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Rancho Santa Margarita, California

Rancho Santa Margarita, California
City
Rancho Santa Margarita
Rancho Santa Margarita
Flag of Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Flag
Official seal of Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Seal
Location of Rancho Santa Margarita within Orange County, California.
Location of Rancho Santa Margarita within Orange County, California.
Rancho Santa Margarita, California is located in the US
Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°38′29″N 117°35′40″W / 33.64139°N 117.59444°W / 33.64139; -117.59444Coordinates: 33°38′29″N 117°35′40″W / 33.64139°N 117.59444°W / 33.64139; -117.59444
Country  United States
State  California
County Orange
Incorporated January 1, 2000
Government
 • Mayor Carol Gamble
Area
 • Total 12.992 sq mi (33.651 km2)
 • Land 12.957 sq mi (33.560 km2)
 • Water 0.035 sq mi (0.091 km2)  0.27%
Elevation 925 ft (282 m)
Population (April 1, 2010)
 • Total 47,853
 • Estimate (2013) 49,228
 • Density 3,700/sq mi (1,400/km2)
Time zone Pacific (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP codes 92688, 92679
Area code 949
FIPS code 06-59587
GNIS feature IDs 1867054, 2411517
Website cityofrsm.org

Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in Orange County, California, United States. One of Orange County's youngest cities, Rancho Santa Margarita is a master planned community set upon rolling hills. The population was 47,853 at the 2010 census, up from 47,214 at the 2000 census.

Although it is named for Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores, which was in San Diego County, the city limits fall within the borders of Rancho Mission Viejo. At 22 characters long, it is the longest city name in California.

The city seal has the brands of Rancho Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita and Las Flores on the border, with artwork containing Santiago Peak in the background. The tower in the foreground symbolizes the Rancho Santa Margarita Lake Tower.

Hughes Aircraft Company's Microelectronic Systems Division moved to Rancho Santa Margarita in May 1988 from Irvine. In August 1992 the Hughes plant closed its facilities and moved the division to Carlsbad, California due to budget constraints in the aerospace industry.

Rolling Hills Estates had the longest city name in California with 19 letters until January 1, 2000, when the title was ceded to Rancho Santa Margarita (20 letters) upon the latter's incorporation.

Where schools, shopping centers and residential neighborhoods now stand, Native Americans once lived. On July 23, 1769, they were visited by a Spanish expedition under Captain Gaspar de Portola, who camped near the site of Tijeras Creek Golf Course in Rancho Santa Margarita.

On July 24, the expedition headed inland to avoid the many streams and swamps in the area. They found a large plateau area and camped that night on its western edge by a canyon, which the Franciscans named San Francisco Solano. This was on the eastern side of Trabuco Creek about three miles downstream from the present site of Trabuco Oaks.


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