| Official Name: | Murrieta Hot Springs, California |
| Settlement Type: | District of Murrieta Former census-designated place |
| Mapsize: | 250x200px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Name1: | California |
| Subdivision Name2: | Riverside |
| Area Total Km2: | 3.3 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1.3 |
| Area Land Km2: | 3.3 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1.3 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0 |
| Elevation Ft: | 1194 |
| Elevation M: | 364 |
| Population As Of: | 2000 |
| Population Total: | 2948 |
| Population Density Km2: | 893.3 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 2267.7 |
| Timezone: | PST |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Coordinates: | 33.5628°N -117.1556°W |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Postal Code: | 92563 |
| Area Code: | 951 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 06-50090 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1661080 |
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]
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.
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 6000feet runway, is near Murrieta Hot Springs.
The Luiseño called the thermal springs Cherukanukna Hakiwuna.[4] They bathed in the warm water and took mud baths; -->[5] Spanish settlers later also made use of the water for healing.[6] Like the city, the springs acquired their name from Don Juan Murrieta, on whose land grant they were located.
The springs had been used for a Chinese laundry 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.[6] [7] 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.
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.[8] By then it had two additional pools, a sauna, and tennis courts, and abutted Rancho California Golf Course. 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.[9] [10] The resort closed in 1977.
In 1982, the resort was purchased by Alive Polarity, a group who operated a non-smoking teetotal vegetarian commune there.[11] [6] In 1987, Gary Naiman of San Diego bought it and renovated the guest accommodations.[11]
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.[6] [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.[6] [13] It reopened as a spa resort in February 2024, with renovations continuing.[6]
In the California State Legislature, Murrieta Hot Springs is in, and in .[14]
In the United States House of Representatives, Murrieta Hot Springs is in .