Esperanza High School site

Historical USGS topo maps

and links to other online materials about the site

Terminal station of the Pacific Electric Railway had been completed to the point shown on this map by 1911 or 1912. The station was named for Jacob Stern, the man who acquired the land from the Yorba family. Topography shows pit not yet excavated, but end of the rail line well positioned for loading gravel and transporting it to LA.

Railway is gone. Documents about the Pacific Electric indicate that it had been out of service since 1938, and the EPA report indicates that the petroleum refinery waste dumping started in 1940. There is a road in the site of the gravel pit that is consistent with digging, but the topography is not updated to show the pit. The EPA report mentions a contaminated water well in 1947 at a location that is consistent with the house in the orange grove. EHS handball courts currently occupy that spot.

Topography now shows the excavated pit. Imperial Highway exists on old rail right of way. Conversion of orange groves to houses has begun.

More housing development, Orchard School exists, EHS site is still an orange grove.

EHS is built, neighborhoods are developed all around.

Toxic waste causes death Relatives of a San Clemente resident who died after being exposed to hazardous waste from the Kellogg Terrace toxic dump site, filed a wrongful death suit in Orange County court against the Shupe Trucking Company alleging that the driver of the truck, whose job it was to deliver the toxic waste being taken from the dumpsite near the school campus, did not take precautions to wash out the waste at the legal dumpsite in Kettleman Hills. The driver allegedly drove his truck back to San Clemente and cleaned the truck there. Charles Dunston, who lived adjacent to the area where the truck was hosed out, reported respiratory problems and died at Camp Pendleton's hospital within 48 hours of being exposed to the waste.