ABOUT
Jacumba Hot Springs is a census-designated place in the Mountain Empire area ofsoutheastern San Diego County, California. It was treated as a census-designated place (CDP) for the first time in the 2010 census, and had a population of 561.On Feb. 26, 2013, the Federal Geographic Names Commission approved a petition by a citizen committee to change the town's name from Jacumba to Jacumba Hot Springs.
History
The Kumeyaay peoples occupied the Jacumba area prior to European settlement. They were probably attracted by the warm Jacumba hot spring (temperature 104 °F), one of many mineral hot springs which occur up and down the Peninsular Ranges of California. Ranchers occupied the area in the 19th century and were often in conflict with the Indians. About 15 were slain by ranchers for cattle rustling in the Jacumba Massacre of Feb 27, 1880. In 1919 rail service connected Jacumba to San Diego. By 1925 the town had a world class hotel, the Hotel Jacumba. In the 1930s, Jacumba had developed into a top destination and had a population of about 1,150.