Poway, California
Encyclopedia
Poway is a city in San Diego County, California
. Originally an unincorporated community in San Diego County, Poway officially became a city in December 1980. Even though Poway lies geographically in the middle of San Diego County, most consider its relative location as north county inland. Poway's rural roots gave rise to its slogan "The City in the Country." As of the 2010 census
the city had a population of 47,811. The ZIP code
is 92064.
Poway is located at 32°58′12"N 117°2′19"W (32.969895, -117.038479). which lies north of the city of San Diego and south of the city of Escondido. Some nearby communities of San Diego include Rancho Bernardo, Sabre Springs, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos, and in the county to the east, the community of Ramona. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 39.3 square miles (101.8 km²). 39.2 square miles (101.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.25%) is water.
points, metate
s, grinding stones, and pottery
found along the bed of Poway Creek all indicate an early Diegueño presence. Various pictographs adorn many of Poway's boulders, and modern techniques suggest that these paintings date back to the 16th century or earlier. Poway's contemporary history began in the late 18th century, when padres from the Mission San Diego de Alcalá
kept cattle
in the valley.
Documents of Mission San Diego de Alcala record the name of the valley as "Paguay" as early as 1828. Although there is a disagreement on the meaning of "Paguay," the generally accepted translation signifies "the meeting of little valleys" or "end of the valley." Some controversy also surrounds the spelling of the name Poway, historically it was also written as Paguai, Paui, Pauai, Pauy, and Powaii
. The name of the valley of Poway (Pauwai) is derived from the language of the Diegueno and Luiseno Indians who roamed the area for several hundred years before the Spaniards came. Traces of these Native Americans still remain. In Diegueño, the area is known as Pawiiy.
For approximately a century, Poway served as a stock range for the mission, until settlers began to come to the valley for farming purposes in the late antebellum period. Few records of this time have survived, and not until 1894 and the inception of the Poway Progress did the town's history become a thing of record. In 1887, about 800 people lived and farmed in Poway. Around the turn of the century Poway farmers had moderate success in the production and vending of fruit
, grain
, and dairy
products. Expansion, however, failed to follow agricultural success. Though the farmers prospered, the town existed in a static state for decades, varying only slightly in population
, demographics, crop selection, and the like.
Poway has a creek and fertile soil, but the lack of easily available water
prevented the settlement from attracting large-scale farmers and the accompanying population growth. Not until 1954 did the town establish the Poway Municipal Water District, which utilizes water from the Colorado River Aqueduct
to irrigate
all of Poway's 10000 acres (40.5 km²). When water came to the town, people did as well. In 1957, following the sewer system
's completion, developers built housing tracts, and modern Poway grew from there. In 1980 Poway incorporated and officially became the City of Poway (nicknamed "the City in the Country") rather than a part of San Diego. Poway no longer depends on agriculture for its primary source of income, and has instead transitioned into a residential community for those who work for employers in and around the San Diego area. According to a recent state government estimate, the population of Poway has grown since that last census to 50,542.
of 1862 encouraged Westward migration, and accordingly many of Poway's first white settlers came to farm. The fecund soil proved well-suited to a variety of crops, including peaches, Muscat grapes, apricots, pears, hay, and alfalfa. Some farmers captured swarms of wild bees and cultivated honey. Dairying also proved lucrative. Most families kept a cow for milk and butter, chickens for eggs and meat, and perhaps a hog to sustain them while they farmed. Crops sold well around the San Diego area. Between the seasons of 1894 and 1896, the Poway Progress reported bits of agricultural information such as:
The success of these crops depended on the annual winter rainfall, however, and so remained subject to variations in precipitation until the establishment of the Poway Municipal Water District in 1954. With water readily available, the town's farming interest shifted to two principal crops, avocados and citrus fruits. Ironically, despite the relative success of these ventures, Poway ceased to exist as a farming town once the water needed to make it a true agricultural haven appeared. With water came new residents, and the former farm town transformed into a locale full of small commercial businesses and modest shopping centers.
There is also a small Jewish community, with a Reform and a Conservative temple as well as a Chabad
. A Sikh temple, one of several in San Diego County, is found in Poway. Two Kingdom Halls of Jehovah's Witnesses
are located in Poway. There are five congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in Poway that meet in three meetinghouses.
Today, the Poway Unified School District
(PUSD) has grown to more than 30 elementary, middle (6th through 8th grades), and high (9th through 12th grades) schools, and even has a home-schooling program. PUSD has a record of high performance , and one of its students, Anurag Kashyap (an eighth grader at the time), became the 2005 National Spelling Bee Champion after winning on the word "appoggiatura". The City of Poway and Poway Unified formed a partnership to improve Poway's sports fields. Deputy Mayor Jim Cunningham was instrumental in the refurbishing of three sports fields. ( Midland Fields, Garden Elementary at Community Park, and Arbilitos Soccer Park. ).
http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/395/old/u4/.
The newspaper's editor, L. E. Kent, met with Boyd and Cravath on many occasions, and obviously caught the flavor of their sales patter. His enthusiasm for the subject of the railroad, based on repeated assurances from the PBRC that the cars could not fail to run, spread like wildfire to the townspeople. On the first of December the town held a "Railroad Social" wherein, according to plan, the PBRC representatives would meet with the entire town and, after a considerable amount of entertainment and hubbub, present the railroad contract to the townspeople for their approval and signatures. The night began without a hitch. According to the December 7 Poway Progress, "a program of good and appropriate things was provided by local talent, which furnished fun and amusement to all. Following the entertainment, a sumptuous supper was served free to the hungry crowd, after which games and youthful antics continued into the late hours" (31). The "entertainment", according to the evening's program, published by the newspaper the following morning, surpassed all expectations. Local residents performed vocal duets, played the violin and the organ, and even sang a "Railroad Song" en masse. Perhaps the most telling entertainment came in the form of a "recitation" by Flora Kent, L.E. Kent's wife, who composed an original poem on the subject and performed it for the crowd. Her proud husband esteemed his wife's literary talents so highly that he published the full text of her poem in the Progress the next day. The following excerpts (two out of a total six stanzas) give an adequate representation of the work's flavor:
The poem gives an excellent indication of Poway's general excitement concerning the new railroad. The comment that Poway's "slumber has been long", especially, suggests that Poway residents recognize the sleepiness and overall torpor of their town, and long for an agent such as the railroad to awaken them from their doze into a new world of economic prosperity. This new reality, however, seemed dubious when, on the very night of the Railroad Social, with all the town's residents in attendance, the PBRC representatives failed to materialize. "There was one disappointment that shadowed the whole affair—" the Progress reports: "the nonappearance of the gentlemen who were expected to be present to give the railroad talk, setting for the plans, purpose, and contracts of the enterprise." The fact that the superintendents never attended the contract signing should have, perhaps, indicated to the Powegians that the PBRC did not act entirely in good faith concerning the venture. The same newspaper article, though, states "In justice to the gentlemen named, we are authorized to state that they fully intended to be present at the social, but other engagements prevented them—explanations promised." At this time in the venture, Poway had collectively given upwards of $100,000 worth of bonds and land to the PBRC. Gullible as the superintendents doubtless expected to find them, Poway residents continued to pursue the railroad project for another year in its entirety, with the paper constantly reporting news such as this, in July 1896. (39)
Not until October 1896 did Poway finally abandon hope for the project and demand its money back. Remarkably, the sum of $85,000 worth of land and notes came back into the town's coffers. The financial losses incurred by the townspeople, then, did not prove devastating, but the town's spirit never fully recovered from the blow. L.E. Kent himself took the news so poorly, having had the personal assurances of Cravath and Boyd many times, and having staked his journalistic reputation, such as it was, on these assurances, that he only continued to publish the Poway Progress until 1897, one year after the railroad fiasco concluded. After all, progress did not seem imminent in Poway's future any longer. When news of the coming railroad spread, an English firm, Baird and Chapin, came to the valley and laid out a subdivision plan called Piermont. A plan filed in 1887 shows such elegant names as Devon, Norwalk, Aubrey, Edgemoor, York, Rydal, Windsor and Midland Avenues. Residential areas were planned around small parks: Ashton Court, Chatham Court, Hampton Court, St. Alban's Court and many others. Poway's new railroad would bring the grandeur, elegance, and cultivation that the town currently lacked, and the developers named the areas accordingly. When the railroad did not materialize, though, the valley began to lose some of its settlers, and the developers left as well. Poway existed in a stagnant inertia for close to three quarters of a century before water revitalized the town.
In 1957, the Pomerado County Water District was organized to provide sewer service to 1610 acres (6.5 km²) along Pomerado Road. In 1959 the first subdivision homes were built and sold as Poway Valley Homes and Poway's population began to climb. On December 1, 1980, the City of Poway incorporated and the two districts, Poway Municipal Water and Pomerado County Water, became part of the City structure. The district issued a restriction for watering lawns. It allowed people to water their lawns three days a week each week. But, soon after a year or two, these restrictions were lifted.
In 1980, Poway incorporated and became the City of Poway, an entity separate from the County of San Diego. It justifies its nickname of the "City in the Country" despite its burgeoning population because it has been designated a "Tree City" http://www.arborday.org/PROGRAMS/treeCityUSA/sterling.cfm for the last decade. Poway is the location of the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, Lake Poway, and many minor hiking and horse riding trails. Major portions of the town were evacuated during both the 2003 Cedar Fire
and 2007 Witch Creek Fire. In 2004, the City of Poway adopted the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, based out of nearby Camp Pendleton. The Fred L. Kent Post 7907 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars has been the official go-between with the battalion, which has been redeployed at least once to Iraq since its adoption.
On April 11, 2009, Poway's Mayor Michael "Mickey" Cafagna
died due to complications resulting from kidney cancer
. A real-estate broker and contractor, Cafagna was born in Detroit, Michigan
and had been a resident of Poway for 34 years. He sat on the city council from 1992 until his death, elected mayor in 1998 (he was in his third term at the time of his death). His achievements were many including the construction of Poway City Hall, the continued development of the business park, and establishing relationships with the business community and the Chamber of Commerce. He has been acknowledged as "a true leader and friend" and lauded for his efforts to improve the city, as well as for his leadership during the Cedar and Witch Creek fires. When Cafagna's illness prevented him from performing his mayoral duties, the Deputy Mayor, Don Higginson, acted as Mayor of Poway. Cafagna was survived by Sharon Green Cafagna, his wife of 43 years, their two children and their five grandchildren. He is buried at Dearborn Memorial Park in Poway.
The City Council met on April 28, 2009 to decide whether to appoint a new mayor to replace Cafagna, or to hold an election in November. The City Council appointed the Deputy Mayor Don Higginson as mayor of Poway until the Cafagna's term expires in November 2010. A 43-year resident of Poway, Higginson has served on the City Council since 1986 and was in fact Cafagna's predecessor as mayor of the city.
Carl Kruse was appointed on May 26, 2009 to fill the council vacancy created by the selection of Higginson as mayor. This was the second time Kruse has been named to fill a council vacancy, the first being in 1982, when he was selected to replace founding councilmember Clyde Rexrode, who had been reelected in spite of having died on the eve of the election.
Carl Kruse. said he would not run after he was appointed but did and lost in the November 2010 election.
In the June 2010 election, councilwoman Betty Rexford was recalled by 78.01 percent of voters. A first in Poway's history, the recall followed after the city spent $360,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by two of her neighbors. The suit accused Rexford of using her position to interfere with the plaintiffs' plans to build on their properties, which are on each side of a home owned by Rexford and her husband. The lawsuit never went to trial, but the councilwoman nevertheless was recalled by voters.
, the city covers an area of 39.2 square miles (101.5 km²), 99.78% of it land, and 0.22% of it water.
BSh).
, home of the Titans, is known for its wrestling, lacrosse, baseball, and football teams. The Titan wrestling team, coached by Wayne Branstetter since 1978, has won 25 consecutive CIF San Diego Section Championships, placed in the top five statewide 20 times, and won four CIF State Wrestling Team Championships, in 1986, 1999, 2005 and 2009. The Poway High Varsity Football team, coached by Damian Gonzalez won the CIF San Diego Division I semifinals in 2006 and won the CIF San Diego Division I title in 2008, going undefeated (12-0) for the first time in the school's history. The Poway High Varsity Baseball team won the CIF Division I championship in 2006, 2008 and 2009. The Poway High Girls Varsity Basketball team won the CIF Division I championship in 2008 and set a school record with 29 wins in 2009. The Emerald Brigade, the school's marching band, competes throughout the year and has won sweepstakes and top honors. The Emerald Brigade won top honors in regional and national competitions in the late 1990s. The Poway High School Choir department sends its top choirs (Die Lieders and Women's & Men's Ensembles) to compete nationally, acquiring top awards in various major cities around the United States, including San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago, Illinois and Orlando, Florida. Tom DeLonge
of the bands, Blink-182
and Angels & Airwaves
, attended Poway High School. Also Zach Porter, Nathan Darmody, Cameron Quiseng of Allstar Weekend
. Many highly accomplished leaders attended Poway High School including biotechnology pioneer and acclaimed scientist David Goeddel
.
was 1,220.7 people per square mile (471.3/km²). The racial makeup of Poway was 36,781 (76.9%) White, 783 (1.6%) African American, 265 (0.6%) Native American, 4,853 (10.2%) Asian, 106 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,944 (6.2%) from other races
, and 2,079 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7,508 persons (15.7%).
The Census reported that 47,261 people (98.8% of the population) lived in households, 284 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 266 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 16,128 households, out of which 6,493 (40.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 10,523 (65.2%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 1,675 (10.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 742 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 580 (3.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 111 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,469 households (15.3%) were made up of individuals and 1,185 (7.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93. There were 12,940 families
(80.2% of all households); the average family size was 3.23.
The population was spread out with 11,948 people (25.0%) under the age of 18, 3,912 people (8.2%) aged 18 to 24, 10,496 people (22.0%) aged 25 to 44, 15,555 people (32.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,900 people (12.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.
There were 16,715 housing units at an average density of 426.8 per square mile (164.8/km²), of which 12,000 (74.4%) were owner-occupied, and 4,128 (25.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%. 35,111 people (73.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,150 people (25.4%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 48,044 people, 15,467 households, and 12,868 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,224.8 inhabitants per square mile (473.0/km²). There were 15,714 housing units at an average density of 400.6 per square mile (154.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.85% White, 7.46% Asian, 1.67% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.28% Pacific Islander, 3.27% from other races
, and 3.99% from two or more races. Across all races 10.35% are Hispanic or Latino.
There were 15,467 households out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.8% were married couples
living together, 10.5% have an unmarried female householder, and 16.8% were non-families. 12.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 people and the average family size was 3.35 people.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in Poway is $92,083, and the median income for a family was $103,972, making it the 25th most expensive zip code in the United States (as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $53,322 versus $52,742 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $29,788. About 3.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
According to estimates by the San Diego Association of Governments
, the median household income
of Poway in 2005 was $96,474 (not adjusted for inflation
). When adjusted for inflation (1999 dollars; comparable to Census
data above), the median household income was $78,340.
Blue Sky Ecological Reserve - 16275 Espola Road, Poway http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=676#id=6&num=1
Old Poway Park - 14134 Midland Road, Poway.http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=110 Home of Poway-Midland Railroad http://www.powaymidlandrr.org/default.htm Home of the Poway Historical and Memorial Society http://www.powayhistoricalsociety.org/
Starridge Park - 13745 Carriage Rd, Poway.
Community Park - 13094 Civic Center Drive, Poway http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=349. Home of Dog Park,http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=347 the community pool,http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=355 and a skate park.http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=348
Lake Poway - 14644 Lake Poway Rd. Poway.http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=671
Hiking Trails http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=1223
Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center at Pauwai - 13104 Ipai Waaypuk Trail (formerly Silver Lake Drive), Poway.http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=354
Sycamore Canyon Preserve and Goodan Ranch - Over 10 miles (16.1 km) of trails (which connect to the neighboring city of Santee), available for hiking, biking and horseback riding, also has a Visitor Center.
Poway is located in the 36th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Joel Anderson
, and in the 75th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Nathan Fletcher
. Federally, Poway is located in California's 52nd congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +9 and is represented by Republican Duncan D. Hunter
.
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
. Originally an unincorporated community in San Diego County, Poway officially became a city in December 1980. Even though Poway lies geographically in the middle of San Diego County, most consider its relative location as north county inland. Poway's rural roots gave rise to its slogan "The City in the Country." As of the 2010 census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
the city had a population of 47,811. The ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 92064.
Poway is located at 32°58′12"N 117°2′19"W (32.969895, -117.038479). which lies north of the city of San Diego and south of the city of Escondido. Some nearby communities of San Diego include Rancho Bernardo, Sabre Springs, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos, and in the county to the east, the community of Ramona. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 39.3 square miles (101.8 km²). 39.2 square miles (101.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.25%) is water.
History
Artifacts such as arrow heads, spearSpear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
points, metate
Metate
A metate is a mortar, a ground stone tool used for processing grain and seeds. In traditional Mesoamerican culture, metates were typically used by women who would grind calcified maize and other organic materials during food preparation...
s, grinding stones, and pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
found along the bed of Poway Creek all indicate an early Diegueño presence. Various pictographs adorn many of Poway's boulders, and modern techniques suggest that these paintings date back to the 16th century or earlier. Poway's contemporary history began in the late 18th century, when padres from the Mission San Diego de Alcalá
Mission San Diego de Alcalá
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá, in San Diego, California, was the first Franciscan mission in the Las Californias Province of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was founded in 1769 by Spanish friar Junípero Serra in an area long inhabited by the Kumeyaay Indians...
kept cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
in the valley.
Documents of Mission San Diego de Alcala record the name of the valley as "Paguay" as early as 1828. Although there is a disagreement on the meaning of "Paguay," the generally accepted translation signifies "the meeting of little valleys" or "end of the valley." Some controversy also surrounds the spelling of the name Poway, historically it was also written as Paguai, Paui, Pauai, Pauy, and Powaii
. The name of the valley of Poway (Pauwai) is derived from the language of the Diegueno and Luiseno Indians who roamed the area for several hundred years before the Spaniards came. Traces of these Native Americans still remain. In Diegueño, the area is known as Pawiiy.
For approximately a century, Poway served as a stock range for the mission, until settlers began to come to the valley for farming purposes in the late antebellum period. Few records of this time have survived, and not until 1894 and the inception of the Poway Progress did the town's history become a thing of record. In 1887, about 800 people lived and farmed in Poway. Around the turn of the century Poway farmers had moderate success in the production and vending of fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
, grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
, and dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
products. Expansion, however, failed to follow agricultural success. Though the farmers prospered, the town existed in a static state for decades, varying only slightly in population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
, demographics, crop selection, and the like.
Poway has a creek and fertile soil, but the lack of easily available water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
prevented the settlement from attracting large-scale farmers and the accompanying population growth. Not until 1954 did the town establish the Poway Municipal Water District, which utilizes water from the Colorado River Aqueduct
Colorado River Aqueduct
The Colorado River Aqueduct, or CRA, is a water conveyance in Southern California in the United States, operated by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California . The aqueduct impounds water from the Colorado River at Lake Havasu on the California-Arizona border west across the Mojave...
to irrigate
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
all of Poway's 10000 acres (40.5 km²). When water came to the town, people did as well. In 1957, following the sewer system
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
's completion, developers built housing tracts, and modern Poway grew from there. In 1980 Poway incorporated and officially became the City of Poway (nicknamed "the City in the Country") rather than a part of San Diego. Poway no longer depends on agriculture for its primary source of income, and has instead transitioned into a residential community for those who work for employers in and around the San Diego area. According to a recent state government estimate, the population of Poway has grown since that last census to 50,542.
Agriculture
Though many residents today mistake Poway for an old Western-style cowboy town, its original roots lie in agriculture. The Homestead ActHomestead Act
A homestead act is one of three United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to an area called a "homestead" – typically 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River....
of 1862 encouraged Westward migration, and accordingly many of Poway's first white settlers came to farm. The fecund soil proved well-suited to a variety of crops, including peaches, Muscat grapes, apricots, pears, hay, and alfalfa. Some farmers captured swarms of wild bees and cultivated honey. Dairying also proved lucrative. Most families kept a cow for milk and butter, chickens for eggs and meat, and perhaps a hog to sustain them while they farmed. Crops sold well around the San Diego area. Between the seasons of 1894 and 1896, the Poway Progress reported bits of agricultural information such as:
- Muscat grapes are beginning to ripen, and the San Diego market is getting a supply of the fine article Poway always produces. ... The season has been a prolific one for bees, thirty of forty stands the present season from a single captured swarm a year or two ago. ... The peach is a good article, and Poway produces it to perfection. Poway pears will compare with any grown in the state.
The success of these crops depended on the annual winter rainfall, however, and so remained subject to variations in precipitation until the establishment of the Poway Municipal Water District in 1954. With water readily available, the town's farming interest shifted to two principal crops, avocados and citrus fruits. Ironically, despite the relative success of these ventures, Poway ceased to exist as a farming town once the water needed to make it a true agricultural haven appeared. With water came new residents, and the former farm town transformed into a locale full of small commercial businesses and modest shopping centers.
Religion
The Community Church of Poway, the town's first church, has remained in operation since 1887, making it the house of worship with the longest continual operation in San Diego County http://ccpucc.com/content.cfm?id=2021. It is now affiliated with the United Church of Christ http://www.ccpucc.com/. Today, Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Mormons constitute the majority of Poway's religious demographic. There are two Catholic Churches in Poway, St. Michael's http://www.stmichaelschurch-poway.org/default.aspx and St. Gabriel's http://www.saintgabrielschurch.com/.There is also a small Jewish community, with a Reform and a Conservative temple as well as a Chabad
Chabad
Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
. A Sikh temple, one of several in San Diego County, is found in Poway. Two Kingdom Halls of Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
are located in Poway. There are five congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in Poway that meet in three meetinghouses.
Education
Poway established its school district in 1871, but did not have a schoolhouse until 1885, when a one-room schoolhouse was built at Midland Road about a 2-3 minute walk south of the Templar's Hall. The site is still in use today as an elementary school (Kindergarten through 5th grade), though it was torn down and rebuilt in 1945, and again in 2004-2006. First through eighth graders were included in one classroom. Children learned to read and write using slates, and eventually progressed to study subjects such as arithmetic, spelling, English, language (German or Latin), grammar, history, and geography. Students did not usually attend high school, and had to travel to Escondido if they wished to do so. In 1909, only three students from Poway graduated from high school. Women who went on to more school from there usually had teaching ambitions. Education, while compulsory and considered a worthwhile pastime, had few far-reaching applications for Poway's farmers' children. Enrollment in the Poway School first through eighth grades did not reach 100 until 1932.Today, the Poway Unified School District
Poway Unified School District
Poway Unified School District is a school district located in Poway, California. The District operates 25 elementary schools , six middle schools , four comprehensive high schools , and one continuation high school. Twenty-one of its schools are located in the city of San Diego; eleven others in...
(PUSD) has grown to more than 30 elementary, middle (6th through 8th grades), and high (9th through 12th grades) schools, and even has a home-schooling program. PUSD has a record of high performance , and one of its students, Anurag Kashyap (an eighth grader at the time), became the 2005 National Spelling Bee Champion after winning on the word "appoggiatura". The City of Poway and Poway Unified formed a partnership to improve Poway's sports fields. Deputy Mayor Jim Cunningham was instrumental in the refurbishing of three sports fields. ( Midland Fields, Garden Elementary at Community Park, and Arbilitos Soccer Park. ).
Transportation
Poway's transportation history parallels that of early California. In 1888 the first stagecoach began to service the towns from San Diego to Escondido, including Poway. The stage made one stop in town, at the Poway Post Office, and also delivered mail to the farmers who would wait along the road for its arrival. The men would trot alongside the coach and inquire as to the state of the mail, and thus receive letters without requiring it to stop. Eight to ten passengers could accompany the stagecoach on its three-day journey for a modest $1.00 fee, or purchase a round trip for the bargain price of $1.50. The route itself, though not treacherous when passing through Poway, did pose a significant challenge to the team and driver at various points. Windy mountain trails often caused the stage to turn over, spilling both mail and passengers onto the rocky turf. The city of San Diego discontinued the stage line in 1912, when the advent of the automobile facilitated an easier and less time-consuming method of mail delivery. Poway established a County Road Station in 1920, to oil and maintain the roads so that automobiles could use them with ease. The road station remained in operation until 1961, when Poway achieved an 80% paved road rate. To this day, though, the town still boasts a number of dirt roads, for use by cars, horses, bikers, pedestrians, and hikers. Portions of what is currently Pomerado Road, a major north/south artery, were once U.S. Route 395 in CaliforniaU.S. Route 395 in California
In the U.S. state of California, U.S. Route 395 is a route which traverses from Interstate 15 near the southern city limits of Hesperia, north to the Oregon state line in Modoc County near Goose Lake...
http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/395/old/u4/.
Railroad incident
Perhaps the most famed incident in Poway's transportation history comes from an event that never actually took place. The story goes as follows: in October 1895, representative from the Pacific Beach Railroad Company approached the citizens of Poway with the prospect of directing their railroad route through the center of town. A.K. Cravath and C.B. Boyd, company superintendents, met with town leaders and discussed the prospect, piquing the community's interest, as the Poway Progress reportage of November 23, 1895 demonstrates:The newspaper's editor, L. E. Kent, met with Boyd and Cravath on many occasions, and obviously caught the flavor of their sales patter. His enthusiasm for the subject of the railroad, based on repeated assurances from the PBRC that the cars could not fail to run, spread like wildfire to the townspeople. On the first of December the town held a "Railroad Social" wherein, according to plan, the PBRC representatives would meet with the entire town and, after a considerable amount of entertainment and hubbub, present the railroad contract to the townspeople for their approval and signatures. The night began without a hitch. According to the December 7 Poway Progress, "a program of good and appropriate things was provided by local talent, which furnished fun and amusement to all. Following the entertainment, a sumptuous supper was served free to the hungry crowd, after which games and youthful antics continued into the late hours" (31). The "entertainment", according to the evening's program, published by the newspaper the following morning, surpassed all expectations. Local residents performed vocal duets, played the violin and the organ, and even sang a "Railroad Song" en masse. Perhaps the most telling entertainment came in the form of a "recitation" by Flora Kent, L.E. Kent's wife, who composed an original poem on the subject and performed it for the crowd. Her proud husband esteemed his wife's literary talents so highly that he published the full text of her poem in the Progress the next day. The following excerpts (two out of a total six stanzas) give an adequate representation of the work's flavor:
- Have you heard the news, Josiar?
- I declare, it makes me young,
- It sets my heart on fire,
- And loosens my old tongue,
- And I feel jest like a talkin'
- and shoutin' jest for fun,
- For I shan't do no more walkin'
- When the cars begin to run.
- …Then Hip Hurrah! for old Poway,
- Her slumber has been long,
- But every dog must have its day,
- And every bird its song.
- Then let us give a mighty cheer,
- And shout, "The battle's won."
- For she's a comin', don't you fear,
- The cars is bound to run!
The poem gives an excellent indication of Poway's general excitement concerning the new railroad. The comment that Poway's "slumber has been long", especially, suggests that Poway residents recognize the sleepiness and overall torpor of their town, and long for an agent such as the railroad to awaken them from their doze into a new world of economic prosperity. This new reality, however, seemed dubious when, on the very night of the Railroad Social, with all the town's residents in attendance, the PBRC representatives failed to materialize. "There was one disappointment that shadowed the whole affair—" the Progress reports: "the nonappearance of the gentlemen who were expected to be present to give the railroad talk, setting for the plans, purpose, and contracts of the enterprise." The fact that the superintendents never attended the contract signing should have, perhaps, indicated to the Powegians that the PBRC did not act entirely in good faith concerning the venture. The same newspaper article, though, states "In justice to the gentlemen named, we are authorized to state that they fully intended to be present at the social, but other engagements prevented them—explanations promised." At this time in the venture, Poway had collectively given upwards of $100,000 worth of bonds and land to the PBRC. Gullible as the superintendents doubtless expected to find them, Poway residents continued to pursue the railroad project for another year in its entirety, with the paper constantly reporting news such as this, in July 1896. (39)
Not until October 1896 did Poway finally abandon hope for the project and demand its money back. Remarkably, the sum of $85,000 worth of land and notes came back into the town's coffers. The financial losses incurred by the townspeople, then, did not prove devastating, but the town's spirit never fully recovered from the blow. L.E. Kent himself took the news so poorly, having had the personal assurances of Cravath and Boyd many times, and having staked his journalistic reputation, such as it was, on these assurances, that he only continued to publish the Poway Progress until 1897, one year after the railroad fiasco concluded. After all, progress did not seem imminent in Poway's future any longer. When news of the coming railroad spread, an English firm, Baird and Chapin, came to the valley and laid out a subdivision plan called Piermont. A plan filed in 1887 shows such elegant names as Devon, Norwalk, Aubrey, Edgemoor, York, Rydal, Windsor and Midland Avenues. Residential areas were planned around small parks: Ashton Court, Chatham Court, Hampton Court, St. Alban's Court and many others. Poway's new railroad would bring the grandeur, elegance, and cultivation that the town currently lacked, and the developers named the areas accordingly. When the railroad did not materialize, though, the valley began to lose some of its settlers, and the developers left as well. Poway existed in a stagnant inertia for close to three quarters of a century before water revitalized the town.
Water
Poway's greatest change started in the 1950s when water came to the valley. On January 29, 1954 an election was held on the formation of the Poway Municipal Water District, which passed with an overwhelming majority of 210 ayes to 32 nayes. At a second election on March 25, 1954, the citizens voted to annex to the San Diego County Water Authority. At a third election held April 22, 1954, the citizens voted to incur bonded debt of $600,000 to build a water system. The first water delivery was made in July, 1954 to Gordon's Grocery on Garden Road. In 1972 Poway Dam was built to provide a dependable supply of water.In 1957, the Pomerado County Water District was organized to provide sewer service to 1610 acres (6.5 km²) along Pomerado Road. In 1959 the first subdivision homes were built and sold as Poway Valley Homes and Poway's population began to climb. On December 1, 1980, the City of Poway incorporated and the two districts, Poway Municipal Water and Pomerado County Water, became part of the City structure. The district issued a restriction for watering lawns. It allowed people to water their lawns three days a week each week. But, soon after a year or two, these restrictions were lifted.
Recent events
Cedar Fire
The Cedar Fire was a human-caused wildfire that burned out of control through a large area of San Diego County, in Southern California, in October 2003...
and 2007 Witch Creek Fire. In 2004, the City of Poway adopted the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, based out of nearby Camp Pendleton. The Fred L. Kent Post 7907 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars has been the official go-between with the battalion, which has been redeployed at least once to Iraq since its adoption.
On April 11, 2009, Poway's Mayor Michael "Mickey" Cafagna
Mickey Cafagna
Michael "Mickey" Cafagna was the third elected mayor of the city of Poway, California, serving from 1998 until his death in 2009.Cafagna was born in Detroit, Michigan, the third son of Italian immigrants...
died due to complications resulting from kidney cancer
Kidney cancer
Kidney cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells in the kidney.The two most common types of kidney cancer are renal cell carcinoma and urothelial cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis...
. A real-estate broker and contractor, Cafagna was born in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and had been a resident of Poway for 34 years. He sat on the city council from 1992 until his death, elected mayor in 1998 (he was in his third term at the time of his death). His achievements were many including the construction of Poway City Hall, the continued development of the business park, and establishing relationships with the business community and the Chamber of Commerce. He has been acknowledged as "a true leader and friend" and lauded for his efforts to improve the city, as well as for his leadership during the Cedar and Witch Creek fires. When Cafagna's illness prevented him from performing his mayoral duties, the Deputy Mayor, Don Higginson, acted as Mayor of Poway. Cafagna was survived by Sharon Green Cafagna, his wife of 43 years, their two children and their five grandchildren. He is buried at Dearborn Memorial Park in Poway.
The City Council met on April 28, 2009 to decide whether to appoint a new mayor to replace Cafagna, or to hold an election in November. The City Council appointed the Deputy Mayor Don Higginson as mayor of Poway until the Cafagna's term expires in November 2010. A 43-year resident of Poway, Higginson has served on the City Council since 1986 and was in fact Cafagna's predecessor as mayor of the city.
Carl Kruse was appointed on May 26, 2009 to fill the council vacancy created by the selection of Higginson as mayor. This was the second time Kruse has been named to fill a council vacancy, the first being in 1982, when he was selected to replace founding councilmember Clyde Rexrode, who had been reelected in spite of having died on the eve of the election.
Carl Kruse. said he would not run after he was appointed but did and lost in the November 2010 election.
In the June 2010 election, councilwoman Betty Rexford was recalled by 78.01 percent of voters. A first in Poway's history, the recall followed after the city spent $360,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by two of her neighbors. The suit accused Rexford of using her position to interfere with the plaintiffs' plans to build on their properties, which are on each side of a home owned by Rexford and her husband. The lawsuit never went to trial, but the councilwoman nevertheless was recalled by voters.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city covers an area of 39.2 square miles (101.5 km²), 99.78% of it land, and 0.22% of it water.
Climate
Poway experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSh).
Poway High School
Poway High SchoolPoway High School
Poway High School is a public, comprehensive high school located in the city of Poway, California. Established in 1961, it serves ninth through twelfth grade students from the communities of Poway and Rancho Bernardo. The school mascot is the Titan...
, home of the Titans, is known for its wrestling, lacrosse, baseball, and football teams. The Titan wrestling team, coached by Wayne Branstetter since 1978, has won 25 consecutive CIF San Diego Section Championships, placed in the top five statewide 20 times, and won four CIF State Wrestling Team Championships, in 1986, 1999, 2005 and 2009. The Poway High Varsity Football team, coached by Damian Gonzalez won the CIF San Diego Division I semifinals in 2006 and won the CIF San Diego Division I title in 2008, going undefeated (12-0) for the first time in the school's history. The Poway High Varsity Baseball team won the CIF Division I championship in 2006, 2008 and 2009. The Poway High Girls Varsity Basketball team won the CIF Division I championship in 2008 and set a school record with 29 wins in 2009. The Emerald Brigade, the school's marching band, competes throughout the year and has won sweepstakes and top honors. The Emerald Brigade won top honors in regional and national competitions in the late 1990s. The Poway High School Choir department sends its top choirs (Die Lieders and Women's & Men's Ensembles) to compete nationally, acquiring top awards in various major cities around the United States, including San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago, Illinois and Orlando, Florida. Tom DeLonge
Tom DeLonge
Thomas Matthew "Tom" DeLonge, Jr. is an American rock musician. He is the guitarist and one of the two lead vocalists for the American pop punk band Blink-182 as well as the guitarist and lead vocalist for the alternative band Angels & Airwaves...
of the bands, Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
and Angels & Airwaves
Angels & Airwaves
Angels & Airwaves is an American alternative rock supergroup led by Blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, also including guitarist David Kennedy from Over My Dead Body, Hazen Street and Box Car Racer, bass guitarist Matt Wachter from 30 Seconds to Mars and former Lostprophets and Nine Inch...
, attended Poway High School. Also Zach Porter, Nathan Darmody, Cameron Quiseng of Allstar Weekend
Allstar Weekend
Allstar Weekend is a pop rock band based in Poway, California. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel television network. The band originally consisted of lead singer Zach Porter, bassist Cameron Quiseng, guitarist Nathan Darmody, and drummer Michael Martinez but as of September 16,...
. Many highly accomplished leaders attended Poway High School including biotechnology pioneer and acclaimed scientist David Goeddel
David Goeddel
David Goeddel is a pioneer of the biotechnology industry who, employed at the time by Genentech, successfully used genetic engineering to coax bacteria into creating synthetic human insulin, human growth hormone, and human TPA for use in therapeutic medicine...
.
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Poway had a population of 47,811. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,220.7 people per square mile (471.3/km²). The racial makeup of Poway was 36,781 (76.9%) White, 783 (1.6%) African American, 265 (0.6%) Native American, 4,853 (10.2%) Asian, 106 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,944 (6.2%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2,079 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7,508 persons (15.7%).
The Census reported that 47,261 people (98.8% of the population) lived in households, 284 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 266 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 16,128 households, out of which 6,493 (40.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 10,523 (65.2%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 1,675 (10.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 742 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 580 (3.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 111 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,469 households (15.3%) were made up of individuals and 1,185 (7.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93. There were 12,940 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(80.2% of all households); the average family size was 3.23.
The population was spread out with 11,948 people (25.0%) under the age of 18, 3,912 people (8.2%) aged 18 to 24, 10,496 people (22.0%) aged 25 to 44, 15,555 people (32.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,900 people (12.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.
There were 16,715 housing units at an average density of 426.8 per square mile (164.8/km²), of which 12,000 (74.4%) were owner-occupied, and 4,128 (25.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%. 35,111 people (73.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,150 people (25.4%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
The censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 48,044 people, 15,467 households, and 12,868 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,224.8 inhabitants per square mile (473.0/km²). There were 15,714 housing units at an average density of 400.6 per square mile (154.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.85% White, 7.46% Asian, 1.67% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.28% Pacific Islander, 3.27% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.99% from two or more races. Across all races 10.35% are Hispanic or Latino.
There were 15,467 households out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.5% have an unmarried female householder, and 16.8% were non-families. 12.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 people and the average family size was 3.35 people.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in Poway is $92,083, and the median income for a family was $103,972, making it the 25th most expensive zip code in the United States (as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $53,322 versus $52,742 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $29,788. About 3.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
According to estimates by the San Diego Association of Governments
San Diego Association of Governments
The San Diego Association of Governments is an association of local San Diego County governments. It is the metropolitan planning organization for the County, with policy makers consisting of mayors, councilmembers, and a County Supervisors, and also has capital planning and fare setting powers...
, the median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
of Poway in 2005 was $96,474 (not adjusted for inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
). When adjusted for inflation (1999 dollars; comparable to Census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
data above), the median household income was $78,340.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geico Direct | 1,500 |
| 2 | Poway Unified School District Poway Unified School District Poway Unified School District is a school district located in Poway, California. The District operates 25 elementary schools , six middle schools , four comprehensive high schools , and one continuation high school. Twenty-one of its schools are located in the city of San Diego; eleven others in... |
1,462 |
| 3 | Pomerado Hospital Pomerado Hospital Pomerado Hospital is a hospital in Poway, California, operated by Palomar Pomerado Health.. It opened in 1977.-External links:**... |
743 |
| 4 | Cohu | 650 |
| 5 | Sysco SYSCO Sysco Corporation is the global leader in marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, hotels and inns, and other foodservice and hospitality businesses... San Diego |
456 |
| 6 | Digirad | 434 |
| 7 | CoreLogic CoreLogic CoreLogic, Inc. is an American corporation providing financial, property and consumer information, analytics and business intelligence. Headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, the company analyzes information assets and data to provide clients with analytics and customized data services... Credco |
416 |
| 8 | Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000... |
340 |
| 9 | City of Poway | 310 |
| 10 | Mitchell 1 Mitchell 1 Mitchell 1 is a software service provider that has provided repair information to the automotive industry for over 90 years. Originally founded as a private company, Reed Electrical Manuals, the company provided the first specifications and diagrams of vehicle electrical systems to the new motoring... |
265 |
Parks and reserves
Aubrey Park - 13544 Aubrey Street, Poway. Located between Midland Avenue and Community Avenue. This park encompasses 8.5 acres (34,398.3 m²) and includes four softball fields, a snack shop, walking trails, picnic areas and native tree groves. TBlue Sky Ecological Reserve - 16275 Espola Road, Poway http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=676#id=6&num=1
Old Poway Park - 14134 Midland Road, Poway.http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=110 Home of Poway-Midland Railroad http://www.powaymidlandrr.org/default.htm Home of the Poway Historical and Memorial Society http://www.powayhistoricalsociety.org/
Starridge Park - 13745 Carriage Rd, Poway.
Community Park - 13094 Civic Center Drive, Poway http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=349. Home of Dog Park,http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=347 the community pool,http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=355 and a skate park.http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=348
Lake Poway - 14644 Lake Poway Rd. Poway.http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=671
Hiking Trails http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=1223
Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center at Pauwai - 13104 Ipai Waaypuk Trail (formerly Silver Lake Drive), Poway.http://www.ci.poway.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=354
Sycamore Canyon Preserve and Goodan Ranch - Over 10 miles (16.1 km) of trails (which connect to the neighboring city of Santee), available for hiking, biking and horseback riding, also has a Visitor Center.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Poway is located in the 36th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Joel Anderson
Joel Anderson
Joel Anderson is a California politician and Republican member of the California State Senate in the 36th Senate District. Before his election to the State Senate he was a member of the California Assembly representing the 77th Assembly District, and he also served on the Padre Dam Municipal Water...
, and in the 75th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Nathan Fletcher
Nathan Fletcher
Nathan Fletcher is a Republican member of the California State Assembly in the 75th Assembly District which includes the City of Poway, portions of Escondido, La Jolla, University City, Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos, and Carmel Valley, and the communities of...
. Federally, Poway is located in California's 52nd congressional district
California's 52nd congressional district
California's 52nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in San Diego County. The district consists of many of San Diego's suburbs, including Lakeside, Poway, Ramona, La Mesa, and Spring Valley....
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +9 and is represented by Republican Duncan D. Hunter
Duncan D. Hunter
Duncan Duane Hunter is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is the son of his predecessor Duncan Hunter...
.
Notable natives, current and former residents
- Mark HoppusMark HoppusMark Allan Hoppus is an American musician, record producer, and television host. He is the bass guitarist and one of the two lead vocalists of the pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the bass guitarist and lead vocalist of the alternative rock band +44. He is a co-founder of both bands...
, Bassist/singer of Blink-182Blink-182Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
and +44 - Tom DeLongeTom DeLongeThomas Matthew "Tom" DeLonge, Jr. is an American rock musician. He is the guitarist and one of the two lead vocalists for the American pop punk band Blink-182 as well as the guitarist and lead vocalist for the alternative band Angels & Airwaves...
, Guitarist/singer of Blink-182Blink-182Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, Box Car RacerBox Car RacerBox Car Racer was a short-lived American post-hardcore band from San Diego, California, formed in 2002. The band was a side-project of guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182, along with lead guitarist David Kennedy of Hazen Street, and touring bassist Anthony Celestino...
and Angels & AirwavesAngels & AirwavesAngels & Airwaves is an American alternative rock supergroup led by Blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, also including guitarist David Kennedy from Over My Dead Body, Hazen Street and Box Car Racer, bass guitarist Matt Wachter from 30 Seconds to Mars and former Lostprophets and Nine Inch... - Scott RaynorScott RaynorScott William Raynor, Jr. is an American drummer best known for being a founding member of the band Blink-182.-Personal life:...
, original drummer of Blink-182Blink-182Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992... - David KennedyDavid Kennedy (guitarist)David James Kennedy is an American guitarist, songwriter and performer. He currently plays guitar for the alternative rock band Angels & Airwaves....
, Guitarist of Box Car RacerBox Car RacerBox Car Racer was a short-lived American post-hardcore band from San Diego, California, formed in 2002. The band was a side-project of guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182, along with lead guitarist David Kennedy of Hazen Street, and touring bassist Anthony Celestino...
, Angels & AirwavesAngels & AirwavesAngels & Airwaves is an American alternative rock supergroup led by Blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, also including guitarist David Kennedy from Over My Dead Body, Hazen Street and Box Car Racer, bass guitarist Matt Wachter from 30 Seconds to Mars and former Lostprophets and Nine Inch... - Chris Armes, Guitarist/singer of Agent 51
- Chris Lewis, Guitarist/singer of Pivit, Fenix TX, and Denver HarborDenver Harbor----Denver Harbor was an American alternative rock band, based in San Diego, California. The band was formed in 2002 by former Fenix*TX members Will Salazar and Chris Lewis, along with F.O.N. members Aaron Rubin and Ilan Rubin...
. - Bruce BochyBruce BochyBruce Douglas Bochy is the manager of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to joining the Giants, Bochy had been the manager of the San Diego Padres for twelve seasons. Bochy is the only former Padres player to serve as the team's manager. He has participated in all five postseason appearances in...
, former PadresSan Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
manager and current San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
manager - Fletcher BowronFletcher BowronFletcher Bowron was the 35th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from September 26, 1938 until June 30, 1953. Until Thomas Bradley passed his length of service during the 1980s, Bowron held the distinction of having the longest tenure in that position in city history.Bowron was born in Poway,...
, mayorMayor of Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe mayor of Los Angeles is the chief executive officer of the city. He is elected for a four-year term and limited to serving no more than two terms. Under the California Constitution, all judicial, school, county, and city offices, including those of chartered cities, are nonpartisan...
of Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... - Merrilee BoyackMerrilee BoyackMerrilee Boyack is an estate-planning attorney, published author, professional lecturer, and Poway, California city councilwoman.She is vice-president of her local chapter of Mothers Without Borders and National Board member, Poway Chamber of Commerce member, and a community activist.She was...
, published author - Jeromy BurnitzJeromy BurnitzJeromy Neal Burnitz is a former baseball player who was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the New York Mets , Cleveland Indians , Milwaukee Brewers , Los Angeles Dodgers , Colorado Rockies , Chicago Cubs , and Pittsburgh Pirates .Burnitz played his...
, Major League Baseball outfielder - Brandon CallBrandon CallBrandon Spencer Lee Call is an American television and film actor.-Early life and career:Born in Torrance, California, Call began his career as a child actor in 1984 appearing in guest roles on Simon & Simon and Hotel. In 1985, he landed a recurring role on the NBC daytime drama, Santa Barbara...
, Actor Step By Step & BaywatchBaywatchBaywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production... - Luis Castillo, current defensive end for the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Antonio GatesAntonio GatesAntonio Gates is an American football tight end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 after playing college basketball at Kent State University...
, tight end for the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - David GoeddelDavid GoeddelDavid Goeddel is a pioneer of the biotechnology industry who, employed at the time by Genentech, successfully used genetic engineering to coax bacteria into creating synthetic human insulin, human growth hormone, and human TPA for use in therapeutic medicine...
, Biotechnology pioneer and acclaimed scientist - Tony GwynnTony GwynnAnthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...
, retired San Diego Padres star, manager of SDSUSan Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
Aztecs baseball team - David JusticeDavid JusticeDavid Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
, former Major League baseball player - Anurag Kashyap, winner of the 2005 Scripps National Spelling BeeScripps National Spelling BeeThe Scripps National Spelling Bee is a highly competitive annual spelling bee in the United States, with participants from other countries as well. It is run on a not-for-profit basis by The E. W...
and 2008 Teen Jeopardy Tournament - Jesse TaylorJesse TaylorJesse Marcus Taylor is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter 7, winning his entry, preliminary, quarterfinal and semi-final matches, and then became the only fighter to ever be removed from finals due to events that occurred...
, MMA fighter - Matt WilhelmMatt WilhelmMatthew Wilhelm is an American football linebacker who's currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, current Middle Linebacker for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Shaun PhillipsShaun Phillips- San Diego Chargers :As a rookie, Shaun Phillips played in all 16 games and was second on the team with four sacks. He continued to improve in his second season as he recorded seven sacks in 15 games, good for second on the team....
, current outside linebacker for the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Shawne MerrimanShawne MerrimanShawne DeAndre Merriman is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted 12th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2005 NFL Draft. On November 2, 2010, the Chargers waived Merriman...
, current outside linebacker for the Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Mark RisleyMark RisleyMark Risley is an American Director specializing in animated children's television. His background includes writing, producing and directing 2D, CG and Flash animated productions.-Career:...
, Emmy-winning director - Unwritten LawUnwritten LawUnwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
, Punk rock band known for song "CPK", meaning "Crazy Poway Kids". - Christy HemmeChristy HemmeChristina Lee "Christy" Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, professional wrestling valet and former professional wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, as a backstage interviewer and ring announcer.-Early life:Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she...
, former WWE Diva and current TNA KnockoutTNA KnockoutKnockout is a term used by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling to refer to its female talent. The term is applied universally to wrestlers, backstage interviewers, and managers/valets. They are analogous to the Divas of rival WWE.-History:... - Charley HoffmanCharley HoffmanCharley Lindley Hoffman is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.-Amateur career:Hoffman was born in San Diego, California. He won the California State High School Championship in 1994 and 1995, becoming the first two time winner. He qualified three times for the Buick...
, PGA Tour professional - Bobby Lee, actor, stand up comedian.
- Tom BrunanskyTom BrunanskyThomas Andrew Brunansky , nicknamed "Bruno", is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1981 to 1994 for the California Angels, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers....
, Outfielder, World Series Champion Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the... - Dave Rickards, Radio Host, Host on Dave, Shelly, and Chainsaw Radio Show KFMB-FMKFMB-FMKFMB-FM is a commercial radio station located in San Diego, California, broadcasting on 100.7 FM. KFMB-FM airs an adult hits music format branded as "Jack FM".-History:...
- Zach Porter, Cameron Quiseng, Nathan Darmody, and Michael Martinez, members of the band Allstar WeekendAllstar WeekendAllstar Weekend is a pop rock band based in Poway, California. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel television network. The band originally consisted of lead singer Zach Porter, bassist Cameron Quiseng, guitarist Nathan Darmody, and drummer Michael Martinez but as of September 16,...
- LaDainian TomlinsonLaDainian TomlinsonLaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian.Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L...
, current running back for the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...