TALK OF THE TOWN: JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS REGAINS HISTORIC NAME – AND HOPES FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

Town sells to owner of clothing optional resort.

Hear our interviews: audio link at end of this article.

By Miriam Raftery

February 25, 2013 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Hoping to revitalize tourism in their community, leaders in the small eastern San Diego County community of Jacumba petitioned the State to change the town’s name back to Jacumba Hot Springs, as it was known in a bygone era.  Now it’s official, community members learned today.

“I am excited to announce that Jeff Chambers of the State of California Geographic Names Commission called Dave Landman, Mark Ostrander and Howard [Cook[ this morning to say that the Federal Geographic Names Commission has approved our name change (back to Jacumba Hot Springs) effective February 14th of this year,” Danielle Cook with the Jacumba-Boulevard Revitalization Alliance nformed ECM. 

The town was originally known as Jacumba Hot Springs, but somewhere along the way, the name got shortened on modern maps--and the change remained--though the romantic imagery of bubbling natural hot springs became lost in the dusty of history.

Chambers indicated that endorsement of the San Diego County Supervisors and the Jacumba Sponsor Group were critical in making the name change happen. "Many thanks should go to Supervisor Jacob for ensuring an endorsement at the county level, the Sponsor Group for their quick endorsement and to Dave Landman for spearheading the effort," Cook stated.

Landman, owner of the De Anza Resort nudist colony, recently purchased most of Jacumba Hot Spring’s downtown district, many additional parcels, the existing hot springs hotel (currently closed for remodeling), and the historic sites of a former lavish resort and bath house that once made Jacumba Hot Springs a magnet for Hollywood stars back in the golden era of silent movies.

“The Jacumba Hot Springs name should prove a greater draw to tourists and thus should increase traffic to our community and local businesses. This will help Jacumba and our sister community of Boulevard,” predicted Cook, adding that (more tourists will travel down Old Highway 80.  The name change is also hoped to encourage job growth  in businesses catering to tourists, also  improving our  property values and enticing more families ,artists and retirees to move here.

Cook added, "We have a lot going for us: the Spa due to open in March, a lake with abundant bird-life, beautiful vistas for hiking and clean mountain air."

The town also recently ridded itself of a pesky problem, an eye gnat infestation, after the organic farmer whose farming practices attracted the insect plague found his well had run dry and left town.

Community members are urged to work together on additional community enhancement projects already in the works.”  Those include a BluesFest 2013 and a Jacumba Community Garden.  The Jacumba Arts Council ,recently formed Boulevard-Jacumba Revitalization Committee, Women's Club and others now seek ideas, members and volunteers..

“Be part of something big,” Cook concludes. “Attend this Tuesday's Sponsor Group meeting (Jacumba Library at 6 p.m.) and find out how you can get involved.”

Hear our radio special, "On the Road to Jacumba Hot Springs," featuring interviews with Dave Landman, Danielle Cook,  and representatives of the Jacumba Blues Festival:

Audio: 

On The Road in Jacumba Hot Springs

Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.