History

The Luiseno Indians, who first occupied the land around Lake Elsinore, knew the lake by the
musical name of Estengvo Wumoma. Then the Spaniards came and they gave to the lake
the name Laguna Grande, or Big Lagoon. The first American setters changed this to Elsinore -
Name selected from Shakespeare's "Hamlet", in which the town of Elsinore in Denmark
plays a prominent part.

Elisnore Valley, its lake, hot springs and surrounding hills, were well known to the Indians
and featured largely in their legends of the beginning of man on earth.

It is possible that José Francisco Ortega, who accompanied Portolá on his northward march
in 1769, sighted the valley from the summit of the Santa Ana or the Elsinore Mountains; but
there is more reason to believe that the first Spaniard to see the valley was Pedro Fagas,
who explored the inland part of Southern California in 1772. For certain, the valley was visited
in 1797 by Father Juan Santiago for whom Santiago Peak, northwest of this lake, is named.

In 1844 Julian Manariquez was granted the lake and surrounding valley comprising almost
20,000 acres. In 1851 it passed into the hands of Abel Stearns, and in 1858 was bought by
Augustin Machado who built a home on the south side of the lake. Don Augustin Machado,
the valley's first resident, operated a cattle and sheep ranch, grazing his stock in the uplands
and on the marshes when the lake was low.

In the very early days of American occupation of California, Laguna Grande was a camp site
for travelers over the Southern trail which was then being carved from the wilderness.
Kit Carson and others among the early scouts camped and rested among the cottonwoods
on the shores of the lake. The largest army of volunteers to leave California to take part in the
Civil War camped on the shores of the lake.

In 1873 Machado's family sold all but 500 acres of the ranch to C.A.Sumner, an English settler.
Augustin's son, Juan, retained 500 acres on which was located the Machado home. It is
located on the southwest corner of the lake and is now the home of the Robert McGill family.

During the years of Augustin Machado's residence here, his home was used as a stopping
place for military couriers and immigrants passing to and from the East and as a stop on the
Butterfield Overland Mail stage line.

In 1880 Franklin Heald sighted the lake from the summit of Mount Wilson. In 1883 he
purchased the property held by Sumner, and established the town of Elsinore. Wildomar,
six miles to the south, was founded about 1885 by two of Heald's associates, William Collier
and Donald Graham. Alberhill, to the north, was founded as a clay and coal mining community
in 1886 by the Albers and Hill families.

California Southern Railway completed its line into the valley from Colton in 1882-83 and in
1885 the line became a link in a transcontinental railroad with its terminus at San Diego.

During the latter part of the nineteenth century, Elsinore experienced its own gold rush.
Gold in large quantities was taken from nearby mines; most notable amounts being from the
Gold Hope Mine about five miles northeast of Elsinore.

Elsinore was incorporated as a city in 1888. Lake Elsinore has consistently attracted
visitors except during several recent years when it was dry. The mineral waters and
bath houses for which Elsinore became famous in the early days of the valley's settlement
attracted many visitors. The clay industry, established soon after the city's founding,
still flourishes. There is diversified agriculture.

Among important steps which have contributed to the growth and development of the valley
have been: Formation of Lake Elsinore Park and Parkway District in 1958, which led to
the eventual transformation of the lake into a State Park, and formation of
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District in 1950 which brought Colorado River water to the valley.

Information was kindly provided by the
Lake Elsinore Historical Society
106 South Main St.,
Lake Elsinore 92530
(909) 245-4986