The Center for Water
Education, 2325 Searl Parkway, Hemet, CA 92543 Call: (951)791-0990.
www.centerforwater.org
Hemet
California Vacation - California's Desert Gem, Hemet
by Debbie Stock
Hemet is a dusty diamond ready to brush
off and explore. Diamond Valley Lake, Southern California's
largest drinking water reservoir, is a favorite among fishermen who line up in the early morning to rent a boat
and try their luck at catching some bass, catfish or trout. While Riverside
County's newest lake is a great sporting attraction appealing to anglers,
another crop of tourists―families,
historians, archaeologists and paleontologists―have begun to flock to Hemet
because of the lake. They come to visit two fabulous, new museums, dine at all
the popular restaurants, shop at Marshall's, Ross and other chain
stores and spend the night at this desert delight.
Known as an affordable retirement and bedroom community for commuters, Hemet changed practically overnight.
During Diamond Valley Lake's construction, bulldozers came to a screeching halt
when significant artifacts buried deep in layers of dirt and rock
were uncovered. The find put Hemet on the map and caused humans to look into the
past far beyond the disappearing orange groves and recent history you can study
at Hemet Museum.
Incredible
mastodon bones and artifacts dating back
more than 230,000 years were uncovered in one of the most important finds from the Ice Age.
Unofficially referred to as the Valley of the Mastodons, nearly 1 million
specimens were found! Animals such as "Max," the largest mastodon found in
the Western United States; "Xena," a 10,000-year-old mammoth; and a giant ground
sloth that stands almost 7 feet tall, provide but a glimpse into the
ever-changing climate on earth. This now semi-arid desert that keeps cars
covered in a light layer of dust, was lush and
fertile, producing ample food for huge animals that thrived and roamed large
areas.
While one museum,
Center
for Water Education, was planned, another had to be funded and built to
house the incredible collection
of bones, teeth and body parts of extinct animals discovered at the soon-to-be
lake.
Western Center for Archeology and Paleontology
came to fruition, offering an equally interesting (if not more compelling)
journey into the study of our past. The water education center would hold its
own, attracting students on field trips, travelers, and special events with its
meeting space. But the archaeology center is poised to become one of the great
depositories for rare artifacts and is sure to attract a broader audience of
adult travelers and scientists.
In addition to offering hands-on fun and
learning opportunities for all ages, the museum campus in which two separate
museums are joined by commons areas, includes award-winning architectural
designs utilizing energy-saving, argon-filled glass panels, solar collectors,
steel edifices and concrete walls. The substantive stature of the combined
structures provides a study in scale and form, contrasted by the brown, desert
landscape and Santa Rosa mountain range.
You can make Hemet a singular
weekend trip that's especially enjoyable in the autumn through spring when the
weather's dry, pleasant and rejuvenating. Or you can tie it to a nearby San
Jacinto mountain resort getaway or Temecula wine escape. A
whole new crop of tourists to Hemet include families with children, couples
visiting Temecula Wine Country, vacationers on their way to Idyllwild mountain
resort and academicians hoping to learn more.
The dusty, dry country of Hemet is
anything but boring—hidden
gems have been there for eons. But now that they've re-surfaced,
get ready to see a facelift, thanks to those old bones!
What to do and see in Hemet & nearby:
Center for Water Education
Western Center for Archaeology and Paleontology
How to get there:
BlackJack private air charter
Where to eat:
Applebee's
Where to stay:
Best Western
Hampton Inn
More info:
Hemet is located in Riverside County east
of Highway 15 that extends to San Diego. Located on Highway 79, it passes by one
of the nation's largest rail and train museums in Perris, and isn't too far from
Temecula wine country, either.
