Located in the Cuyamaca Mountains in San Diego County, the history of Alpine, CA, has a lot to do with its geography. Despite its location, Alpine actually got its name from a resident who suggested the area reminded them of Switzerland.
History of Alpine: Kumeyaay
One of the often-overlooked parts of California history is the fact that there were several different native American tribes who called California home. In fact, many of these tribes were in the area well before anybody else had set foot in the state of California.
While there were a few different areas where the Kumeyaay tribe lived, Alpine was one of the biggest spots. As a matter of fact, some experts have suggested that the Kumeyaay tribe could have been in the Alpine, CA, area for at least 12,000 years.
Today, there are very few Kumeyaay left, although the influence of the tribe can be felt throughout the city of Alpine.
Agriculture in Alpine
Because Alpine, CA, is such a rich area in terms of its geography and the potential for agriculture, agriculture was a big part of what the Kumeyaay tribe and other earlier settlers did to form the settlement. As such, you can still see a strong agricultural influence when you look at Alpine today.
In addition to the agricultural influence the Kumeyaay have had on the area, the archaeological influence has also been strong. there has been a lot of archaeological evidence of Kumeyaay settlers discovered in more recent times.
History of Alpine: Mail-Trail
In the mid-19th century, there was a horseback mail trail that ran from San Diego to Yuma, passing through the city of Alpine in the process. This mail trail is credited as being the first legitimate mail route in the Southern California area.
Recent Years
One of the best things that happened to Alpine was the coining of the phrase, “Best Climate in the USA.” While Alpine is nice and warm like most of California, it’s got a slightly milder climate that a lot of people enjoy. This has led to its popularity today.
By 1969, Interstate 8 was carved through the hills in the area, leading to a huge expansion of Alpine. This was the final step to Alpine becoming one of the best destinations for people to travel to in Southern California.
If you’re looking for something to do in Alpine see this article. And if you want to drive south, don’t forget to go online to MexInsurance.com® for quick and easy Mexico Insurance in minutes.
One thought on “The Rich History of Alpine, California”