San Juan Capistrano, California
Encyclopedia
San Juan Capistrano is a city in southern Orange County, California
, located approximately 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Downtown Santa Ana
. The current OMB metropolitan designation for San Juan Capistrano and the Orange County Area
is “Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA
.” The population was 34,593 at the 2010 census, up from 33,826 at the 2000 census. The city was created around Mission San Juan Capistrano, and many of the homes and strip malls resemble the Spanish architecture that compose the building. It is home to the widest variety of homes in Orange County, including those built prior to 1900 in its central district (some being adobes from the 18th century), a number of 10 million-dollar homes in the gated communities of the hills, and working ranches in its foothills. San Juan Capistrano is probably best known for the annual migration of the cliff swallow
s that reputedly migrate each year from Argentina
to the Mission San Juan Capistrano
.
was 2,419.9 people per square mile (934.3/km²). The racial makeup of San Juan Capistrano was 26,664 (77.1%) White, 193 (0.6%) African American, 286 (0.8%) Native American, 975 (2.8%) Asian, 33 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 5,234 (15.1%) from other races
, and 1,208 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13,388 persons (38.7%).
The Census reported that 34,506 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 87 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 56,424 households, out of which 7,000 (35.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,706 (58.9%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 1,089 (9.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 526 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 456 (4.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 87 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,381 households (20.9%) were made up of individuals and 1,407 (12.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03. There were 8,321 families
(73.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.44.
The population was spread out with 8,518 people (24.6%) under the age of 18, 3,066 people (8.9%) aged 18 to 24, 7,804 people (22.6%) aged 25 to 44, 9,792 people (28.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,413 people (15.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.
There were 11,940 housing units at an average density of 835.2 per square mile (322.5/km²), of which 8,462 (74.3%) were owner-occupied, and 2,932 (25.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%. 24,052 people (69.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,567 people (30.2%) lived in rental housing units.
was 2,381.2 inhabitants per square mile (919.1/km²). There were 11,320 housing units at an average density of 307.6 persons/km² (796.9 persons/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.47% White, 0.78% African American, 1.07% Native American, 1.92% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 14.21% from other races
, and 3.43% from two or more races. 33.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 10,930 households, 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% were married couples
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 3.45.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $62,392, and the median income for a family was $69,481. Males had a median income of $47,574 versus $34,821 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $29,926. About 10.7% of the population and 6.6% of families were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
San Juan Capistrano is located in the 38th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Mark Wyland
, and in the 73rd Assembly
District, represented by Republican Diane Harkey
. Federally, San Juan Capistrano is located in California's 44th
and 48th
congressional districts, which have Cook PVIs
of R +6 and R +8 respectively and is represented by Republicans Ken Calvert
and John Campbell respectively. As of the 2010 elections, the city council members are: Sam Allevato (Mayor), Laura Freese, Larry Kramer (Mayor Pro Tem), John Taylor, and Derek Reeve.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 14.3 square miles (37 km²). 14.1 square miles (36.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.26%) is water.
San Juan Capistrano is the site of a Catholic mission for which it is named, Mission San Juan Capistrano
. When the Mission was founded in 1776, the region was populated by the Acjachemen band of Native Americans, called Juaneños by the Spanish. The mission was named after the Franciscan saint Giovanni da Capistrano
(1386-1456).
The city is the site of California's oldest residential neighborhood, Los Rios. It is also the home of the oldest in use building in California, the Serra Chapel in the Mission. The area was the site of both the first vineyard and first winery in California.
In the 1830s Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
, author of the classic Two Years Before the Mast
visited the area as a sailor engaged in the hide trade
on board the ship Pilgrim
. Describing the locale, which then included what is now the neighboring city of Dana Point, he gushed, "San Juan is the only romantic spot in California." The area was also the locale of the first Zorro novella, The Curse of Capistrano
, published in 1919 (later renamed The Mark of Zorro
after the success of the film of the same name).
s. The protected birds are reputed to return from migration, traditionally originating in the town of Goya, Argentina
, on St. Joseph's Day (March 19) each year, a day celebrated by the city's annual Swallows' Day Parade and other festive events and old west 1890s style Melodrama at the Camino Real Playhouse starring San Juan's Villain at Large Professor Mack played by Gary McCarver of The New Home for American Melodrama. The swallows are reputed to leave on October 23, the former feast day of St. John of Capistrano
. The 1940 hit song "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano
", written by Leon René
, is a love song centering on these annual events.
Since 2009, the famous swallows have failed to return to San Juan Capistrano. They have instead begun migrating to and nesting in the Chino Hills
of Southern California, north of San Juan Capistrano. They have built their mud nests in the eaves of the Vellano Country Club
, situated around a golf course
in the Chino Hills just north of the Chino Hills State Park
. Mission San Juan Capistrano officials state it is because the mission is no longer the tallest building in the area due to urban sprawl
and has thus stopped attracting the swallows for nesting.
. In the 2007-2008 academic year San Juan Hills High School
opened with about 600 freshmen students. It is the city's only public high school. Ultimately, nearly all San Juan Capistrano's high school students will move to this campus as well as some students from Capistrano Beach, and many from the crowded San Clemente High school, and southern Ladera Ranch. Residents from these other communities did not want to attend a school in San Juan on the basis that is was farther than the current schools they were attending and that the communities had too many differences. Many residents wanted to stay at the established high schools their communities had been attending for years. Much of the tension has died down, but there is still substantial resentment that children of residents in Capistrano Beach, who have historically attended San Clemente High School, should be compelled to take the long journey to the new high school. These residents contend the County of Orange should follow its original long range plan and complete La Pata Parkway through to San Clemente which would permit students in the Talega subdivision to attend the school which was built and intended for their use and redirect those students away from San Clemente High School.
This city also has four private, Christian, college prep schools named Capistrano Valley Christian Schools (Pre-K through 12th grade), Saddleback Valley Christian School (Pre-K through 12th grade), St. Margaret's Episcopal School
(also Pre-K through 12th grade), and J. Serra Catholic High School (9th through 12th grade).
The city also has two private kindergarten through eighth grade schools named Mission Parish School and Rancho Capistrano Christian School. Mission Parish School is located on the historic Mission grounds, utilizes some of the historic buildings as classrooms, and is situated next to Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano
. The other is Rancho Capistrano Christian School, located off Highway 5 on the Crystal Cathedral
's south campus. The campus at Rancho Capistrano is also host to meetings and conventions, as well as summer camps.
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, located approximately 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Downtown Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
. The current OMB metropolitan designation for San Juan Capistrano and the Orange County Area
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
is “Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, California
Santa Ana–Anaheim–Irvine, California is the metropolitan designation given to Orange County, California, United States, by the Office of Management and Budget . The OMB bases its names for metropolitan areas on their dominant cities...
.” The population was 34,593 at the 2010 census, up from 33,826 at the 2000 census. The city was created around Mission San Juan Capistrano, and many of the homes and strip malls resemble the Spanish architecture that compose the building. It is home to the widest variety of homes in Orange County, including those built prior to 1900 in its central district (some being adobes from the 18th century), a number of 10 million-dollar homes in the gated communities of the hills, and working ranches in its foothills. San Juan Capistrano is probably best known for the annual migration of the cliff swallow
Cliff Swallow
The Cliff Swallow is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae — the swallows and martins.It breeds in North America, and is migratory, wintering in western South America from Venezuela southwards to northeast Argentina...
s that reputedly migrate each year from Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
to the Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order...
.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that San Juan Capistrano had a population of 34,593. 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 2,419.9 people per square mile (934.3/km²). The racial makeup of San Juan Capistrano was 26,664 (77.1%) White, 193 (0.6%) African American, 286 (0.8%) Native American, 975 (2.8%) Asian, 33 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 5,234 (15.1%) 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 1,208 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13,388 persons (38.7%).
The Census reported that 34,506 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 87 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 56,424 households, out of which 7,000 (35.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,706 (58.9%) 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, 1,089 (9.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 526 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 456 (4.0%) 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 87 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,381 households (20.9%) were made up of individuals and 1,407 (12.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03. There were 8,321 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...
(73.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.44.
The population was spread out with 8,518 people (24.6%) under the age of 18, 3,066 people (8.9%) aged 18 to 24, 7,804 people (22.6%) aged 25 to 44, 9,792 people (28.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,413 people (15.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.
There were 11,940 housing units at an average density of 835.2 per square mile (322.5/km²), of which 8,462 (74.3%) were owner-occupied, and 2,932 (25.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%. 24,052 people (69.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,567 people (30.2%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,826 people, 10,930 households, and 8,196 families residing in the city. 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 2,381.2 inhabitants per square mile (919.1/km²). There were 11,320 housing units at an average density of 307.6 persons/km² (796.9 persons/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.47% White, 0.78% African American, 1.07% Native American, 1.92% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 14.21% 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 3.43% from two or more races. 33.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 10,930 households, 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% 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, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 3.45.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $62,392, and the median income for a family was $69,481. Males had a median income of $47,574 versus $34,821 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 $29,926. About 10.7% of the population and 6.6% of families were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
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...
San Juan Capistrano is located in the 38th 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...
Mark Wyland
Mark Wyland
Mark Bryan Wyland is a U.S. Republican politician from the state of California, who represents the 38th District in the California State Senate.-Biography:...
, and in the 73rd 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 Diane Harkey
Diane Harkey
Diane Lynn Harkey is a former Council Member and Mayor of the City of Dana Point, California. She is currently the Republican representative in California's 73rd State Assembly district.-Early years and education:...
. Federally, San Juan Capistrano is located in California's 44th
California's 44th congressional district
California's 44th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that currently covers an area of Southern California from San Clemente in Orange County on the coast, north-by-northeast inland to Riverside County, including the cities of Corona, Norco, Rubidoux,...
and 48th
California's 48th congressional district
California's 48th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Orange County in Southern California...
congressional districts, which have Cook PVIs
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 +6 and R +8 respectively and is represented by Republicans Ken Calvert
Ken Calvert
Kenneth Stanton "Ken" Calvert is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 43rd, serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is part of the Inland Empire and south Orange County areas of Southern California.-Early life, education and career:Calvert was born in...
and John Campbell respectively. As of the 2010 elections, the city council members are: Sam Allevato (Mayor), Laura Freese, Larry Kramer (Mayor Pro Tem), John Taylor, and Derek Reeve.
Geography
San Juan Capistrano is located in south Orange County and is bisected by Interstate 5. 33°29′58"N 117°39′42"W (33.499493, -117.661614).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 14.3 square miles (37 km²). 14.1 square miles (36.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.26%) is water.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Capistrano Unified School District Capistrano Unified School District Capistrano Unified School District is the second largest school district in Orange County, California, the 12th largest in California and the 82nd largest in the United States. The district currently has 51,512 students... |
4,403 |
| 2 | Savings & Recovery | 1,550 |
| 3 | Quest Diagnostics | 1,400 |
| 5 | Costco Costco Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world... |
269 |
| 6 | Endevco | 260 |
| 6 | United States Postal Service United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States... |
240 |
| 7 | St. Margaret's Episcopal School St. Margaret's Episcopal School St. Margaret's Episcopal School, or SMES, is a private, preK-12 college preparatory school located in California, United States.The mission of St. Margaret's Episcopal School is to "educate the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service."-History:St. Margaret's... |
195 |
| 8 | 24 Hour Fitness | 172 |
| 9 | Fluidmaster | 150 |
| 10 | Marbella Country Club | 106 |
Historical notes
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order...
. When the Mission was founded in 1776, the region was populated by the Acjachemen band of Native Americans, called Juaneños by the Spanish. The mission was named after the Franciscan saint Giovanni da Capistrano
Giovanni da Capistrano
Saint John of Capistrano, O.F.M., was a Franciscan friar and Catholic priest from Italy...
(1386-1456).
The city is the site of California's oldest residential neighborhood, Los Rios. It is also the home of the oldest in use building in California, the Serra Chapel in the Mission. The area was the site of both the first vineyard and first winery in California.
In the 1830s Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
Richard Henry Dana Jr. was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts, a descendant of an eminent colonial family who gained renown as the author of the American classic, the memoir Two Years Before the Mast...
, author of the classic Two Years Before the Mast
Two Years Before the Mast
Two Years Before the Mast is a book by the American author Richard Henry Dana, Jr., published in 1840, having been written after a two-year sea voyage starting in 1834. A film adaptation under the same name was released in 1946.- Background :...
visited the area as a sailor engaged in the hide trade
Hide trade
The California hide trade was a system of trade during the early 19th century in Alta California, present day California, United States.The circuit would begin with a Clipper sailing ship leaving an East Coast port, often Boston or New York City, loaded with manufactured goods. The ship would then...
on board the ship Pilgrim
Pilgrim (brig)
The Pilgrim was a sailing brig engaged in the California hide trade of the early 19th century. Although just one among many other ships engaged in the business, the Pilgrim was immortalized by one of her sailors, Richard Henry Dana, Jr., who wrote the classic account Two Years Before the Mast...
. Describing the locale, which then included what is now the neighboring city of Dana Point, he gushed, "San Juan is the only romantic spot in California." The area was also the locale of the first Zorro novella, The Curse of Capistrano
The Curse of Capistrano
The Curse of Capistrano is a 1919 story by Johnston McCulley and the first work to feature the fictional Californio character Zorro...
, published in 1919 (later renamed The Mark of Zorro
The Mark of Zorro
The Mark of Zorro may refer to:*The Mark of Zorro , silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks*The Mark of Zorro , starring Tyrone Power*The Mark of Zorro , television movie starring Frank Langella...
after the success of the film of the same name).
The Swallows of Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano is also famous for its cliff swallowCliff Swallow
The Cliff Swallow is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae — the swallows and martins.It breeds in North America, and is migratory, wintering in western South America from Venezuela southwards to northeast Argentina...
s. The protected birds are reputed to return from migration, traditionally originating in the town of Goya, Argentina
Goya, Corrientes
Goya is a city in the south-west of the province of Corrientes in the Argentine Mesopotamia. It has about 87,000 inhabitants as of the .The city lies on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, opposite Reconquista, Santa Fe, 222 kilometres south from the provincial capital and 715 kilometres...
, on St. Joseph's Day (March 19) each year, a day celebrated by the city's annual Swallows' Day Parade and other festive events and old west 1890s style Melodrama at the Camino Real Playhouse starring San Juan's Villain at Large Professor Mack played by Gary McCarver of The New Home for American Melodrama. The swallows are reputed to leave on October 23, the former feast day of St. John of Capistrano
Giovanni da Capistrano
Saint John of Capistrano, O.F.M., was a Franciscan friar and Catholic priest from Italy...
. The 1940 hit song "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano
When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano
When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano is a song written by Leon René and first recorded by The Ink Spots in May 1940.The Ink Spots' recording of the song reached # 4 on the US charts, and a recording by Glenn Miller reached # 2 the same year. Other recordings were made at about the same time by...
", written by Leon René
Leon René
Leon René was an American music composer of R&B and rock and roll songs in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. He sometimes used the songwriting pseudonym Jimmy Thomas. He also established several record labels...
, is a love song centering on these annual events.
Since 2009, the famous swallows have failed to return to San Juan Capistrano. They have instead begun migrating to and nesting in the Chino Hills
Chino Hills
The Chino Hills are a mountain range on the border of Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino Counties, California, with a small portion in Riverside County...
of Southern California, north of San Juan Capistrano. They have built their mud nests in the eaves of the Vellano Country Club
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
, situated around a golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
in the Chino Hills just north of the Chino Hills State Park
Chino Hills State Park
Chino Hills State Park is a state park of California, USA, in the Chino Hills, foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. It is a critical link in the Chino–Puente Hills wildlife corridor, and a major botanical habitat reserve for resident and migrating wildlife....
. Mission San Juan Capistrano officials state it is because the mission is no longer the tallest building in the area due to urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
and has thus stopped attracting the swallows for nesting.
Education
The city is served by Capistrano Unified School DistrictCapistrano Unified School District
Capistrano Unified School District is the second largest school district in Orange County, California, the 12th largest in California and the 82nd largest in the United States. The district currently has 51,512 students...
. In the 2007-2008 academic year San Juan Hills High School
San Juan Hills High School
San Juan Hills High School is a high school located in San Juan Capistrano, California, and it is the sixth high school of the Capistrano Unified School District...
opened with about 600 freshmen students. It is the city's only public high school. Ultimately, nearly all San Juan Capistrano's high school students will move to this campus as well as some students from Capistrano Beach, and many from the crowded San Clemente High school, and southern Ladera Ranch. Residents from these other communities did not want to attend a school in San Juan on the basis that is was farther than the current schools they were attending and that the communities had too many differences. Many residents wanted to stay at the established high schools their communities had been attending for years. Much of the tension has died down, but there is still substantial resentment that children of residents in Capistrano Beach, who have historically attended San Clemente High School, should be compelled to take the long journey to the new high school. These residents contend the County of Orange should follow its original long range plan and complete La Pata Parkway through to San Clemente which would permit students in the Talega subdivision to attend the school which was built and intended for their use and redirect those students away from San Clemente High School.
This city also has four private, Christian, college prep schools named Capistrano Valley Christian Schools (Pre-K through 12th grade), Saddleback Valley Christian School (Pre-K through 12th grade), St. Margaret's Episcopal School
St. Margaret's Episcopal School
St. Margaret's Episcopal School, or SMES, is a private, preK-12 college preparatory school located in California, United States.The mission of St. Margaret's Episcopal School is to "educate the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service."-History:St. Margaret's...
(also Pre-K through 12th grade), and J. Serra Catholic High School (9th through 12th grade).
The city also has two private kindergarten through eighth grade schools named Mission Parish School and Rancho Capistrano Christian School. Mission Parish School is located on the historic Mission grounds, utilizes some of the historic buildings as classrooms, and is situated next to Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano
Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano
Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano is Catholic a minor basilica church and National Shrine in the city of San Juan Capistrano, California, in the Diocese of Orange...
. The other is Rancho Capistrano Christian School, located off Highway 5 on the Crystal Cathedral
Crystal Cathedral
The Crystal Cathedral is a Protestant Christian church building in the city of Garden Grove, in Orange County, California, United States. It is the headquarters and principal place of worship for Crystal Cathedral Ministries, a church founded in 1955 by Robert H. Schuller and affiliated with the...
's south campus. The campus at Rancho Capistrano is also host to meetings and conventions, as well as summer camps.
Points of interest
- Mission San Juan CapistranoMission San Juan CapistranoMission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order...
- Mission Basilica San Juan CapistranoMission Basilica San Juan CapistranoMission Basilica San Juan Capistrano is Catholic a minor basilica church and National Shrine in the city of San Juan Capistrano, California, in the Diocese of Orange...
- Trabuco CreekTrabuco CreekTrabuco Creek is a small river in the U.S. state of California, flowing from the westernmost extreme of Riverside County through Orange County to join San Juan Creek in the city of San Juan Capistrano. long, its watershed covers in southeastern Orange County, including portions of three...
- El Adobe de CapistranoEl Adobe de CapistranoEl Adobe de Capistrano, or simply known as El Adobe, is a restaurant located in San Juan Capistrano, California. It has been operated since 1948 and is in a building composed of two historic adobes near Mission San Juan Capistrano. It is also famous for being frequented by and being a favorite of...
- The DepotSan Juan Capistrano (Amtrak station)The San Juan Capistrano Depot is a train station in San Juan Capistrano, California, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system, and Metrolink, a commuter railroad.-History:...
- Los Rios DistrictLos Rios DistrictThe Los Rios Historic District is a neighborhood in the city of San Juan Capistrano, California and, with buildings dating to 1794, is the oldest continually occupied neighborhood in the state. The nearby Mission San Juan Capistrano was the first of the 21 California Missions to have Indians,...
City links
- City of San Juan Capistrano official website
- San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce
- San Juan Capistrano Local Business Directory
Schools
- Capistrano Valley Christian Schools Capistrano Valley Christian Schools, JK - 12 Private, Christian, College preparatory School. Named as one of the top schools in Orange County by the Orange County Register.
- JSerra Catholic High School JSerra Catholic High School, 9 - 12 Private School
- Mission Parish School Mission Parish School, K-8 Private School
- St. Margaret's Episcopal School St. Margaret's Episcopal School, K - 12 Private School
- Capistrano Unified School District CUSD, Public School System
- San Juan Hills High School