Murrieta Hot Springs, California
Place in California, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Murrieta Hot Springs is a neighborhood in the eastern region of Murrieta, California, which was annexed on July 1, 2002.[1] Prior to annexation, Murrieta Hot Springs was a Census-designated place of Riverside County, California.[2] The population was 2,948 at the 2000 census. The ZIP Code 92362 was originally used, until 92563 was introduced in the early 1990s.[3]
Murrieta Hot Springs, California | |
|---|---|
Bird's eye view panorama of Murrieta Mineral Hot Springs, c. 1920 | |
 Location in Riverside County and the state of California | |
| Coordinates: 33°33′46″N 117°9′20″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Riverside |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.3 sq mi (3.3 km2) |
| • Land | 1.3 sq mi (3.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,194 ft (364 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
• Total | 2,948 |
| • Density | 2,314/sq mi (893.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes | 92563 |
| Area code | 951 |
| FIPS code | 06-50090 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1661080 |
The neighborhood grew up around a hot springs spa that was developed as a resort starting in the 1880s and became a college campus and conference center in the 1990s.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km2), of which 1.3 square miles (3.3 km2) is land and 0.78% is water.
French Valley Airport (FAA designator: F70), with a 6,000-foot (1,800 m) runway, is near Murrieta Hot Springs.
History
The Luiseño called the thermal springs Cherukanukna Hakiwuna.[4] They bathed in the warm water and took mud baths;[5][6] Spanish settlers later also made use of the water for healing.[7] Like the city, the springs acquired their name from Don Juan Murrieta, on whose land grant they were located.[6]
The springs had been used for a Chinese laundry[6] before the Temecula Land & Water Company developed the site in 1884 with a hotel and a bathhouse. Testimonials were published concerning the healing properties of the water. Fritz Guenther, a German who had settled in Los Angeles, bought the tract in 1902, built two new hotels and a new bathhouse, and later added cottages. The resort became popular, particularly with Jewish visitors, who were excluded from some other resorts. Guenther also happened to have used six-pointed stars in the decor.[7][8] The Guenther family operated the spa until the late 1960s; in addition to the 48-room California Hotel, it included an assembly hall, the 63-room Stone Lodge and mosaic-tiled mudbath building, both built in 1926, a 1928 swimming pool, and a nature-care spa with private baths dating to 1936.[6]
In January 1970, Murrieta Hot Springs and the surrounding area, some 500 acres, was sold to Irvin Kahn, a San Diego attorney and real estate developer who had visited the spa as a child. Kahn purchased additional land and with Teamsters Union lawyer Morris Shenker as co-owner, constructed a mobile home park above the spa and held golf and tennis tournaments. The resort continued to be popular with Jews; in 1973 a synagogue was built next door. After Kahn died unexpectedly in 1973, the resort property changed hands several times.[9] By then it had two additional pools, a sauna, and tennis courts, and abutted Rancho California Golf Course.[6] In 1975 R. J. Rudd leased it for a clinic where he claimed he could cure cancer using a lemon juice diet; the clinic was closed after Rudd was indicted in 1977 for medical and financial fraud and was featured on 60 Minutes in January 1978.[10][11] The resort closed in 1977.[6]
In 1982, the resort was purchased by Alive Polarity, a group who operated a non-smoking teetotal vegetarian commune there.[6][7] In 1987, Gary Naiman of San Diego bought it and renovated the guest accommodations.[6]
The resort then became neglected. In 1995, Calvary Chapel Of Santa Ana bought it and used it as the campus of Calvary Chapel Bible College, with dormitories, libraries, and a conference center.[7][12]
Following closure of the campus and conference center because of the COVID-19 pandemic, in August 2022 Calvary Chapel sold the Murrieta Hot Springs property to Olympus Real Estate Group, who own properties including the Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.[7][13] It reopened as a spa resort in February 2024, with renovations continuing.[7]
Following the February 2024 reopening, the Murrieta Hot Springs Resort was repositioned as a full-service wellness destination focused on a structured path to catharsis and relaxation. The renovated 46-acre property includes over fifty geothermal pools, a second-story cedar sauna room, and a geothermal mud experience. A notable feature of the modern resort is the Kneipp Walk, a "contrast bathing" experience where guests wade through alternating hot (up to 103°F) and cold (down to 48°F) pools to stimulate circulation. The resort also offers a curated program of activities, including aqua yoga, sound baths, and vigorous fitness classes designed to encourage guests to move beyond passive soaking.[14]
Government
In the California State Legislature, Murrieta Hot Springs is in the 28th senatorial district, represented by Democrat Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and in the 67th Assembly district, represented by Democrat Sharon Quirk-Silva.[15]
In the United States House of Representatives, Murrieta Hot Springs is in California's 42nd congressional district, represented by Democrat Robert Garcia.[16]