Oceanside is the third-largest city in San Diego County, California, United States. The city has a population of about 179,681. Together with Carlsbad and Vista, it forms a tri-city area. The city is located just south of Camp Pendleton, the busiest military base in the United States. Oceanside has experienced dramatic growth since 1970, when its population was 45,000. Much of the city's area was developed into single-family home tracts during the 1970s and 1980s. Since the 1990s, increased commercial and industrial development have diversified Oceanside's economic base.
History
The area was first visited by Native Americans then European explorers in 1769. The Spanish missionaries under Father Junipero Serra founded Mission San Luis Rey de Francia on a former site of a Luiseño Indian village on the banks of the San Luis Rey River. In the early 1800s, introduced farming and grazing changed the landscape of what would become Oceanside. The area like all of California was under Spanish, in 1821 Mexican rule and conquered by the U.S. in 1848.
In the late 1850s, Andrew Jackson Myers lived in San Joaquin County. A native of LaSalle County, Illinois, he returned in the late 1880s and lived in San Luis Rey. In 1882 Myers moved on the land that was the original town site for Oceanside. A patent for the land was issued in 1883 by the federal government. It was incorporated on July 3, 1888. The current city hall now stands on the former homestead of Myers.
In the 20th century, Oceanside was a beach town devoted to activities on a 6-mile (9.7 km) stretch of beaches. Residential areas like Downtown (built in the 1890s), South Oceanside (built in the 1920s and 1930s), and developments east of Interstate 5 (built after World War II) now are preserved and remodeled when these houses are considered to have historical value. Since the establishment of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in 1942, Oceanside was proud to have U.S. armed forces personnel, and the wartime industry of WWII and the 1950s had an ammunition manufacturing facility in the city. After 1970, the main focus of Oceanside was suburban development and a choice for newcomers to move in then relatively affordable housing. Today, Oceanside is a top real estate choice with home values over the $500,000 mark for its location by San Diego and the Pacific coast.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 107.7 km² (41.6 mi²). 105.1 km² (40.6 mi²) of it is land and 2.5 km² (1.0 mi²) of it (2.36%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 161,029 people, 56,488 households, and 39,259 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,531.7/km² (3,967.2/mi²). There were 59,581 housing units at an average density of 566.7/km² (1,467.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 53.6% White, 30.2% Hispanic, 6.3% African American, 5.5% Asian, 1.2% Pacific Islander, 0.4% Native American or Al tive, 0.1% from another race alone, and 3.2% from two or more races. (These figures have been adjusted to classify Hispanics as a separate group from whites, blacks, Asians, and other races; U.S. census data do not separate out Latinos in this manner.)
The area around Oceanside High School was, along with the neighborhood around San Diego High School, the site of the first Samoan communities on the U.S. mainland.
In 2000, there were 56,488 households out of which 35.0% had children under the living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.33.
The age distribution of Oceanside in 2000 was as follows: 27.6% under the , 10.2% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $46,301, and the median income for a family was $52,232. Males had a median income of $34,772 versus $27,962 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,329. About 8.2% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city’s various funds had $295.2 million in Revenues, $252.8 million in expenditures, $962.8 million in total assets, $195.3 million in total liabilities, and $223.7 million in cash and investments.
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
Residents of Oceanside may attend schools in the Oceanside Unified School District, Vista Unified School District, Bonsall Union School District, or Carlsbad Unified School District, depending on their actual address. The Oceanside Unified School District provides instrumental music programs in grades 4-12 as well as free transportation for students in grades K-5, with the exception for those who reside on Camp Pendleton and the special needs students.
The Oceanside Unified School District has two comprehensive high schools, El Camino High School off Rancho Del Oro and Oceanside High School off Mission Avenue. High school students are also served by Ocean Shores Continuation High School and Clair Burgener Academy. OUSD has 24 schools plus three charter schools, including the School of Business and Technology, and two brand new schools, Louise Foussat Elementary School and Cesar E. Chavez Middle School, that opened in the Fall of 2007. Cesar Chavez Middle School, which is on the corner of Frazee and Oleander, will be built on a 14 acres, house 11 building totaling 84,000 square feet and will serve 1,000 6th - 8th grade students.
The other school, Louise Foussat Elementary School, located on Pala Road, is built on 12.6 acres of land with 35 classrooms totaling 54, 490 square feet and can accommodate 800 students.
Economy
The headquarters for Genica Corporation (Geeks.com), Bergensons Property Services, Learning Forum International and International Stem Cell Corporation are among some of the companies located in Oceanside. According to the City's 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
The Oceanside Pier, first built in 1888 (and now in its sixth incarnation), is the longest wooden pier on the western United States coastline at 1,954 feet (596m).
Oceanside is also known for the nature grounds of Mount Ecclesia, launched in 1911. This place is the location of the international headquarters of a fraternal and service organization called The Rosicrucian Fellowship. It is also the location of its spiritual healing temple, called "The Ecclesia", situated upon the promontory of a high mesa.
The bungalow house featured in Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, is located on South Pacific Street, which is one street up from the Oceanside Strand, a section of residential houses along the coastline. This will become a coffee house once the Malkin resort is built.
In June 1997, a record 221,000 fans watched X Games III, held in San Diego and Oceanside. The surfing competition took place at the Oceanside Harbor Beach.
Oceanside has a large Day of the Dead celebration held every year on or about the weekend nearest November 1 with Carnival rides, street vendors, and musicians
Usually held the second weekend in September, Oceanside also holds an annual Harbor Days festival with street vendors, food, and local artists displaying their wares.
Oceanside is host to the world's 2nd largest Beach Soccer festival, The Southern California Beach Soccer Championships has become an international event and it is usually held in the middle of May at the Oceanside Harbor Beach.
The final competition scene from the film Bring It On was not shot in Daytona, Florida, but at the beach shell in front of the pier.
In the late 1990s, Oceanside had a minor league baseball franchise of the Western Baseball League, in the Miracosta College Ballpark but folded operations and lacked a standard ball park, now the site of the North County Waves semi-pro collegiate team.
The hills of Oceanside are said to form a lying down person in the shape of the "Sleeping Indian" near Papagallo Rd. in Oceanside
