The
Cupeño people were long time
indigenous inhabitants of the Warner Springs area. The Cupeño/Cahuilla
Agua Caliente rancheria village was located at the
hot springs (Spanish:
agua caliente) located here. The hot springs were discovered by Spanish explorers of upper
Las Californias province in 1795.
19th century The
Santa Ysabel Asistencia (satellite mission) was founded about to the south of the
Agua Caliente springs in 1818 by Spanish missionaries originating from
Mission San Diego de Alcalá. The St. Francis of Assisi chapel was erected near the settlement around 1830. Its walls use adobe mud bricks, white-washed over and a roof incorporating locally made red tiles. A stone bell tower is placed next to the southern wall of the church.
Warner's Ranch Juan Jose Warner received the
Rancho San Jose del Valle Mexican land grant in 1844, and renamed the area Warner Springs. Also in 1844, the asistencia's lands on the south became part of the
Rancho Santa Ysabel Mexican land grant. In 1851, the Cupeño/Cahuilla "
Garra Revolt" raid on Warner's Ranch occurred, a part of the
Yuma War against immigrant intrusions. The
Warner's Ranch adobe complex of Juan Jose Warner was a way station for large numbers of emigrants on the
Southern Emigrant Trail from 1849 to 1861, as it was a stop on the Southern Emigrant–Gila River Trail. He opened the only trading post that served travelers on the trail between
New Mexico Territory and the
Pueblo de Los Angeles in
Alta California. It later became a stop on the
San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line in 1857, and the
Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station stop on the
Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line (1857–1861). Several Warner Spring sites and buildings were designated
California Historical Landmarks (CHL), and/or
National Historic Landmarks (NHL), and/or listed on the
National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in the 20th century. •
Camp Wright (CHL) •
Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station (CHL), (NHL), (NRHP) •
Warner's Ranch (CHL), (NHL), (NRHP) The United States Navy has a
Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training compound near Warner Springs. It is a facility of
Naval Base Coronado. ==See also==