Until recent years, Corona has remained a sleepy city, with farms, ranches, and orchards. But as Orange and Los Angeles Counties have overflowed with population, people have flocked to Corona for its new housing and constantly increasing amenities.
Founded in 1886, Corona began as an agricultural town on the fringes of Orange County, some 50 miles from Los Angeles. The warm climate was conducive to growing citrus fruit, and by the early 1900s, Corona produced more lemons that anywhere else in the world, earning Corona the nickname “Lemon City.”
Neat rows of fruit trees covered the valleys and hillsides, while beneath the surface were minerals like tin and high-quality clay. Mining companies employed a large percentage of the city’s residents. Today, most of the citrus groves and mining operations have given way to housing developments. And yet, with its sweeping valleys rimmed by chaparral-covered mountains, Corona retains its rural feel.
The original city was laid out around a large circular roadway, Grand Boulevard, with additional streets spoking out from the central area. City planners hoped to use Grand for horse and buggy racing. However, it wasn’t until 1913 that the first races were held in Corona; not for four-legged participants, but for motorized vehicles. Pioneers of auto racing, like Barney Oldfield, participated in Corona’s competition at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. Three years later, a crash killed three spectators, ending the city’s short-lived association with car races.
