Romoland, California

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Romoland is a census-designated place (CDP) in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 2,764 at the 2000 census.

The city was named by Greek immigrant Rominio Homonicholai, who emigrated from Naxos in 1889. His family planted a vineyard in the town as well as orange groves, and was the first to manufacture sangria in California.

By 1905, cultivation of oranges and other agricultural produce had begun in the area, and Romoland and nearby Hemet entered in a dispute over which city would obtain a lucrative terminus for the Southern Pacific Railroad. To settle the dispute, city fathers agreed to have the mayors of the cities compete in a boxing match. "Battlin'" Dan Beecham of Hemet defeated Ronald Arcia of Romoland in a May 14, 1906 bout, and the railroad terminus was awarded to Hemet.

The first blood oranges were cultivated in the United States in Romoland in the 1920s. In an attempt to build a larger market for the oranges, the Romoland Fruit Co. began in 1936 to market its blood oranges as "citrus tomatoes" on the idea that the word "blood" discouraged buyers. However, "citrus tomatoes" proved unsuccessful, and the Romoland Fruit Co. returned to marketing its oranges as "blood oranges" in 1937.

In 2006, construction began on a $500 million energy plant in Romoland. The plant will use General Electric’s latest gas turbine technology to generate electricity for Riverside County, one of the fastest growing regions in the nation. The project will provide more than 500 construction jobs over the next three years and about two-dozen jobs when it opens.

[edit] Geography

Romoland is located at 33°44′45″N, 117°10′27″W (33.745783, -117.174228)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.7 km² (3.0 mi²), all land.

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the town has also had the toponyms Ethanac and Ethanac Siding in the past.

Other possible names that Romoland has been called are: Romonaland, Romola and Romola Farms.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 2,764 people, 785 households, and 620 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 358.1/km² (926.4/mi²). There were 867 housing units at an average density of 112.3/km² (290.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 54.05% White, 2.50% African American, 1.74% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 36.65% from other races, and 4.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 55.35% of the population.

There were 785 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.51 and the average family size was 3.87.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 34.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $33,523, and the median income for a family was $37,574. Males had a median income of $23,850 versus $18,971 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $12,932. About 20.5% of families and 25.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.6% of those under age 18 and 20.6% of those age 65 or over.