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Lake Forest, California

Lake Forest is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 85,858 at the 2020 census.

Lake Forest, California
Aerial view showing portion of Lake Forest to the left
Location of Lake Forest in Orange County, California
Lake Forest, California
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°38′30″N 117°41′27″W / 33.64167°N 117.69083°W / 33.64167; -117.69083
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyOrange
IncorporatedDecember 20, 1991[1]
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager[2]
 • MayorDoug Cirbo[2]
 • Mayor Pro TemMark Tettemer
 • City CouncilBenjamin Yu
Robert Pequeno
Scott Voigts
 • City ManagerDebra D. Rose
 • Assistant City ManagerKeith Neves
Area
 • Total16.79 sq mi (43.49 km2)
 • Land16.71 sq mi (43.29 km2)
 • Water0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2)  0.48%
Elevation489 ft (148 m)
Population
 • Total85,858
 • Rank97th in California
 • Density5,100/sq mi (2,000/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes
92609, 92610, 92630, 92679
Area code949
FIPS code06-39496
GNIS feature IDs1656503, 2411602
Websitewww.lakeforestca.gov

Lake Forest incorporated as a city on December 20, 1991. Prior to incorporation, the community had been known as El Toro.[6] Following a vote in 2000, Lake Forest expanded its city limits to include the master-planned developments of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills. This expansion brought new homes and commercial centers to the northeastern boundary of the city.

Lake Forest has two lakes from which the city gets its name. The lakes are man-made, and condominiums and custom homes ranging from large to small line their shores. Neighborhood associations manage the lakes (Lake 1, known as the Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club, and Lake 2, the Sun and Sail Club.) Each facility features tennis courts, gyms, basketball courts, barbecue pits, volleyball courts, multiple swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs and club houses for social events.

The "forest" for which the city is also named lies in the area between Ridge Route, Jeronimo, Lake Forest and Serrano roads, and consists mostly of Eucalyptus trees. It is also man-made, and was created in the first decade of the 1900s when a local landowner, Dwight Whiting, planted 400 acres (1.6 km2) of Eucalyptus groves in the vicinity of Serrano Creek as part of a lumber operation intended to draw development to the area.[6] In the late 1960s, the Occidental Petroleum company developed a residential community in and around the Eucalyptus groves, which had long since expanded and grown much more dense.

History

 
Lake Forest's origins lie in Rancho Cañada de los Alisos, granted in 1842 to José Antonio Serrano. By 1863, the community that grew up in Serrano's rancho came to be known as El Toro.

From 1863, the community had been known as El Toro. In 1874 José Serrano and his family occupied eleven thousand acres of the Rancho Cañada de los Alisos that had been granted to them by the Government of Mexico, and that eventually reached the hands of Dwight Whiting. Whiting was instrumental in bringing the Santa Fe rail line through the region.[6] The Rancho Niguel was granted to Juan B. Alvarado, Juan Avila and his sister Conception, the widow of one Pedro Sánchez. From them it passed to other owners and was divided into plots, including Yorba. In 1874, most of it was owned by Cyrus B. Rawson. Jonathan E. Bacon also owned 1600 acres. In addition to the Serranos, established in Aliso Canyon, there was a group of pioneers who lived in the foothills and several miles above El Toro, many of whom were among the first settlers of this neighborhood.

El Toro Road at the I-5 Freeway was the epicenter of the Saddleback Valley from the late 19th century to the end of the 2nd millennium. However, the area gradually deteriorated, and most of the shops closed or moved to other cities. After years of planning, the city has worked with the property owners of some aging strip malls and developed the "Arbor at Lake Forest" commercial district. The new center now competes with large shopping centers in cities that surround Lake Forest.

In 1991, residents chose to incorporate, and chose the name "Lake Forest" in a referendum. Controversy ensued for months, as residents of the newer subdivisions arguing that "Lake Forest" sounded better than "El Toro", while long-time residents complained that the name change aimed to erase the town's history in favor of an artificial name that referred to man-made lakes.[7] El Toro High School kept its name and continues to do so to this day. In subsequent years as the city came to be referred to as Lake Forest, mentions of "El Toro" in the press usually referred to the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, decommissioned in 1999 and later repurposed.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.9 square miles (46 km2). 17.8 square miles (46 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.48%) is water.

Lake Forest is bordered by Irvine on the west and northwest, Laguna Hills and Laguna Woods on the southwest, Mission Viejo on the southeast, Trabuco Canyon and Silverado Canyon on the east, and Limestone Canyon Regional Park on the north.

Lake Forest is located in the heart of the Saddleback Valley, the north-east end located in the Foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. It is also in the northern section of South Orange County.

It has two man-made lakes identified by the clubhouses on the lakes — the Beach and Tennis Club (Hidden Lakes, formerly Lake I) and the Sun and Sail Club (Lake II).

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways

  Interstate 5 travels along the western border of Lake Forest, forming the border with Laguna Hills. I-5 has two interchanges in the city: Lake Forest Drive and El Toro Road (Highway S18).

  California State Route 241 passes through the Foothill Ranch community of Lake Forest, in close proximity to several residential and commercial areas. SR 241 has three interchanges in Lake Forest: Alton Parkway, Lake Forest Drive (a partial interchange with a southbound exit and northbound entrance only), and Portola Parkway.

  County Route S18, also known as El Toro Road, is a major road in Lake Forest, traveling the entire length and width of the city limits, about 10.5 miles. El Toro road has 8 major intersections in the city and passes through numerous communities, such as Portola Hills. At Live Oak Canyon Road, El Toro becomes Santiago Canyon Road, forming the far northeast boundary of Lake Forest, before heading through the mountains and becoming Chapman Avenue in northern Orange County.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
200058,707
201077,26431.6%
202085,85811.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

2020

The 2020 United States Census reported a population of 85,858. The racial makeup was 63.3% White, 2.2% African American, 18.1% Asian, and 23.2% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[9]

2010

The 2010 United States Census[10] reported that Lake Forest had a population of 77,264. The population density was 4,315.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,666.4/km2). The racial makeup of Lake Forest was 54,341 (70.3%) White (57.2% Non-Hispanic White),[11] 1,295 (1.7%) African American, 384 (0.5%) Native American, 10,115 (13.1%) Asian, 191 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 7,267 (9.4%) from other races, and 3,671 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19,024 persons (24.6%).

The Census reported that 76,749 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 299 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 216 (0.3%) were institutionalized.

There were 26,224 households, out of which 10,407 (39.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,603 (59.5%) were married couples, 2,710 (10.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,299 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,217 (4.6%) unmarried partnerships, and 201 (0.8%)same-sex couples. 4,883 households (18.6%) were made up of individuals, and 1,432 (5.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93. There were 19,612 families (74.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.30.

The population was spread out, with 19,115 people (24.7%) under the age of 18, 6,775 people (8.8%) aged 18 to 24, 22,099 people (28.6%) aged 25 to 44, 22,184 people (28.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,091 people (9.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

There were 27,088 housing units at an average density of 1,513.1 per square mile (584.2/km2), of which 18,579 (70.8%) were owner-occupied, and 7,645 (29.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.3%. 54,082 people (70.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 22,667 people (29.3%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 58,707 people, 20,008 households, and 14,745 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,698.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,814.2/km2). There were 20,486 housing units at an average density of 1,639.7 per square mile (633.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 76.02% White, 1.83% African American, 0.50% Native American, 9.70% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 7.51% from other races, and 4.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.59% of the population.

There were 20,008 households, out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $86,285, and the median income for a family was $96,133.[13] Males had a median income of $52,019 versus $37,100 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,583. About 3.2% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The city is home to the headquarters of eyewear manufacturer Oakley, Inc.; metals company Kaiser Aluminum, in-flight entertainment provider Panasonic Avionics; Karem Aircraft[14] an aircraft company developing UAV's with major aircraft companies; telecommunications software developer Greenlight Wireless Corp.; barbecue retailer Barbeques Galore; restaurant chains Johnny Rockets and Del Taco; medical equipment maker Apria Healthcare; and skateboarding companies Sole Technology, Inc., Etnies, Autism Behavior Services Inc., and Tilly's; among others. It is also the home of the corporate headquarters for Eagle Community Credit Union, a credit union focused on serving postal and federal employees who live or work in Orange County.

Top employers

According to the City's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[15] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of employees
1 Panasonic Avionics Corporation 2,290
2 LoanDepot 2,049
3 Oakley 1,400
4 Schneider Electric (Invensys) 500
5 Spectrum Brands[16] 494
6 Cox Communications 491
7 Bal Seal Engineering 423
8 The Home Depot 348
9 Walmart 340
10 Alcon Research 315

Arts and culture

Lake Forest is served by two branches of the Orange County Public Library system known as OC Public Libraries: the El Toro branch and the Foothill Ranch branch.[17]

The city is the location of Rick Warren's megachurch, Saddleback Church, the sixth-largest evangelical church in the United States.[18]

The city of Lake Forest puts on an annual summer concert[19] at Pittsford Park. Other public events include the Fourth of July 5K run[20] and fireworks display over the lake at the Sun & Sail Club.[21] On Wednesdays at 4 pm, there is a farmers market at the Sports Park and Recreation Center, where locals can go and buy products from the local farmers and vendors.

In 2020, the classical music organization Chamber Music | OC moved its operations from Chapman University in Orange, California to the Lake Forest Business Center where they are headquartered.[22]

Parks and recreation

Lake Forest Sports Park and Recreation Center opened on November 1, 2014, across the street from Saddleback Church.[23] The 86.2-acre Sports Park, built with fees collected from developers for a "study" that led to the rezoning of surrounding areas, is one of the largest sports parks in Orange County.[24][25] The Recreation Center houses classrooms/activities rooms and a gymnasium, hosting many education and recreation programs that have previously been hosted at the rented City Hall facility.[23]

Lake Forest is also home to two county parks. Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in the eastern part of the city was the site of an infamous mountain lion mauling in 2004 that captured the attention of the West Coast news media.[26]

Heritage Hill Historical Park and Museum is home to some of the oldest buildings in Orange County, including the Jose Serrano Adobe, an original adobe home and settlement built in 1863; El Toro's first school, the old El Toro School House; El Toro's first church, St. Georges Episcopal Church; and the Harvey Bennett Ranch House, built in 1908, from which the Bennett Ranch development in Lake Forest derives its name. The Bennetts raised oranges for Sunkist, and owned the State-deeded water rights to Aliso Creek, which was very rare in California, and instrumental to their success. It is also the location of "Ritchie's Park," per signs along Aliso Creek, which was a naturally set childhood playground along the stream, where all of the Bennett children and grandchildren played. Frequently, the children found Indian artifacts along the banks, and met relatives of the Indians whose ancestors had actually lived there, including "Al" and "Cy" who were older Indians working for the Bennetts. The park is named for Richard Bennett Harvey, the grandchild whom Harvey and Frances Bennett raised, their seventh and last "child" who grew up on the ranch in youth, and lived there later in early marriage, working on the ranch until it was sold. The Bennett's son, Richard Beach Bennett, was educated in Animal Husbandry at California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, and grew replacement trees for farmers, before starting his own ranch in Balcom Canyon in Ventura County.

Lake Forest also has etnies Skatepark, which is the largest public skatepark with over 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2).[27]

Government

 
Lake Forest City Hall

Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was located one mile (1.6 km) from the city of Lake Forest in the city of Irvine. At one time, El Toro was considered a military town, but the city blossomed independently in the 1980s and 1990s before the base closed in 1999.[clarification needed]

Doug Cirbo serves as Lake Forest's Mayor and Mark Tettemer serves as Mayor Pro Tempore. In addition to Cirbo and Tettemer, the three other City Council members are Robert Pequeno, Scott Voigts, and Benjamin Yu.

State and federal representation

Lake Forest city vote
by party in presidential elections
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
2020[28] 52.38% 23,810 45.40% 20,638 2.21% 1,006
2016[29] 46.00% 16,221 46.76% 16,488 7.24% 2,553
2012[30] 40.72% 13,307 56.57% 18,484 2.71% 885
2008[31] 44.23% 14,937 53.40% 18,034 2.37% 802
2004[32] 34.71% 11,200 64.11% 20,691 1.18% 381
2000[33] 36.13% 10,968 60.56% 18,386 3.31% 1,005
1996[34] 34.19% 7,511 54.94% 12,069 10.87% 2,389
1992[35] 27.58% 6,908 45.76% 11,464 26.66% 6,680

In the California State Legislature, Lake Forest is in the 37th Senate District, represented by Democrat Dave Min, and in the 72nd Assembly District, represented by Republican Diane Dixon.[36]

In the United States House of Representatives, Lake Forest is in California's 40th congressional district, represented by Republican Young Kim,.[37]

According to the Secretary of State of California, as of February 10, 2019, Lake Forest has 46,014 registered voters. Of those, 17,329 (37.66%) are registered Republicans, 13,402 (29.13%) are registered Democrats, and 13,080 (28.43%) have no political party preference/are independents.[38]

Historically, Lake Forest has, like most of southern Orange County, been a Republican fortress in presidential elections. Changing demographics and the intensely polarizing urban/rural divide, however, has made Lake Forest more fertile footing for Democrats, who in recent elections have been trimming the GOP margins in the city. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win Lake Forest since its incorporation.

Education

Lake Forest has one high school, El Toro High School, which opened in 1973, and one high school on the border of Lake Forest and Mission Viejo, Trabuco Hills High School. The city also has eight elementary schools and a middle school.[39] The mascot is a bull and its teams are known as the Chargers; its school colors are blue and gold. Lake Forest is served entirely by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, or SVUSD.

Notable people

Former

References

  1. ^ . California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Elected Officials". City of Lake Forest. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  3. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "Lake Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  5. ^ "Lake Forest (city) QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c WHITCOMB, JANET (September 6, 2013). "El Toro's founding father meets his death". Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  7. ^ "El Toro: Will It Change to Lake Forest?". Los Angeles Times. March 7, 1991. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  8. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Lake Forest city, California". www.census.gov. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  10. ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Lake Forest city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  11. ^ . Archived from the original on February 17, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. ^ "2007 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimate". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2009.
  14. ^ "Welcome to Karem Aircraft, Inc". Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  15. ^ City of Lake Forest CAFR January 11, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ Journal, State. "Spectrum Brands wraps up Stanley Black and Decker acquisition". Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  17. ^ "Library Locator". OC Public Libraries. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  18. ^ Top 100 Largest Churches in America at Sermon Central; published 2017; retrieved 2019
  19. ^ . Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  20. ^ "Lake Forest Firecracker 5K Run".
  21. ^ . Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  22. ^ "Chamber Music OC looks toward future with a new venue". Los Angeles Times. December 4, 2020.
  23. ^ a b Sarah de Crescenzo (October 24, 2014). "Grand opening slated for Lake Forest Sports Park". The Orange County Register. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  24. ^ . City of Lake Forest, California. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  25. ^ . RJM Design Group. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  26. ^ "Mountain Lion Killed After Attack". CBS News. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  27. ^ "Etnies Skatepark Of Lake Forest Aerial". Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  28. ^ "Precinct results" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  29. ^ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2016. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  30. ^ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  31. ^ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  32. ^ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  33. ^ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2000. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  34. ^ California. Secretary of State (March 30, 1968). "Statement of vote". Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary – via Internet Archive.
  35. ^ California. Secretary of State (March 30, 1968). "Statement of vote". Sacramento, Calif. : The Secretary – via Internet Archive.
  36. ^ "California Districts". UC Regents. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  37. ^ "California's 40th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC.
  38. ^ "CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – February 10, 2019" (PDF). ca.gov. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  39. ^ "Schools - Lake Forest Schools". www.lakeforestschools.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  40. ^ "Eye on O.C.: Positivity, loud and clear". Orange County Register. June 25, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  41. ^ CRESCENZO, SARAH de (January 30, 2014). "'Dead Come to Life' singer returning to where it all began". Retrieved July 16, 2016.

External links

  • Official website  
  • Chamber of Commerce Homepage
  • Early history of El Toro: El Toro and Its History, Charlotte Moulton, 1932, Orange County History Series, Volume 2

lake, forest, california, confused, with, forest, lake, california, toro, california, redirects, here, decommissioned, military, base, marine, corps, station, toro, main, high, school, city, toro, high, school, lake, forest, city, orange, county, california, p. Not to be confused with Forest Lake California El Toro California redirects here For the decommissioned military base see Marine Corps Air Station El Toro For the main high school in the city see El Toro High School Lake Forest is a city in Orange County California The population was 85 858 at the 2020 census Lake Forest CaliforniaCityAerial view showing portion of Lake Forest to the leftFlagSealLocation of Lake Forest in Orange County CaliforniaLake Forest CaliforniaLocation in the United StatesCoordinates 33 38 30 N 117 41 27 W 33 64167 N 117 69083 W 33 64167 117 69083CountryUnited StatesStateCaliforniaCountyOrangeIncorporatedDecember 20 1991 1 Government TypeCouncil manager 2 MayorDoug Cirbo 2 Mayor Pro TemMark Tettemer City CouncilBenjamin Yu Robert Pequeno Scott Voigts City ManagerDebra D Rose Assistant City ManagerKeith NevesArea 3 Total16 79 sq mi 43 49 km2 Land16 71 sq mi 43 29 km2 Water0 08 sq mi 0 20 km2 0 48 Elevation 4 489 ft 148 m Population 2020 5 Total85 858 Rank97th in California Density5 100 sq mi 2 000 km2 Time zoneUTC 8 PST Summer DST UTC 7 PDT ZIP codes92609 92610 92630 92679Area code949FIPS code06 39496GNIS feature IDs1656503 2411602Websitewww wbr lakeforestca wbr govLake Forest incorporated as a city on December 20 1991 Prior to incorporation the community had been known as El Toro 6 Following a vote in 2000 Lake Forest expanded its city limits to include the master planned developments of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills This expansion brought new homes and commercial centers to the northeastern boundary of the city Lake Forest has two lakes from which the city gets its name The lakes are man made and condominiums and custom homes ranging from large to small line their shores Neighborhood associations manage the lakes Lake 1 known as the Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club and Lake 2 the Sun and Sail Club Each facility features tennis courts gyms basketball courts barbecue pits volleyball courts multiple swimming pools saunas hot tubs and club houses for social events The forest for which the city is also named lies in the area between Ridge Route Jeronimo Lake Forest and Serrano roads and consists mostly of Eucalyptus trees It is also man made and was created in the first decade of the 1900s when a local landowner Dwight Whiting planted 400 acres 1 6 km2 of Eucalyptus groves in the vicinity of Serrano Creek as part of a lumber operation intended to draw development to the area 6 In the late 1960s the Occidental Petroleum company developed a residential community in and around the Eucalyptus groves which had long since expanded and grown much more dense Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Infrastructure 3 1 Transportation 3 1 1 Highways 4 Demographics 4 1 2020 4 2 2010 4 3 2000 5 Economy 5 1 Top employers 6 Arts and culture 7 Parks and recreation 8 Government 8 1 State and federal representation 9 Education 10 Notable people 10 1 Former 11 References 12 External linksHistory Edit Lake Forest s origins lie in Rancho Canada de los Alisos granted in 1842 to Jose Antonio Serrano By 1863 the community that grew up in Serrano s rancho came to be known as El Toro From 1863 the community had been known as El Toro In 1874 Jose Serrano and his family occupied eleven thousand acres of the Rancho Canada de los Alisos that had been granted to them by the Government of Mexico and that eventually reached the hands of Dwight Whiting Whiting was instrumental in bringing the Santa Fe rail line through the region 6 The Rancho Niguel was granted to Juan B Alvarado Juan Avila and his sister Conception the widow of one Pedro Sanchez From them it passed to other owners and was divided into plots including Yorba In 1874 most of it was owned by Cyrus B Rawson Jonathan E Bacon also owned 1600 acres In addition to the Serranos established in Aliso Canyon there was a group of pioneers who lived in the foothills and several miles above El Toro many of whom were among the first settlers of this neighborhood El Toro Road at the I 5 Freeway was the epicenter of the Saddleback Valley from the late 19th century to the end of the 2nd millennium However the area gradually deteriorated and most of the shops closed or moved to other cities After years of planning the city has worked with the property owners of some aging strip malls and developed the Arbor at Lake Forest commercial district The new center now competes with large shopping centers in cities that surround Lake Forest In 1991 residents chose to incorporate and chose the name Lake Forest in a referendum Controversy ensued for months as residents of the newer subdivisions arguing that Lake Forest sounded better than El Toro while long time residents complained that the name change aimed to erase the town s history in favor of an artificial name that referred to man made lakes 7 El Toro High School kept its name and continues to do so to this day In subsequent years as the city came to be referred to as Lake Forest mentions of El Toro in the press usually referred to the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro decommissioned in 1999 and later repurposed Geography EditAccording to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 17 9 square miles 46 km2 17 8 square miles 46 km2 of it is land and 0 1 square miles 0 26 km2 of it 0 48 is water Lake Forest is bordered by Irvine on the west and northwest Laguna Hills and Laguna Woods on the southwest Mission Viejo on the southeast Trabuco Canyon and Silverado Canyon on the east and Limestone Canyon Regional Park on the north Lake Forest is located in the heart of the Saddleback Valley the north east end located in the Foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains It is also in the northern section of South Orange County It has two man made lakes identified by the clubhouses on the lakes the Beach and Tennis Club Hidden Lakes formerly Lake I and the Sun and Sail Club Lake II Infrastructure EditTransportation Edit Highways Edit Interstate 5 travels along the western border of Lake Forest forming the border with Laguna Hills I 5 has two interchanges in the city Lake Forest Drive and El Toro Road Highway S18 California State Route 241 passes through the Foothill Ranch community of Lake Forest in close proximity to several residential and commercial areas SR 241 has three interchanges in Lake Forest Alton Parkway Lake Forest Drive a partial interchange with a southbound exit and northbound entrance only and Portola Parkway County Route S18 also known as El Toro Road is a major road in Lake Forest traveling the entire length and width of the city limits about 10 5 miles El Toro road has 8 major intersections in the city and passes through numerous communities such as Portola Hills At Live Oak Canyon Road El Toro becomes Santiago Canyon Road forming the far northeast boundary of Lake Forest before heading through the mountains and becoming Chapman Avenue in northern Orange County Demographics EditHistorical population CensusPop Note 200058 707 201077 26431 6 202085 85811 1 U S Decennial Census 8 2020 Edit The 2020 United States Census reported a population of 85 858 The racial makeup was 63 3 White 2 2 African American 18 1 Asian and 23 2 Hispanic or Latino of any race 9 2010 Edit The 2010 United States Census 10 reported that Lake Forest had a population of 77 264 The population density was 4 315 9 inhabitants per square mile 1 666 4 km2 The racial makeup of Lake Forest was 54 341 70 3 White 57 2 Non Hispanic White 11 1 295 1 7 African American 384 0 5 Native American 10 115 13 1 Asian 191 0 2 Pacific Islander 7 267 9 4 from other races and 3 671 4 8 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19 024 persons 24 6 The Census reported that 76 749 people 99 3 of the population lived in households 299 0 4 lived in non institutionalized group quarters and 216 0 3 were institutionalized There were 26 224 households out of which 10 407 39 7 had children under the age of 18 living in them 15 603 59 5 were married couples 2 710 10 3 had a female householder with no husband present 1 299 5 0 had a male householder with no wife present There were 1 217 4 6 unmarried partnerships and 201 0 8 same sex couples 4 883 households 18 6 were made up of individuals and 1 432 5 5 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 93 There were 19 612 families 74 8 of all households the average family size was 3 30 The population was spread out with 19 115 people 24 7 under the age of 18 6 775 people 8 8 aged 18 to 24 22 099 people 28 6 aged 25 to 44 22 184 people 28 7 aged 45 to 64 and 7 091 people 9 2 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 37 2 years For every 100 females there were 98 7 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96 5 males There were 27 088 housing units at an average density of 1 513 1 per square mile 584 2 km2 of which 18 579 70 8 were owner occupied and 7 645 29 2 were occupied by renters The homeowner vacancy rate was 1 3 the rental vacancy rate was 4 3 54 082 people 70 0 of the population lived in owner occupied housing units and 22 667 people 29 3 lived in rental housing units 2000 Edit As of the census 12 of 2000 there were 58 707 people 20 008 households and 14 745 families residing in the city The population density was 4 698 8 inhabitants per square mile 1 814 2 km2 There were 20 486 housing units at an average density of 1 639 7 per square mile 633 1 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 76 02 White 1 83 African American 0 50 Native American 9 70 Asian 0 20 Pacific Islander 7 51 from other races and 4 24 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18 59 of the population There were 20 008 households out of which 39 2 had children under the age of 18 living with them 59 1 were married couples living together 10 3 had a female householder with no husband present and 26 3 were non families 19 4 of all households were made up of individuals and 5 1 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 89 and the average family size was 3 31 In the city the population was spread out with 27 0 under the age of 18 8 0 from 18 to 24 33 3 from 25 to 44 23 2 from 45 to 64 and 8 6 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 35 years For every 100 females there were 96 7 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93 6 males According to a 2007 estimate the median income for a household in the city was 86 285 and the median income for a family was 96 133 13 Males had a median income of 52 019 versus 37 100 for females The per capita income for the city was 28 583 About 3 2 of families and 5 3 of the population were below the poverty line including 5 0 of those under age 18 and 4 4 of those age 65 or over Economy EditThe city is home to the headquarters of eyewear manufacturer Oakley Inc metals company Kaiser Aluminum in flight entertainment provider Panasonic Avionics Karem Aircraft 14 an aircraft company developing UAV s with major aircraft companies telecommunications software developer Greenlight Wireless Corp barbecue retailer Barbeques Galore restaurant chains Johnny Rockets and Del Taco medical equipment maker Apria Healthcare and skateboarding companies Sole Technology Inc Etnies Autism Behavior Services Inc and Tilly s among others It is also the home of the corporate headquarters for Eagle Community Credit Union a credit union focused on serving postal and federal employees who live or work in Orange County Top employers Edit According to the City s 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 15 the top employers in the city are Employer of employees1 Panasonic Avionics Corporation 2 2902 LoanDepot 2 0493 Oakley 1 4004 Schneider Electric Invensys 5005 Spectrum Brands 16 4946 Cox Communications 4917 Bal Seal Engineering 4238 The Home Depot 3489 Walmart 34010 Alcon Research 315Arts and culture EditLake Forest is served by two branches of the Orange County Public Library system known as OC Public Libraries the El Toro branch and the Foothill Ranch branch 17 The city is the location of Rick Warren s megachurch Saddleback Church the sixth largest evangelical church in the United States 18 The city of Lake Forest puts on an annual summer concert 19 at Pittsford Park Other public events include the Fourth of July 5K run 20 and fireworks display over the lake at the Sun amp Sail Club 21 On Wednesdays at 4 pm there is a farmers market at the Sports Park and Recreation Center where locals can go and buy products from the local farmers and vendors In 2020 the classical music organization Chamber Music OC moved its operations from Chapman University in Orange California to the Lake Forest Business Center where they are headquartered 22 Parks and recreation EditLake Forest Sports Park and Recreation Center opened on November 1 2014 across the street from Saddleback Church 23 The 86 2 acre Sports Park built with fees collected from developers for a study that led to the rezoning of surrounding areas is one of the largest sports parks in Orange County 24 25 The Recreation Center houses classrooms activities rooms and a gymnasium hosting many education and recreation programs that have previously been hosted at the rented City Hall facility 23 Lake Forest is also home to two county parks Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in the eastern part of the city was the site of an infamous mountain lion mauling in 2004 that captured the attention of the West Coast news media 26 Heritage Hill Historical Park and Museum is home to some of the oldest buildings in Orange County including the Jose Serrano Adobe an original adobe home and settlement built in 1863 El Toro s first school the old El Toro School House El Toro s first church St Georges Episcopal Church and the Harvey Bennett Ranch House built in 1908 from which the Bennett Ranch development in Lake Forest derives its name The Bennetts raised oranges for Sunkist and owned the State deeded water rights to Aliso Creek which was very rare in California and instrumental to their success It is also the location of Ritchie s Park per signs along Aliso Creek which was a naturally set childhood playground along the stream where all of the Bennett children and grandchildren played Frequently the children found Indian artifacts along the banks and met relatives of the Indians whose ancestors had actually lived there including Al and Cy who were older Indians working for the Bennetts The park is named for Richard Bennett Harvey the grandchild whom Harvey and Frances Bennett raised their seventh and last child who grew up on the ranch in youth and lived there later in early marriage working on the ranch until it was sold The Bennett s son Richard Beach Bennett was educated in Animal Husbandry at California Polytechnic State University Pomona and grew replacement trees for farmers before starting his own ranch in Balcom Canyon in Ventura County Lake Forest also has etnies Skatepark which is the largest public skatepark with over 40 000 square feet 3 700 m2 27 Government Edit Lake Forest City HallMarine Corps Air Station El Toro was located one mile 1 6 km from the city of Lake Forest in the city of Irvine At one time El Toro was considered a military town but the city blossomed independently in the 1980s and 1990s before the base closed in 1999 clarification needed Doug Cirbo serves as Lake Forest s Mayor and Mark Tettemer serves as Mayor Pro Tempore In addition to Cirbo and Tettemer the three other City Council members are Robert Pequeno Scott Voigts and Benjamin Yu State and federal representation Edit Lake Forest city vote by party in presidential elections Year Democratic Republican Third Parties2020 28 52 38 23 810 45 40 20 638 2 21 1 0062016 29 46 00 16 221 46 76 16 488 7 24 2 5532012 30 40 72 13 307 56 57 18 484 2 71 8852008 31 44 23 14 937 53 40 18 034 2 37 8022004 32 34 71 11 200 64 11 20 691 1 18 3812000 33 36 13 10 968 60 56 18 386 3 31 1 0051996 34 34 19 7 511 54 94 12 069 10 87 2 3891992 35 27 58 6 908 45 76 11 464 26 66 6 680In the California State Legislature Lake Forest is in the 37th Senate District represented by Democrat Dave Min and in the 72nd Assembly District represented by Republican Diane Dixon 36 In the United States House of Representatives Lake Forest is in California s 40th congressional district represented by Republican Young Kim 37 According to the Secretary of State of California as of February 10 2019 Lake Forest has 46 014 registered voters Of those 17 329 37 66 are registered Republicans 13 402 29 13 are registered Democrats and 13 080 28 43 have no political party preference are independents 38 Historically Lake Forest has like most of southern Orange County been a Republican fortress in presidential elections Changing demographics and the intensely polarizing urban rural divide however has made Lake Forest more fertile footing for Democrats who in recent elections have been trimming the GOP margins in the city In 2020 Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win Lake Forest since its incorporation Education EditLake Forest has one high school El Toro High School which opened in 1973 and one high school on the border of Lake Forest and Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills High School The city also has eight elementary schools and a middle school 39 The mascot is a bull and its teams are known as the Chargers its school colors are blue and gold Lake Forest is served entirely by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District or SVUSD Notable people EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed February 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message Nolan Arenado MLB All Star St Louis Cardinals Brad Bufanda actor Lauren Chamberlain professional softball player for USSSA Pride holds record for most career home runs in NCAA Matt Chapman baseball MLB player Oakland Athletics Jake Ellenberger UFC fighter in welterweight division Ekaterina Gordeeva 1988 and 1994 Olympic gold medalist in pair skating married to Ilia Kulik HORSE the Band hardcore music act Ilia Kulik 1998 Olympic gold medalist in men s single skating married to Ekaterina Gordeeva Ryan Lasch ice hockey player Mark Munoz UFC fighter in middleweight division Eddie Paskey Lieutenant Leslie from Star Trek The Original Series Brandi Passante TV personality Ginger Reyes rock bassist with the bands The Smashing Pumpkins and Halo Friendlies Austin Romine catcher for El Toro High School s baseball team drafted by New York Yankees in 2007 Kaitlin Sandeno Olympic swimming champion El Toro High School grad Lindsay Soto football broadcaster Christine Woods actress in ABC television show FlashForward Elaine Youngs Olympic volleyball championFormer Edit Florence Griffith Joyner athlete Olympic gold medalist laid to rest at El Toro Memorial Park Diane Murphy actress on Bewitched El Toro High School graduate citation needed Erin Murphy actress on Bewitched El Toro High School graduate 40 Nicole Brown Simpson deceased former wife of O J Simpson laid to rest at Ascension Cemetery Jonathan Thulin contemporary Christian singer and recording artist 41 References Edit California Cities by Incorporation Date California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions Archived from the original Word on November 3 2014 Retrieved August 25 2014 a b Elected Officials City of Lake Forest Retrieved January 1 2023 2019 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved July 1 2020 Lake Forest Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Retrieved January 27 2015 Lake Forest city QuickFacts United States Census Bureau Retrieved July 14 2021 a b c WHITCOMB JANET September 6 2013 El Toro s founding father meets his death Retrieved July 16 2016 El Toro Will It Change to Lake Forest Los Angeles Times March 7 1991 Retrieved June 25 2019 Census of Population and Housing Census gov Retrieved June 4 2015 U S Census Bureau QuickFacts Lake Forest city California www census gov Retrieved August 17 2022 2010 Census Interactive Population Search CA Lake Forest city U S Census Bureau Archived from the original on July 15 2014 Retrieved July 12 2014 Population estimates July 1 2015 V2015 Archived from the original on February 17 2016 Retrieved July 16 2016 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 2007 American Community Survey 1 Year Estimate US Census Bureau Archived from the original on February 12 2020 Retrieved May 3 2009 Welcome to Karem Aircraft Inc Retrieved July 16 2016 City of Lake Forest CAFR Archived January 11 2022 at the Wayback Machine Journal State Spectrum Brands wraps up Stanley Black and Decker acquisition Retrieved July 16 2016 Library Locator OC Public Libraries Retrieved November 4 2014 Top 100 Largest Churches in America at Sermon Central published 2017 retrieved 2019 City of Lake Forest Recreation Calendar Archived from the original on June 29 2011 Retrieved May 26 2011 Lake Forest Firecracker 5K Run Lake Forest II Sun amp Sail Club Archived from the original on March 24 2012 Retrieved May 26 2011 Chamber Music OC looks toward future with a new venue Los Angeles Times December 4 2020 a b Sarah de Crescenzo October 24 2014 Grand opening slated for Lake Forest Sports Park The Orange County Register Retrieved November 4 2014 Sports Park and Recreation Center City of Lake Forest California Archived from the original on November 4 2014 Retrieved November 4 2014 Lake Forest Sports Park RJM Design Group Archived from the original on November 4 2014 Retrieved November 4 2014 Mountain Lion Killed After Attack CBS News Retrieved July 16 2016 Etnies Skatepark Of Lake Forest Aerial Retrieved August 21 2010 Precinct results PDF www ocvote com 2020 Retrieved November 27 2020 SOV xls PDF www ocvote com 2016 Retrieved May 31 2020 SOV xls PDF www ocvote com 2012 Retrieved May 31 2020 SOV xls PDF www ocvote com 2008 Retrieved May 31 2020 SOV xls PDF www ocvote com 2013 Retrieved May 31 2020 SOV xls PDF www ocvote com 2000 Retrieved May 31 2020 California Secretary of State March 30 1968 Statement of vote Sacramento Calif The Secretary via Internet Archive California Secretary of State March 30 1968 Statement of vote Sacramento Calif The Secretary via Internet Archive California Districts UC Regents Retrieved January 5 2023 California s 40th Congressional District Representatives amp District Map Civic Impulse LLC CA Secretary of State Report of Registration February 10 2019 PDF ca gov Retrieved June 26 2019 Schools Lake Forest Schools www lakeforestschools org Retrieved May 26 2017 Eye on O C Positivity loud and clear Orange County Register June 25 2013 Retrieved April 19 2022 CRESCENZO SARAH de January 30 2014 Dead Come to Life singer returning to where it all began Retrieved July 16 2016 External links Edit Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Lake Forest California Official website Chamber of Commerce Homepage Early history of El Toro El Toro and Its History Charlotte Moulton 1932 Orange County History Series Volume 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lake Forest California amp oldid 1170051669, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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