Indio, California

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The Indio Fashion Mall.

Indio, California, is a U.S. city located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's desert region. Located 26 miles east of Palm Springs, Indio serves as the Coachella Valley's main transportation center. The population was 49,116 at the 2000 census. According to the book History of the Coachella Valley Water District, the word indio is Spanish for Indian.

Indio has hosted the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival since 1999 as well as other regularly-scheduled festivals. Notable among these are the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival held each February and the Indio International Tamale Festival held each December. The largest festival of its kind in the US, the Tamale Festival earned Indio the official nickname of "The City Of Festivals." Indio is the site of the annual Southwest Arts Festival in the Empire Polo Club.

Indio is one of Southern California's most important agricultural regions as well, responsible for an overwhelming percentage of the nation's date crop. The city's nurseries produce a large share of the nation's palm trees, as well. Travelers from around the world stop by Shields Date Gardens, the most famous of date growers maintain a square-mile area for harvest.

1 History and transportation
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Population growth
5 Trivia
6 Sister cities
7 Education
8 Healthcare
9 Local Media
10 References
11 External links

[edit] History and transportation

The town was laid out in 1894 by A.G. Tingman, a Southern Pacific Railroad construction boss. Tingman was also Indio's first storekeeper and postmaster. Indio was chosen as a railroad stop because it was the halfway point between Los Angeles and Yuma, Arizona. Tingman Avenue, once downtown Indio's main street was named in his honor; it was removed during the construction of a highway overpass on Jackson Street designed to eliminate a railroad grade crossing and traffic congestion along Indio Boulevard (old Highway 99, which see). Another over-the-track bridge, Auto Center (now Golf Center) Drive, an extension of California State Route 111 opened in 1977, and the Monroe Street bridge opened in 1989.

Today, the Southern Pacific's successor, the Union Pacific Railroad maintains that original rail corridor as the main transcontinental line between Los Angeles and New Orleans, Louisiana. Indio's growth over the years was attributable both to the railroad and the coming of U.S. Highway 99 in 1926. Once California's main north-south highway, US 99 was decommissioned in 1964. Its present-day replacements are California State Highway 111, California State Highway 86 and Interstate 10. But locals still used Indio Blvd., declared "Historic Route US 99" in 2001 is part of Indio's "East Valley renaissance" of renewed economic growth and expanding tourism.

The original 1903 railroad station, a two-story wooden structure unique to the Southern Pacific, burned to the ground in 1966. Some of the station's artifacts were salvaged and can be viewed at the Coachella Valley Museum and Cultural Center in downtown Indio. The Southern Pacific rail depot is on the NE corner of Indio Blvd. and Jackson Street, but the railroad's regional headquarters moved to Colton near San Bernardino, California in 1990. The other major business in Indio was the Giannini Research Institute moved in 1967, but closed in 1985. The city had unemployment rates (some cases over 20 percent) in the late 20th century, but the current rate for 2006 is under 5 percent. ^{[citation needed]}

The aforementioned present-day Indio Boulevard was the site of the world's first use of a painted line to delineate lanes of traffic and was spearheaded by Dr. June McCarroll for whom a stretch of Interstate 10 through the city is named. The I-10 was constructed in the mid-1970's when Indio was smaller, so the route bypasses the city and as a result, drivers didn't go down to downtown Indio like in the past and business activity declined in the 1980's and 1990's. Today, Indio is growing and developed the area by I-10 and more drivers noticed the city, so they take an off-ramp to downtown Indio.

The site of the Coachella Valley Historic Museum was the home of Dr. Reynaldo Carreon, the area's first doctor opened a hospital in 1933 (the building was torn down for the Larson Justice Center, a county courthouse and prison). The Carreon ranch was given to John Nobles in the 1940's, established a mostly black residential area known as "Nobles Ranch" (on the original site of the Indio Polo Club), and his home was demolished in 2004 to make way for a shopping center.

Bermuda Dunes Airport (FAA designator: UDD) has a 5,000 foot runway and is on the north-western border of Indio, serves small private planes, air carriers and commuter jets. The Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal is named for the famous 1920's pilot and Indio resident and used for cargo planes to ship agricultural products, also on the four-lane SR 86 expressway or the "NAFTA highway" for international traffic.

The Greyhound and Amtrak passenger buses have a highly-used bus depot in downtown Indio, where busses stop by regularly on the way to stops in Southern California, Arizona and the Mexican border. The city is part of the SunBus line, which services much of the Coachella Valley. ^[1] Its' substation is located on State Highway 111 and Golf Center Drive.

[edit] Geography

Indio is located at 33°43′12″N, 116°13′55″W (33.719871, -116.231889)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 69.2 km² (26.7 mi²). 69.1 km² (26.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.04% is water.

The area code is 760 (was 714 and 619 in the past). The city's Zip codes are 92201 and 92203 north of Interstate 10 freeway.

Indio has the Riverside county's eastern branch offices, because Indio was historically the main population center of the Coachella valley, (except when Palm Springs had more people from 1955 to 1992, when the US census announced Indio surpassed Palm Springs and that title went back to Indio).

The official elevation of Indio is below sea level, the city hall is on 14 feet below sea level (6 meters below sea level), as the Eastern half of the Coachella valley drops as low as 150 feet/50 meters below sea level (the lake shore of the Salton Sea) is 15 miles/10 km South of Indio).

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 49,116 people, 13,871 households, and 11,069 families residing in the city. The population density was 710.5/km² (1,840.3/mi²). There were 16,909 housing units at an average density of 244.6/km² (633.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 48.67% White, 2.77% Black or African American, 1.04% Native American, 1.51% Asian American, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 42.02% from other races, and 3.89% from two or more races. 75.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 13,871 households out of which 48.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.48 and the average family size was 3.88.

In the city the population was spread out with 35.3% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,624, and the median income for a family was $35,564. Males had a median income of $25,651 versus $21,093 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,525. About 16.8% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.2% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Population growth

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In 2005, Indio's population estimate was at 65,000 residents, while other estimates ranged from 75,000 to 85,000. Indio ranks one of the 10 fastest growing cities in California. If current trends continue, Indio will have over 80,000 by 2010 or pass the 100,000 mark in the next decade.

When nearby golf resort cities of Palm Springs are built-up and expensive, Indio, the neighboring towns of Coachella and La Quinta became popular destinations for new movers relocating to the area, and year-round residents sought a moderately-priced home.

Expected to have 5,000 new single family homes and 1,000 apartment units by the year 2012, Indio handles unprecedented growth for being a selection for new residents. City leaders and other locals are expanding city public services, including new recreation activities, commercial retail centers, and industrial complexes.

The majority of residents and newcomers are Latino, and a high proportion of immigrants from Mexico have arrived. The number of foreign born residents is high in ratio to the town's population. The proximity to the border is 80 miles (120 kms. away) and Indio is a magnet for job opportunities for both immigrants and across the state or nation.

In recent years, Indio is a magnet for job opportunities for immigrants, and newcomers from parts of California and across the nation. Job fields, such as agriculture, construction, hospitality (hotel resorts), maintenance, retail and housekeeping are highly needed in the area.

Indio sought more corporate businesses and office professions, like fruit packing and shipping firms. Locally-based United States Filter Corporation, Guy Evans Inc., Dimare and Sun World; and move-in companies: Armtec Defense Products, Ernie Ball, Ferguson, Fulton Distributors and SunScape Tech choose Indio for the location of transport routes, low economical costs and growth potential.

The growth in population increased political representation, as the area (including Indio and Palm Desert, California) are covered by the 45th and 46th US congressional, and 64th and 80th state assembly districts, created by each city's partisan majorities. Monroe Street, where the elevation is sea level is also a political representative boundary, and the new socioeconomic divide, replaced the older north/south divide of Indio Boulevard.

[edit] Trivia

Indio has annual extremes of its' desert climate: An average 335 days of sunshine, and total of 156 days of high temperatures over 100F (30C).

The National Date festival's main fare is Camel races, the only one of its' kind in North America, in Shalimar Stadium.

After the National Date festival, a "SuperFiesta del Sinaloa" follows to honor Indio's historic ties with the Mexican state of Sinaloa, a large source of local immigration.

One celebrity hails from this city, actress Vanessa Marcil, movie writer/director Cameron Crowe, and San Diego Chargers/Minnesota Vikings lineman Ed White (football) played for Indio High School in the early 1960's.

Celebrities like Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable and Frank Sinatra are known to visited Indio in the 1950's.

Indio is again is locally referred to as "the Hub of the Valley", the city Chamber of Commerce jingle in the 1970's.

The city's namesake appeared on a circus poster in a fast food joint scene of the 1990 comedy movie Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.

A little league record-holding batter from Indio was one of the talented youth athletes on the intro of sports comedy movie Jerry Maguire.

In Oct. 2006, Indio approved an US olympic training facility (for basketball and ice skating) to complete in 2008, may be open to the public.

Indio eyes on a minor league baseball team, after years of attempts to draw owners and stadium projects, but may have one in 2007.

The Landmark Golf Club opened in 1998 had the Skins Game for four years, and Indio has two other golf courses: Indian Springs and Indian Palms.

Indio (municipal) Golf Club has the longest par-5 in the US, and nearby Desert Park has the Indio Rodeo Grounds, hosts an annual rodeo event.

Indio has three world famous polo clubs: The Indio, Empire, and Eldorado on the city's southwestern end, but two holds annual polo tournaments.

Indio is officially a national bird sanctuary, due to winter bird flight migration routes cross the area, on route to the Salton Sea.

The local electricity provider, Imperial Irrigation District wasn't affected by the 2000-01 California energy crisis, residents paid 65% less on their electric bills than neighbors to the west, under Southern California Edison.

In 2001, Forbes magazine designated Indio west of Monroe street (and nearby La Quinta, Bermuda Dunes and Indian Wells ) as one of America's wealthiest areas.

West Coast Turf is based in Indio, are official suppliers of sod to the Super Bowl. It was also the site of an episode of Monster Garage in which a Ford Mustang convertible was converted into a lawn mower.

[edit] Sister cities

Indio, California has two in the sister cities program.

Lynwood, California, USA
Mexicali, Mexico

[edit] Education

Indio is served by two public school districts: Desert Sands Unified School District and south of 48th Avenue, students go to the Coachella Valley Unified School District. The headquarters are located in La Quinta has the Horizon independent studies School for all grades. Indio's 6 grade schools and 2 middle schools are high rated under the California Distinguished Schools program. Because of Indio's growing population and above-average number of young people with family size, the two districts plan more schools in the future, and remodeled older schools with new buildings and designs.

Public schools:

Elementary (grades K-5)-Desert Sands district:

Herbert Hoover, Theodore Roosevelt, Martin Van Buren, Dwight Eisenhower, Andrew Jackson, Dr. Reynaldo Carreon, Amelia Earhart, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, James Madison, Carrillo Ranch, a new grade school opens in 2007, and Horizon Grade School (independent studies).

Middle/Junior High (grades 6-8)-Desert Sands district:

Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson, John Glenn, Indio (charter school) and Horizon Middle School (independent studies).

High schools (grades 9-12)- Desert Sands district: Indio High School, La Quinta High School in nearby La Quinta, and a new high school slated to open in 2007. Amistad Continuation High School and Horizon High School (independent studies) in La Quinta.

Coachella Valley district schools:

Mountain Vista Elementary School (K-5), Cahuilla Desert Academy (6-8) and Coachella Valley High School in Thermal.

Three private schools serve the city: Indio Community School under Riverside County board of education, Eagles' Peak Charter School and the Quadrille Academy, and one christian school: Desert Christian High School/Grade school in nearby Bermuda Dunes.

College of the Desert, the area's only community college has a campus facility in the Riverside County Employment Developmental Center opened in 2002 and expanded its' classes to a new "East Valley" Educational center in Mecca. Riverside County has a Regional Occupational Program facility in Indio that provides vocational educational courses in the Coachella valley's job market.

[edit] Healthcare

John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital is a General Acute Care Hospital in Indio with Basic Emergency Services as of 2006. ^[2] One of three hospitals in the Coachella Valley, JFK hospital boosts of one of the state's busiest maternity wards and in 2005, opened a new maternity center in part of hospital expansion plan for more surgical rooms, intensive care units and a new concrete emergency heliport. The Indio (renamed John F. Kennedy) hospital opened in a new location in 1983 on land donated by Dr. Carreon himself.

[edit] Local Media

Three daily newspapers serve Indio, the Desert Sun, Riverside-based the Press-Enterprise and the Los Angeles Times are available in markets, coffee shops and book stores. Two weekly papers, The Indio Sun owned by the Desert Sun is purely local news, and the D from the Press-Enterprise is an artistic/pop culture variety paper.

Indio has ten local television stations serving the Coachella Valley, and six Spanish-language networks (local or regional affiliates like KUNA-LP and KVER-CA), some are over-air signals from Mexico). About eight Los Angeles television stations are available on cable and satellite service.

Three out of 20 regional radio stations are based in Indio: KESQ 1400 AM (in Spanish) owned by KESQ-TV/KDFX-CA, KKUU-FM 92.7 (Urban/Hip-hop/R&B) owned by Morris Desert Media, and KJJZ-FM 102.3 (Jazz/ easy listening) owned by Infinity Broadcasting according to their web sites.