In recent years Corona has been known as the "Gateway to the Inland Empire". Prior to the 1980s, the city was largely an agricultural community, dominated by citrus orchards, ranches, and dairy farms. High real estate prices in Los Angeles and Orange counties made the area's land desirable to developers and industrialists, and by the late 1990s Corona was considered a major suburb of Los Angeles.

Housing development in the city has been accelerated by access to the area via the SR 91, with many families leaving Orange County to larger, more affordable housing available in the city. The construction of the nearby SR 71 has linked Corona to the Pomona and San Gabriel valleys. Due to traffic caused by Corona's considerable growth, toll lanes have been built along the 91 freeway, with future toll lane expansions under construction and in the planning stages along Interstate 15. While there were talks to construct a proposed 10-mile (16 km) automobile and rail tunnel under Santiago Peak to connect Interstate 15 in Corona with Interstate 5 and SR 55 in Orange County to reduce commuter traffic on the crowded 91 freeway, this concept has been shelved indefinitely.

History: 21st century In 2002, the city government considered an initiative to secede from Riverside County and form an autonomous Corona County because the city government and some residents were dissatisfied with how services were handled in nearby areas. The effort was also considered by areas in other cities in the western part of the county as far south as Murrieta. Whether nearby cities such as Norco would have been included in the new county are unknown. The proposed county would have been bordered by San Bernardino County to the north-west and by Orange County to the west, but it never came to fruition.

Geography Corona is located in western Riverside County, east of Orange County.

Economy Businesses with global, national or major regional headquarters in Corona include: • TCL, a Chinese technology company • Monster Beverage, a world-wide manufacturer of soft drinks, including Hansen's beverages and the Monster Energy drink line. • Circle K, an international convenience store chain. • Saleen, manufacturer of speciality, high-performance sports cars. • Fender, world-famous manufacturer of electric guitars, amplifiers, and musical equipment. The Fender Custom Shop is also based in the same building. • Zumiez, youth and action sports clothing and accessory retailer. Corona is home to the Zumiez distribution centre. • Lucas Oil Products, manufacturer of automotive additive products and owner of naming rights to Lucas Oil Stadium, home venue of the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. ◦ Premium automotive television channel MAVTV, which Lucas Oil owns, is also based in Corona. • Troy Lee Designs, makers of various motocross and mountain bike accessories and apparel. • LuLaRoe, controversial and legally embattled multi-level marketing distributor of women's apparel. • Sterno, manufacturers of portable cooking fuel.

Economy: Top employers According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city include: 1 Corona-Norco Unified School District; 2 Corona Regional Medical Center; 3 Fender USA Corona; 4 Monster Energy; 5 City of Corona; 6 TWR Framing Enterprises; 7 All American Asphalt; 8 Veg Fresh Farms; 9 Kaiser Permanente; 10 Thermal Structures.

Transport The city's downtown area is circled by Grand Boulevard, which is unique for being perfectly circular. The street is approximately 1 mi (1.6 km) in diameter.

The city is served by the Corona (SR 71), Interstate 15 (I-15), and Riverside (SR 91) freeways.

There is a proposal to erect a new four-lane freeway along or near Cajalco Road to connect Interstates 15 and 215, although the plan remains controversial. In addition, there is a possibility of constructing a 7.5 mi (12.1 km) tunnel under the Santiago Peak Mountains to the Eastern Transportation Corridor of the FastTrak toll-road company system in Orange, due to increased commuter traffic on State Route 91, which needs to be reduced by another freeway between Orange and Riverside counties.

Corona Municipal Airport (FAA designator: AJO) serves the city and has a 3,200-foot (980 m) runway. On January 20, 2008, two small passenger aircraft collided over Corona, killing all four men aboard the planes and another man on the ground. In the past ten years, there have been five fatal plane crashes around Corona.

Transport: Public The city is linked with the 91 Line and Inland Empire–Orange County Line of the Metrolink commuter rail system, providing service to Los Angeles, Perris, San Bernardino, and Oceanside from the North Main Corona Metrolink Station in the Downtown area and the West Corona Metrolink Station in Corona's west side.

The City of Corona operates its own transportation system called the Corona Cruiser. It consists of two circular routes around the city.

Corona's public transportation also includes the following bus lines: RTA route 1 from West Corona to UC Riverside, RTA route 3 from Corona Regional Medical Center to Swan Lake in nearby Eastvale, RTA route 214 from Downtown Corona to The Village shopping centre in Orange, RTA route 206 from Downtown Corona to Temecula, OCTA bus route from Anaheim to South Corona Walmart (Ontario Avenue), and the Corona Cruiser blue and red lines.

Healthcare Corona is served by the following three hospitals: • The Corona Regional Medical Center, a General Acute Care Hospital with Basic Emergency Services as of 2005 • Kaiser Permanente Corona (no emergency services) • Corona Regional Rehabilitation Hospital.

Performing arts The Arts Alive Council is a non-profit organization created with the purpose to "foster, promote, and increase the public knowledge and appreciation of the arts and cultural activities in the greater Corona Area". Members include the Corona Symphony Orchestra, Circle City Chorale, Christian Arts and Theater, and Corona Dance Academy.

Off Broadway Corona Theater (OBCTheater) is a non-profit organization. They produce two to three theatrical productions each year that are presented at the Corona Civic Center Auditorium.