History has told very little about the original "Temecula Indian" that lived in the area that covered Wolf Mountain down to Pala, West into Santa Rosa Mountains and into the valley, where Temecula is now located.

The first known white man to set foot in Temecula valley was during the expedition of 1797, almost 30 years after Father Serra founded the first mission.

Little is known about Temecula from 1979 to 1860, because most of the towns records were destroyed in the great fire of 1906. During those years, great portion of Southern California was controlled by the government of Mexico.

By the mid 1840s, Mexico was losing its hold in California and began the process of making land grants to individuals.

In 1845, Rancho Temecula was granted to Felix Valdez. In January of 1847, Butterfield Canyon Massacre (where Mexican soldiers enlisted the aid of Cahuilla Indians to massacre Temecula) ended Spain's control of the area and Temecula became a port of United States.

On September 8, 1858, the first Butterfield Overland Stage arrived, bringing new settlers to the valley.