Talk:Poway, California

Cleanup
Poway is a very nice friendly city...

Well...I'm sure it was a few hundred years ago :)

As a temporary measure, I'm moving this recent major addition to this page. It appears as if this may be copied from some old historical society or Chamber of Commerce publication. In any case, it needs some editing. -Willmcw 20:37, Apr 11, 2005 (UTC)

In 1980 the year of the successful incorporation (at least one previous election in the 1970s failed), a 'history of Poway' (mostly photos of pioneers and farms) was put together for a savings and loan association, which gave it away free as a promotion. I recall the cover was brown card stock with gold leaf. The text below may be an adaptation of this publication, but my copy is in storage or lost, so I can't compare it now.

General Overview
Like many early San Diego settlements, Poway used to serve as home to a local Native American tribe, the Diegueños. Artifacts such as arrow heads, spear points, metates, grinding stones, and pottery found along the bed of Poway Creek all indicate an early Diegueño presence. Various pictographs adorn many of Poway's boulders, and modern techniques suggest that these paintings date back to the 1500s or earlier. Poway's contemporary history began in 1758, when padres from the Mission San Diego de Alcala kept cattle in the valley. The name "Paguay," one of many original spellings, appears on mission documents in 1774. The name, also written as Paguai, Paui, Pauai, Pauy, Powaii, and finally Poway, has incurred dispute as to its meaning. While one Native American linguist insists that it means &#8220;here, where the waters meet,&#8221; the consensus has traditionally translated the word as &#8220;the two little valleys.&#8221; For approximately a century Poway served as a stock range for the mission, until settlers began to come to the valley for farming purposes in the late antebellum period. Few records of this time have survived, and not until 1894 and the inception of the Poway Progress did the town's history become a thing of record. In 1887, about 800 people lived and farmed in Poway. Around the turn of the century Poway farmers had moderate success in the production and vending of fruit, grain, and dairy products. Expansion, however, failed to follow agricultural success. Though the farmers prospered, the town existed in a static state for decades, varying only slightly in population, demographic, crop selection, and the like. Poway has a creek and fertile soil, but the lack of easily available water prevented the settlement from attracting large-scale farmers and the accompanying population growth. Not until 1954 did the town establish the Poway Municipal Water District, which utilizes water from the Colorado River Aqueduct to irrigate all of Poway's 10,000 acres. When water came to the town, people did as well. In 1957, following the sewer system's completion, developers built housing tracts, and modern Poway grew from there. In 1980 Poway incorporated and officially became the City of Poway (nicknamed the City in the Country) rather than a part of San Diego. Today, according to the 2000 United States census, the town boasts a population of 48,044 residents, largely comprised of white family units. Poway no longer depends on agriculture for its primary source of income, and has instead transitioned into a residential community for those who commute to jobs in and around the downtown San Diego area.

Agriculture
Though many residents today mistake Poway for an old Western-style cowboy town, its original roots lie in agriculture. The Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged Westward migration, and accordingly many of Poway&#8217;s first white settlers came to farm. The fecund soil proved well-suited to a variety of crops, including peaches, Muscat grapes, apricots, pears, hay, and alfalfa. Some farmers captured swarms of wild bees and cultivated honey. Dairying also proved lucrative. Most families kept a cow for milk and butter, chickens for eggs and meat, and perhaps a hog as to sustain them personally whilst they farmed. Crops sold well around the San Diego area. Between the seasons of 1894 and 1896, the Poway Progress reported bits of agricultural information such as:

Muscat grapes are beginning to ripen, and the San Diego market is getting a supply of the fine article Poway always produces.

The season has been a prolific one for bees, thirty of forty stands the present season from a single captured swarm a year or two ago.

The peach is a good article, and Poway produces it to perfection. Poway pears will compare with any grown in the state.

The success of these crops depended on the annual winter rainfall, however, and so remained subject to precipitation until the establishment of the Poway Municipal Water District in 1954. With water readily available, the town&#8217;s farming interest shifted to two principal crops, avocados and citrus fruits. Ironically, despite the relative success of these ventures, Poway ceased to exist as a farming town once the water needed to make it a true agricultural haven appeared. With water came new residents, and the former farm town transformed into a locale full of small commercial businesses and modest shopping centers.

Religion
Then as now, religion mattered greatly to Poway residents. The Community Church of Poway, the town&#8217;s first church, has remained in operation since 1883. During the time of the town's inception, most Powegians practiced Methodism, and the International Order of Good Templars (IOGT) controlled most of the town. In the 1890s, church meetings on Sunday nights drew the entire community together to worship. Socials, speeches, fundraisers, bees, and graduations all took place at Good Templars hall. The congregation suffered the continual loss of members, however, due to the uncertainty of crops from year to year. Few Poway residents stayed for a long time; after perhaps five years of crops dependent on uncertain weather, many residents moved to Escondido, San Diego, or even Los Angeles, where irrigation proved more stable. The church, left with an vague base, floundered accordingly. Not until the 1960s, with the water problem truly resolved, did the church steadily grow in size. Today, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Mormons constitute the majority of Poway&#8217;s religious demographic.

Education
Poway established its school district in 1871, but did not have a schoolhouse until 1885. Turn of the century teachers conducted school in the traditional one-room style, with first through eighth graders included in one classroom. Children learned to read and write using slates, and eventually progressed to study subjects such as arithmetic, spelling, English, language (German or Latin), grammar, history, and geography. Students did not usually attend high school, and had to travel to Escondido if they wished to do so. In 1909, only three students from Poway graduated frpm high school. Women who went on to more school from there usually had teaching ambitions. Education, while compulsory and considered a worthwhile pastime, had few far-reaching applications for Poway&#8217;s farmers&#8217; children. Enrollment in the Poway School first through eighth grades did not reach 100 until 1936.

Bias Removed
I hate to remove the "beautiful" from in front of the mention of Lake Poway in the "Modern Times" (yes, I am a Poway resident), but it did show bias. Calculusfreak 04:32, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

What the heck?!
Something is seriously wrong with this page. It's titled Poway, Poland, but the article text seems to jump back and forth between Poway, Poland and Poway, California. Can an administrator please take a look at this? I can't figure out how I should edit it. This article is COMPLETELY screwed up. (On a side (But not completely unrelated) note, how do I revert edits?). elnerdo 17:12, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

Combine the Pages
Someone should combine the Poway High School Alumni list (one page) with the Poway California (second page) Notable Natives

I think it fits fine were it is. Joeselby64 (talk) 23:37, 4 December 2009 (UTC)

Mayor Cafagna's Death
Mayor Mickey Cafagna died on Saturday due to complications from kidney cancer. As a former resident of the City in the Country, I say "Godspeed", Mr. Mayor... --Joshmaul (talk) 07:37, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

¿¿¿ 1758 ???
There's a statement near the beginning of the history section that the mission fathers were grazing their cattle in this area in 1758. That's got to be wrong, since Mission San Diego de Alcalá wasn't founded until 1769! DutchmanInDisguise (talk) 03:50, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

Railroad incident
I'm thinking the railroad incident can be summarized/shortened. This incident is about the promise of the railroad then the railroad not coming to town and the town not growing as a result. For me, it does not seem like a very important historical incident. Something that comes to town is more interesting, like the water project. Does anyone else share my same or similar thoughts? Spapet64 (talk) 07:06, 22 November 2009 (UTC)

Things to consider adding
Public Library; Performing Arts Center; Palomar College; Sister city; Media - What newspapers serve the community; Economics-Major Businesses; Annual Events; Sports (nearest stadiums); Major and Minor shopping; Restaurants; Awards earned by city; Interesting Architecture; Health and Medicine - Hospital; Aviation-nearest airports; Famous Events, if any; Points of interest; Famous Connections to Poway; Law Enforcement/Crime Rate; City size in comparison to other nearby cities or in relation to cities in the county; picture of city hall; historic US 395 sign; Military-proximity to major base; 12.234.234.130 (talk) 18:06, 7 December 2009 (UTC)

Education
I'm not so sure the Berean Bible College deserves a paragraph especially considering that it is lacks accreditation by a recognized accredidation organization. What do others think? See below, my emphasis added.

Berean Bible College Berean Bible College, is a Charismatic Christian bible college located within Living Way Church. The college claims educational accreditation through the Accrediting Commission International for Schools, Colleges and Theological Seminaries, an unrecognized accrediting organization based previously in Beebe, Arkansas now based in Sarasota, Florida.[14] The college is also recognized by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Student and Exchange Visitor Program(SEVIS) to issue I-20 foreign student visas. The college awards associate's degrees, diplomas, and bachelor's degrees. The current president of the college is Rev. Douglas Balcombe[15] and the current dean of the college is Rev. Bobby San-Miguel. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.234.234.130 (talk) 21:32, 16 January 2013 (UTC)

I agree with the previous concerns regarding inclusion of Berean Bible College on this page. It is not appropriate to devote this much space to a very small college. The paragraph is excessive and seems more like it was added by their marketing department. — Preceding unsigned comment added by BlkMtn (talk • contribs) 06:53, 31 December 2017 (UTC)