Placentia is a city in northern Orange County, California. Take a look below for 15 amazing and obscure facts about Placentia, California, United States.
1. The population was 51,233 during the 2020 census, up from 46,488 in the 2000 census.
2. This includes the community of Atwood, which is included in the city of Placentia, and is located in its southeastern quadrant.
3. Primarily referred to as a bedroom community, Placentia is known for its quiet neighborhoods.
4. In 1971, Placentia was honored with the prestigious “All America City” Award, given out annually by the National Civic League to ten cities in the United States.
5. In 1837, the Mexican government granted the area that is now Placentia to Juan Pacifico Ontiveros as part of the Rancho San Juan Cajón de Santa Ana land grant.
6. In 1865, American pioneer Daniel Kraemer arrived and purchased 3,900 acres (1,600 ha) Many other American pioneers soon followed and the community developed.
7. The local school district was originally named the Cajon School District.
8. In 1878, the school district’s name was changed to Placentia School District, Placentia being derived from a Latin word meaning “pleasant place to live.” The town eventually took its own name after the school district. In July 2020, Placentia Organized and established their own Fire Department, Placentia Fire & Life Safety Department, Leaving The Orange County Fire Authority, The first city to ever disband from the OCFA.
9. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Placentia has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated “Csa” on climate maps.
10. The George Key Ranch Historic District is a historic citrus ranch and Victorian ranch house in Placentia.
11. It is now within the 2-acre (0.81 ha) George Key Ranch Historic Park, with the historic house museum, outdoor displays, and a citrus grove. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
12. The Placentia-Santa Fe District is in the southwest or downtown area. The town is home to the A. S. Bradford House, a historic house museum. It is also home to the 100 year old Berkenstock Mansion.
13. In 1973, Chicano Park’s “founding lead artist” Guillermo Aranda and “founding apprentice artist” Ernesto “Neto” Paul (San Diego, CA natives) collaborated with the art students of the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in painting a mural (approxitmately 8′ x 36′) on the walls of the Tlatepaque Restaurant. Aranda was invited by a Professor at UCI.
14. The following year the chairman of Toltecas en Aztlan, and the board director of The Centro Cultural De La Raza, Guillermo Aranda, also invited these same Orange County artists referred to as the “Santa Ana Muralists/Santa Ana Artists,” to come to Chicano Park and paint on one of the first pillars (2nd painted pillar) of Chicano Park.
15. The Metrolink 91/Perris Valley Line passes through the southern portion of the city. The city has been preparing the area of a proposed new station located at Melrose Avenue and Crowther Avenue in Old Town Placentia. Placentia station is estimated to cost $35 million; the city will contribute $5.4 million. A tenative completion date has been set for June 2022.
