Hemet is a city in the San Jacinto Valley in

Riverside County, California Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the Uni ...

. It covers a total area of , about half of the valley, which it shares with the neighboring city of San Jacinto. The population was 89,833 at the 2020 census. The founding of Hemet, initially called South San Jacinto, predates the formation of Riverside County. This area was then still part of

San Diego County San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the f ...

. The formation of Lake Hemet helped the city to grow and stimulated agriculture in the area. The city is known for being the home of '' The Ramona Pageant'', California's official outdoor play set in the Spanish colonial era. Started in 1923, the play is one of the longest-running outdoor plays in the United States. Hemet has been named a

Tree City USA The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...

for 20 years by the

Arbor Day Foundation The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...

for its dedication to the local forest. The city is home to the Hemet Valley Medical Center, a 320-bed general hospital.

History

This had long been the territory of the indigenous Soboba people and

Cahuilla The Cahuilla , also known as ʔívil̃uqaletem or Ivilyuqaletem, are a Native American people of the various tribes of the Cahuilla Nation, living in the inland areas of southern California.Mission San Luis Rey used the land for cattle ranching. They named the area with the settler name ''Rancho San Jacinto''.

Etymology

Hemet was named by the land development company that founded the town, ''The Lake Hemet Land Company''. The company drew its name from Hemet Valley, now called Garner Valley, located in the San Jacinto Mountains. Initially the company referred to the area as South San Jacinto, but changed the name to Hemet when the land company filed a plat map on November 11, 1893.

Mexican period

Following

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

gaining independence from Spain, in 1842, settler José Antonio Estudillo received the Rancho San Jacinto Viejo Mexican land grant. In 1848 the United States annexed the California territory after defeating Mexico in the

Mexican-American War Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexica ...

. In 1887, during the first major Southern California land boom, Anglo-Americans W.F. Whittier and E.L. Mayberry founded the Lake Hemet Water Company, and the Lake Hemet Land Company, for speculative development. They had plans to dam the San Jacinto River to provide irrigation water to the valley. They named the town Hemet in November 1893. In 1895, they completed Hemet Dam as a private project on the San Jacinto River, creating Lake Hemet and providing a reliable water supply to the San Jacinto Valley. This water system, for irrigation in an arid region, was integral to the valley's development as an agricultural area. By 1894, settlers had established a newspaper, the '' Hemet News'', and "several general stores", the largest being Heffelfinger & Co, which occupied an entire block. Other businesses included "a drug store, an excellent barber shop, two blacksmith shops, harness shop, shoe repairing houses, two real estate offices and two lumber yards." "The most pretentious building" was the two-story Hotel Mayberry, "supplied with all the modern conveniences usually found in first-class hostelries, including stationary water, baths, etc., and a complete electric light system, the power for which is furnished by the company's private plant." Also noted was the Hemet flour mill, owned by John McCool and built at a cost of $20,000. It was the only such mill in this area, and was housed in a brick building. It could produce 50 barrels of flour per day.

Incorporation

Downtown Hemet - Harvard St at Florida Ave - Sunrise

Downtown Hemet - Nevins Building - Downtown Deli

Hemet was incorporated in January 1910. Of 177 residents, 130 voted to incorporate, with 33 against. Those who voted against incorporation were landowners who feared increased taxation. The incorporation helped to serve the growing city, which was outgrowing its current infrastructure. With a railroad spur running from Riverside, the city became a trading center for San Jacinto Valley agriculture; commodity crops included citrus, apricots, peaches, olives, and walnuts. The Agricultural District Farmer's Fair of Riverside County began here in 1936 as the Hemet Turkey Show. It was relocated to

Perris Perris is an old railway city in Riverside County, California, United States, located east-southeast of Los Angeles and north of San Diego. It is known for Lake Perris, an artificial lake, skydiving, and its sunny dry climate. Perris is w ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the city hosted the Ryan School of Aeronautics, which trained about 6,000 fliers for the

Army Air Force The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War ...

between 1940 and 1944. The site of the flight school was redeveloped as Hemet-Ryan Airport. In 1950, Hemet was home to 10,000 people, joining Corona and Riverside as the three largest cities in Riverside County. Hemet was racially discriminatory. Numerous African Americans migrated to California during and after World War II in the Great Migration from such Deep South states as Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Hemet was a sundown town, prohibiting African Americans from living there or even staying overnight. In the 1960s, large-scale residential development began, mostly in the form of

mobile home A mobile home (also known as a house trailer, park home, trailer, or trailer home) is a prefabricated structure, built in a factory on a permanently attached chassis before being transported to site (either by being towed or on a trailer). U ...

parks and retirement communities. Hemet as known as a working-class retirement area. In the 1980s, former ranchland was developed in subdivisions of single-family homes. "Big-box" retail followed the increase in population. After a roughly decade-long lull in development following the major economic downturn of the early 1990s, housing starts in the city skyrocketed in the early 21st century. The area's affordability, its proximity to employment centers such as Corona, Riverside and San Bernardino, and its relatively rural character made it an attractive location for working-class families priced out of other areas of Southern California. Hemet Panorama

Timeline

From the Hemet Library Heritage Room History Collection: * 1850: California becomes state * 1858: Hemet established as a farm settlement * 1887: Lake Hemet Water Company & Hemet Land Company formed * 1888: Rail service from Perris to the San Jacinto Valley * 1892: US Post office established * 1893: Riverside County formed from parts of San Diego & San Bernardino counties * 1893: First elementary school built on North Alessandro Street * 1894: First high school built at Buena Vista and Acacia * 1895: Lake Hemet Dam completed * 1899: Earthquake (estimated magnitude ~6.5) destroyed most brick buildings in downtown * 1910: City of Hemet incorporated * 1914: Santa Fe depot opened at present site * 1918: The 6.7 Mw San Jacinto earthquake caused significant structural damage and ground failure. * 1921: Opening of the Hemet Theater * 1923: First performance of the

Ramona Pageant ''The Ramona Outdoor Play'', formerly known as (and still commonly called) ''The Ramona Pageant'', is an outdoor play staged annually in Hemet, California since 1923. It is based on the 1884 novel ''Ramona'' by Helen Hunt Jackson. History and ...

* 1940: Ryan School of Aeronautics opened * 1943: Hemet Community Hospital opened * 1950: Eastern Municipal Water District created * 1959: Hemet Police Department built * 1966: Hemet Unified School District formed from several existing districts * 1970: More than 10,000 residents for the first time * 1971: Paradise Valley Ranch served as an infirmary for contained outbreak of Mad Cow Disease. * 1972: New Hemet high school opened * 1974: Kushimoto, Japan became first sister city. * 1980: Hemet Valley Mall opened on W Florida Ave between N Kirby St & N Gilmore St * 1983: Ebeltoft, Denmark became second sister city. * 1987: Depot abandoned by Santa Fe railroad—offered to sell to City of Hemet * 1987:

Bácum Bácum is a small city and the county seat of Bácum Municipality, located in the south of the Mexican state of Sonora at . It is one of eight mission villages founded in the early seventeenth century by colonial Spanish Jesuit missionaries for ...

, Mexico became third sister city * 1988: Save Our Station (S.O.S.) purchased Santa Fe Depot for renovation and preservation * 1989: Marumori, Japan became fourth sister city. * 1991: Domenigoni and Diamond Valleys named sites for M.W.D. reservoir * 1995: Metropolitan Water District started 800,000 ac·ft reservoir * 1996: Domenigoni Parkway opened * 1998: Hemet Museum opened in Santa Fe depot * 1999: M.W.D. Diamond Valley Lake completed * 2000: Diamond Valley Lake dedicated * 2003: Public library moved to East Latham Avenue * 2010: Centennial as an incorporated city

Geography

Hemet is in the San Jacinto Valley of western Riverside County, south of San Jacinto. The valley, surrounded by the Santa Rosa Hills and San Jacinto Mountains, is mostly dry land, except for Diamond Valley Lake to the south. Hemet is located at (33.742001, −116.983068). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of as of the 2010 census, all land. Hemet is southeast of

Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is a ...

Climate

Hemet has a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

: ''BSh'') with mild winters and very hot, very dry summers.

Demographics

2010

The

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

reported that Hemet had a population of 78,657. The population density was . The racial makeup of Hemet was 53,259 (67.7%)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

(51.8% Non-Hispanic White), 5,049 (6.4%)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 1,223 (1.6%) Native American, 2,352 (3.0%) Asian, 284 (0.4%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 12,371 (15.7%) from other races, and 4,119 (5.2%) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 28,150 persons (35.8%). The census reported that 78,043 people (99.2% of the population) lived in households, 155 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 459 (0.6%) were institutionalized. There were 30,092 households, out of which 9,700 (32.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,174 (43.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 4,349 (14.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,623 (5.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,002 (6.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 208 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 9,119 households (30.3%) were made up of individuals, and 5,754 (19.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59. There were 19,146 families (63.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.24. The population was spread out, with 20,340 people (25.9%) under the age of 18, 6,814 people (8.7%) aged 18 to 24, 17,323 people (22.0%) aged 25 to 44, 16,776 people (21.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 17,404 people (22.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males. There were 35,305 housing units at an average density of , of which 18,580 (61.7%) were owner-occupied, and 11,512 (38.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 17.5%. 45,459 people (57.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 32,584 people (41.4%) lived in rental housing units. During 20092013, Hemet had a median household income of $32,774, with 23.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2008

, the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

estimated there were 75,163 people, over 29,341 households, and 18,031 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 33,486 housing units at an average density of . , The racial makeup of the city was 60%

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 2.4%

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

, 4.9% Asian or

, 4.9% from other races and 28.2% of the population were

or Latino. 12.6% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 10.5%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, 7.8% Irish and 4.3% American ancestry. There were 29,341 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.2. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.1% under the age of 19, 6.2% from 20 to 24, 11.9% from 25 to 34, 10.6% from 35 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 54, and 25.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. The median income for a household in the city was $34,974, and the median income for a family was $41,559. Males had a median income of $40,719 versus $30,816 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $19,046. About 14.5% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over. , about 22,300 residents of the city were employed with 4,700 unemployed (an

unemployment rate Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refere ...

of 17.4%).

Economy

According to the California Economic Development Department, in 2005 the economy of Hemet was based on four main industries: retail trade, health care, educational services, and government. These industries provide 4,734, 4,441, and 3,946 jobs respectively. Other major industries in the city include leisure and hospitality, financial services, professional and business services, construction, and manufacturing. The amount of wage and salary positions in Hemet is 22,769, with a further 1,479 people being self-employed, adding up to a total of 24,248 jobs in the city.

Top employers

According to the city's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the

fiscal year A fiscal year (or financial year, or sometimes budget year) is used in government accounting, which varies between countries, and for budget purposes. It is also used for financial reporting by businesses and other organizations. Laws in many ...

ending June 30, 2020, the top employers in the city are the following. Hemet was heavily impacted by the housing crisis which followed the

financial crisis of 2007–2008 Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of ...

. Rent remains affordable, but the three-hour commute by Metrolink to Union Station in downtown

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

has impeded Hemet's growth as a bedroom community.

Arts and culture

The City of Hemet has two museums and an outdoor amphitheater. The Hemet Museum is located at the intersection of State Street and Florida Avenue in downtown. It is a museum of local history, and features photographs of old Hemet, historic photographs from the Ramona Pageant, as well as Cahuilla cultural belongings such as baskets and agriculture displays. Hemet is also home of the

Western Science Center The Western Science Center (WSC), formerly the Western Center for Archaeology & Paleontology, is a museum located near Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet, California. The WSC is home to a large collection of Native American artifacts and Ice Age fossils ...

, located in the southern part of the city at the intersection of Domenigoni Parkway and Searl Parkway. It features exhibits of Ice Age mammals, including 'Max', the largest mastodon found in the Western United States, and as 'Xena', a Columbian mammoth. Along with the two museums, science center and theater, close to Hemet there sits an outdoor

amphitheater An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...

, the privately owned Ramona Bowl is a natural amphitheater located nearby in the Riverside county foothills. It is known for producing the play, '' Ramona''.

Entertainment

The city of Hemet is expanding upon its entertainment venues. The three largest venues are the Ramona Bowl, an outdoor amphitheater, a

Regal Cinemas Regal Cinemas (also Regal Entertainment Group) is an American movie theater chain headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. A division of Cineworld, Regal operates the second-largest theater circuit in the United States, with over 7,200 screens i ...

and the Historic Hemet Theatre, built in 1921. A development being planned for the area is a downtown transit village, with the center of it being a Metrolink station. It will be north of the downtown core, and will consist of residences, shops, and parks. The station itself could feature a railroad museum, a heritage trail, and a farmer's market and market hall. The Historic Hemet Theater was once the oldest continually run single-screen theater in the nation. However, the theater was forced to close down in January 2010 due to water damage from a fire that destroyed adjacent store fronts. The musty smell forced the theater to stay closed for a year, which created financial struggles. , the foundation was incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)3 for the purpose of supporting community projects. In July 2013, the Historic Hemet Theater Foundation negotiated a five-year lease/option to purchase the theater. Since then, the Foundation has restored the Theater back to operation and is in the process of raising funds in order to purchase and restore the Hemet Historical Treasure.

Parks and recreation

In addition to Diamond Valley Lake, Hemet has six large

parks A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. ...

throughout the city.

Weston Park

Weston Park was established in 1921 and was dedicated to John B. Weston, who was president of the board of trustees from 1914 to 1920. It contains shuffleboard courts, restrooms, playground, basketball court, and turf area for passive uses and games. It is located in the downtown area west of Santa Fe Street, and has an area of .

Simpson Park

Dedicated to James Simpson, Hemet City Council 1947–48, and mayor 1950 to 1966. Simpson Park is a wilderness park located in the

Santa Rosa Hills Santa Rosa Hills may refer to: * Santa Rosa Hills (Inyo County) in California, USA * Santa Rosa Hills (Riverside County) in California, USA * Santa Rosa Hills (Santa Barbara County) in California, USA Other similar names include: * Santa Rosa ...

southeast of Hemet with sheltered picnic area and tables, barbecues, restrooms, and hiking trails. At an elevation of , it provides an expansive view of the San Jacinto Valley, as well as the nearby cities and towns of Winchester,

Menifee Menifee (May 4, 1996 – June 13, 2019) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that competed in the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1999. His rivalry with Triple Crown contender Charismatic was compared at times with the rivalry b ...

and Temecula, and it has an area of .

Mary Henley Park

Dedicated to Mary Henley, born in Hemet and served as Hemet City Clerk from October 1951 to March 1975, and is the first Hemet Park named after a real person. The park contains two playground areas, half basketball court, picnic tables, shade structures, restrooms and a large turf area. There is a marked walking path/sidewalk of around the perimeter of the park. It has an area of , and was established in 1993. A fitness court was opened in October 2022.

Gibbel Park

Gibbel Park contains a large children's play area, ball field, a half basketball court, restrooms, two lighted tennis courts, a lawn bowling green, horseshoe pits, picnic areas, and a large turf area for passive uses. The park also features a memorial of military branches of the United States. It has an area of , and was established in 1970.

Valley Wide Community Sports Park

The Valley Wide Community Sports Park opened in September 2009. The park, part of the eastern recreation area of Diamond Valley Lake, hosts eight baseball fields, eight lighted baseball fields, eight soccer fields, four basketball courts, six tennis courts, seven volleyball courts, two

pickleball Pickleball is an indoor or outdoor racket/paddle sport where two players (singles), or four players (doubles), hit a perforated hollow polymer ball over a net using solid-faced paddles. Opponents on either side of the net hit the ball back and ...

courts, fitness trails, three play areas, four restrooms, and three picnic areas. The park is also adjacent to an aquatic center.

Brubaker Park

Brubaker park contains one large children's play area, one half basketball court, eleven baseball/softball fields, fitness trails, two picnic areas, and one portable restroom.

Education

The city's educational services are under the Hemet Unified School District to cover all of Hemet, and parts of San Jacinto and Valle Vista, with a student population of over 20,000 students. There are also HUSD member schools in the rural communities of Anza, Idyllwild and

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

. As of January 2010, the school district was facing having to possibly go far out of budget to fix the Historic Hemet Elementary school, due to the fact that it was built on top of a swamp and has been sinking deeper every year. The main building was built in 1927, and is one of the few historic landmarks left in Hemet. The other choice would be to demolish the school and build a new one in its place. The State of California will pay for 50% of either project, but the already cash-strapped district may run into trouble if the repairing of the school goes over budget. A new building could cost $20 million, with an extra $3 million to have it built in the original architectural style of the old building.

High schools

Hemet High School, Western Center Academy, West Valley High School and

Tahquitz High School Established in August 2007, Tahquitz High School (Tah-quitz) is a high school of approximately 1700 students on the northwestern side of Hemet, California operated by the Hemet Unified School District. The high school's mascot is a 'titan warr ...

in Hemet and Hamilton High School in Anza.

Middle schools

Acacia Middle School, Diamond Valley Middle School, Dartmouth Middle School, Western Center Academy, and Rancho Viejo Middle School.

Elementary schools

Bautista Creek Elementary, Cawston Elementary, Fruitvale Elementary, Harmony Elementary, Hemet Elementary, Jacob Wiens Elementary, Little Lake Elementary, McSweeny Elementary, Ramona Elementary, Valle Vista Elementary, Whittier Elementary and Winchester Elementary.

All grade

Cottonwood School of Aguanga & Hamilton School of Anza.

Alternative schools

Advanced Path Studies School (credit recovery), Alessandro High School – continuation (grades 10–12), Baypoint Preparatory Academy (grades K-12), Family Tree Learning Center (grades K–8), Helen Hunt Jackson School for independent studies, Hemet Academy of Applied Academics and Technology (grades 9–12), Hemecinto Alternative Educational Center (grades 6–9), Western Center Academy (grades 6–12), River Springs Charter School (grades TK-5), and Renaissance Valley Academy (grades 6-12). The school is part of/owned by the Springs Charter School system, but operated elsewhere. Dwelling Place Learning Academy (DPLA) is a Private Christian Academy. DPLA is K–5th grade with a student-to-teacher ratio of 16-to-1; their curriculum is based in the Weaver Curriculum (Unit Study). DPLA will add at least one grade a year until the 12th grade to become a K-12 school. DPLA began on August 17, 2015, and was incorporated as a 501(C)(3) in the State of California. St. Johns Christian School has been a private Christian school since 1983, offering classes for children between 18 months and the 8th grade. St. Johns School was ranked the #1 Preschool in the 23rd Annual Press-Enterprise Best of Inland Empire Readers’ Choice Awards.

Media

Former

The '' Hemet News'' was a newspaper published from about 1894 until 1999.

Current

Hemet and nearby San Jacinto are situated in the Los Angeles

designated market area A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also incl ...

and are able to receive most of the

and Riverside/San Bernardino area television stations via cable and satellite providers. Over the air signals with limited reception include

KCAL-TV KCAL-TV (channel 9) is an independent television station in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is owned by the CBS News and Stations group alongside CBS West Coast flagship KCBS-TV (channel 2). Both stations share studios at the CBS ...

9 (Independent) Los Angeles; KVCR-TV 24 (PBS) San Bernardino; KFMB-TV 8 (CBS), KUSI 9 (Independent) and

KNSD KNSD (channel 39) is a television station in San Diego, California, United States, airing programming from the NBC network. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations alongside Poway-licensed Telemundo outlet KUAN-L ...

39 (NBC) from San Diego; two ABC stations KABC 7 L.A. and

KESQ-TV KESQ-TV (channel 42) is a television station licensed to Palm Springs, California, United States, serving as the ABC affiliate for the Coachella Valley. It is owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company (NPG) alongside five low-power stations: ...

42 from Palm Springs; KOCE 50 (PBS) and KVEA 52 (Telemundo) from

Orange County, California Orange County is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, ...

. A local TV station based in Hemet and nearby

is KZSW 27 (Independent) of Temecula.

Infrastructure

Air

Commercial air service is provided by the Palm Springs International Airport and Ontario International Airport. Hemet-Ryan Airport, which is a municipal airport owned by Riverside County, is located in the city but has no commercial service.

Transportation

Public transit in Hemet is provided by the RTA, which has stops at various locations including Florida Avenue and Lincoln Avenue, and the Hemet Valley Mall. Routes in the Hemet area include: 28, 31, 32, 33, 42, 74, 79, 217. Expansion of the Metrolink

commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...

service from Perris to Hemet has been discussed, with stations planned for West Hemet and Downtown Hemet.

Highways and streets

Two California State Highways cross the city. California State Route 74 runs along most of Florida Avenue, the main corridor of east and west transportation in Hemet, and California State Route 79 also follows Florida Avenue for a few miles in the city. Highway 79 is slated for re-alignment when the

Mid County Parkway The Mid County Parkway is a proposed highway in Riverside County, California, United States which would link San Jacinto in the east and Perris in the west in response to high levels on congestion on existing routes. The corridor was identified ...

project begins. Streets in Hemet are arranged mostly in a standard grid. Almost all major streets that go east–west are avenues, and almost all streets going north–south are streets. Exceptions are Sanderson Avenue, Lyon Avenue, Palm Avenue and Cawston Avenue. Major streets in Hemet are Florida Avenue, Sanderson Avenue, San Jacinto Street, Stetson Avenue, and State Street.

Railroad

The railroad to Hemet was operated by

AT&SF The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison and Topeka, Kansas, and ...

Railway from 1888 to 1987. It was used for loading and shipping oranges that grew in the region. In 1987, it was abandoned because of a lack of demand for transportation. Today the railroad line is mostly abandoned. Tracks are usually used for storing rail cars for a short time while they are not needed by Class I railroads.

Library

The City of Hemet public library was created in 1906. Members of the Women's Club opened a reading room at the corner of Harvard Street and Florida Avenue. In 1910, citizens of the newly formed city voted for its own library, and the city took over the operation of the facility built in 1906. Shortly after, the reading room became too small for the growing community, and groups and citizens lobbied for a newer, larger facility to house the growing collection of books. A woman of the community named Mrs. E.A. Davis was the one who wrote to

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans in ...

seeking funds to help build a new library. The city received $7,500 to fund part of the construction, and Mr. and Mrs. St. John donated land to the city to build the new Carnegie Library. The new library was finished in 1913, and served the city for 52 years. The building was declared unsafe by the Fire Marshall and razed in 1969, and the new C.B. Covell Memorial Library was built. This building however, also became too small for the city. The library moved again in 2003, to its current facility, relocated for the first time since 1913. The new facility is now located at 300 E. Latham Avenue, just blocks from its former location. The new building is two stories tall, and contains . It was designed by John Loomis of 30th Street Architects at a cost of over $15 million. File:Downtown Hemet - Bank of Hemet Building.jpg, NE Corner of Harvard Street and Florida Avenue File:Harvard District - Downtown Hemet.jpg, Harvard District - Downtown Hemet in 2014 File:Hemet Theater - panoramio.jpg, Hemet Theater in downtown, built in 1921 File:Looking North on Harvard, Downtown.jpg, Harvard Street, looking north in 2008 File:Downtown Hemet - Harvard St at Florida Ave.jpg, Downtown Hemet, looking north down Harvard Street

Notable people

Carl Barks Carl Barks (March 27, 1901 – August 25, 2000) was an American cartoonist, author, and painter. He is best known for his work in Disney comic books, as the writer and artist of the first Donald Duck stories and as the creator of Scrooge McD ...

, writer and artist, 1942–1969 *

Roland Bautista Roland Bautista (May 30, 1951 – February 29, 2012) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Bautista was best known for his work with Earth, Wind & Fire. He also worked with such artists as Ronnie Laws, The Crusaders, George Duke and ...

, guitarist *

John E. King and Homer D. King John E. King (1870-1938) and Homer D. King (1897-1961) were father-and-son publishers of the newspaper ''Hemet News'' in Riverside County, California, between 1912 and 1961. John E. King Personal John Emanuel King was born August 27, 1870 i ...

, father-and-son publishers of the ''Hemet News'' between 1912 and 1961 *

James Lafferty James Martin Lafferty (born July 25, 1985) is an American actor, director, and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of Nathan Scott on The WB/ CW teen drama television series '' One Tree Hill'' (2003–2012). Early life Lafferty was bo ...

, actor *

Henning Dahl Mikkelsen Henning Dahl Mikkelsen (1915 – June 4, 1982) was a Danish cartoonist, best known for creation of the long running newspaper comic strip '' Ferd'nand'', which he signed as Mik. He was born in Skive, Denmark, and began the pantomime humor strip ...

, cartoonist *

David Miscavige David Miscavige (; born April 30, 1960) is the leader of the Church of Scientology and, according to the organization, "Captain of the Sea Org". His official title within the organization is Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Cen ...

, Church of Scientology leader. *

Bill Murray William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan delivery. He rose to fame on ''The National Lampoon Radio Hour'' (1973–1974) before becoming a national presence on '' Saturday Nig ...

, actor * Mickey Rooney, Jr., actor and musician *

Brendan Steele Brendan Dean Steele (born April 5, 1983) is an American professional golfer. He played predominantly on the PGA Tour, where he had three tournament victories, prior to joining LIV Golf in 2023. Early years Born in Idyllwild, California, Steele p ...

, professional golfer * L.E. Timberlake, Los Angeles City Council member, 1945–69Social Security Death Index

Sister cities

Hemet has five sister cities: * Kushimoto (

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

) *

(

) * Ebeltoft (

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

) * Marumori (

) *

Cootamundra Cootamundra, nicknamed Coota, is a town in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia and within the Riverina. It is within the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council. At the 2016 Census, Cootamundra had a population of 6,782. I ...

, (

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

)

References

External links

Official website

Hemet Museum

SanJacintoValley.info
Information for residents and visitors of Hemet and San Jacinto located in San Jacinto Valley, California.

{{authority control Cities in Riverside County, California Incorporated cities and towns in California Populated places established in 1887 1887 establishments in California Sundown towns in California