Calexico () is a city in southern

Imperial County, California Imperial County is a county on the southeast border of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 179,702, making it the least populous county in Southern California. The county seat is El Centro. Imperial is the ...

. Situated on the

Mexican border Mexico shares international borders with three nations: *To the north the United States–Mexico border, which extends for a length of through the states of Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. *To the southe ...

, it is linked economically with the much larger city of

Mexicali Mexicali (; ) is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California. The city, seat of the Mexicali Municipality, has a population of 689,775, according to the 2010 census, while the Calexico–Mexicali metropolitan area is home to 1,000, ...

, the capital of the Mexican state of

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

. It is about east of

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

and west of

Yuma, Arizona Yuma ( coc, Yuum) is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The city's population was 93,064 at the 2010 census, up from the 2000 census population of 77,515. Yuma is the principal city of the Yuma, Arizona, M ...

. Calexico, along with six other incorporated Imperial County cities, forms part of the larger populated area known as the

Imperial Valley , photo = Salton Sea from Space.jpg , photo_caption = The Imperial Valley below the Salton Sea. The US-Mexican border runs diagonally across the lower left of the image. , map_image = Newriverwatershed-1-.jpg , map_caption = Map of Imperial ...

. First explored by Europeans in the 18th century, Calexico began as a small tent community which was ultimately incorporated in 1908.

Etymology

The name of the city is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsCalifornia California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

and

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

. The originally proposed names were ''Santo Tomas'' or ''Thomasville.''

is a similarly named city directly across the international border from Calexico, its name being a portmanteau of the words "Mexico" and "California".

History

The expedition of Spanish explorer

Juan Bautista de Anza Juan Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto (July 6 or 7, 1736 – December 19, 1788) was an expeditionary leader, military officer, and politician primarily in California and New Mexico under the Spanish Empire. He is credited as one of the founding ...

traveled through the area some time between 1775 and 1776, during Spanish rule. The trail through Calexico was designated as a historical route by the State of California.

Founding

Calexico began as a

tent city A tent city is a temporary housing facility made using tents or other temporary structures. State governments or military organizations set up tent cities to house evacuees, refugees, or soldiers. UNICEF's Supply Division supplies expandable te ...

of the

Imperial Land Company The Imperial Land Company was a land colonization company incorporated in California in March, 1900 for the purpose of encouraging settlement of the Imperial Valley thus providing customers for the California Development Company. Imperial Land was ...

; it was founded in 1899, and

incorporated Incorporated may refer to: * Incorporated community * ''Incorporated'' (Grip Inc. album), 2004, by Grip Inc. * ''Incorporated'' (Legion of Doom album), 2006 * ''Incorporated'' (TV series), a science fiction thriller television series set in 2075 ...

in 1908. The Imperial Land Company converted desert land into a fertile setting for year-round agriculture. The first post office in Calexico opened in 1902.

2010 earthquake

On April 4, 2010, the El Mayor earthquake caused moderate to heavy damage throughout Calexico and across the border in Mexicali. Measuring 7.2 , the quake was centered about south of the U.S.–Mexico border near Mexicali. A

state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...

was declared and officials cordoned off First and Second streets between Paulin and Heber Avenues. Glass and debris littered the streets of downtown Calexico and two buildings partially collapsed. The Calexico water treatment plant sustained severe damage.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy An economy is an area of th ...

, at the 2010 census, the city had a total area of , all land. Calexico is located southeast of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

, east of

, west of Phoenix, and adjacent to

. Calexico's location provides easy overnight trucking access to all those transportation hubs plus the ports of

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

, and

Ensenada Ensenada is a Spanish word meaning ''bay''. Ensenada may also refer to: Boats *Ensenada 20, an American sailboat design People * N. Senada, a possible composer who is said to have collaborated with the rock band The Residents * Marquis of Ens ...

, Baja California, Mexico. Calexico is served by State Routes 98, 7 and

111 111 may refer to: *111 (number) *111 BC *AD 111 *111 (emergency telephone number) *111 (Australian TV channel) * Swissair Flight 111 * ''111'' (Her Majesty & the Wolves album) * ''111'' (Željko Joksimović album) * NHS 111 *(111) a Miller index fo ...

, with direct connection to

Interstate 8 Interstate 8 (I-8) is an Interstate Highway in the southwestern United States. It runs from the southern edge of Mission Bay at Sunset Cliffs Boulevard in San Diego, California, almost at the Pacific Ocean, to the junction with I-10, jus ...

(5 miles north) and State Route 86. There are eighteen regular and irregular common carriers for intrastate and interstate truck service to Calexico. Rail service is provided by

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pac ...

, and connects with the main line to

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populou ...

;

Rock Island, Illinois Rock Island is a city in and the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The original Rock Island, from which the city name is derived, is now called Arsenal Island. The population was 37,108 at the 2020 census. Located on ...

;

Tucumcari, New Mexico Tucumcari (; ) is a city in and the county seat of Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 5,278 at the 2020 census. Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was established. History In 1901, the Chicago, ...

;

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, whic ...

; and

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Calexico International Airport Calexico International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located one mile (1.6 km) west of the central business district of Calexico, in Imperial County, California. The airport is mostly used for general aviation and to facilita ...

, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection check-point for private passenger and air-cargo flights entering the U.S. from Mexico. Private charter services are also available there. General aviation facilities and scheduled passenger and air-cargo service to

San Diego International Airport San Diego International Airport , formerly known as Lindbergh Field, is an international airport northwest of Downtown San Diego, California, United States. It is owned and operated by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.. US Feder ...

Bob Hope Airport Hollywood Burbank Airport, legally and formerly marketed as Bob Hope Airport after entertainer Bob Hope , is a public airport northwest of downtown Burbank, in Los Angeles County, California, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. ef ...

in Burbank, and other points are available at

Imperial County Airport Imperial County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in Imperial County, California, United States. Also known as Boley Field, it is mostly used for general aviation, but has scheduled passenger service from one commercial airline. Servi ...

(Boley Field), located north.

Climate

Calexico has a subtropical hot-desert climate (''BWh''), according to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system. In December 1932, the city experienced a rare snowfall. Rainfall usually occurs in the winter months of December, January and February. Although summer is extremely dry in Calexico, there are occasional thunderstorms. In 2008, during the months of July and August there were several heavy thunderstorms that let down large amounts of rain and hail. Summer rainfall in the city is infrequent. During winter time, Calexico is sometimes affected by winter rain showers. The summer temperatures in Calexico are very hot, with most of those days having temperatures at or above . However, the hot desert climate seen in Calexico is actually not unusual for similar parallel cities such as, for example,

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesipho ...

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

. The area has a large amount of sunshine year round due to its stable descending air and high pressure.

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census reported that Calexico had a population of 38,572. The population density was . The racial makeup of Calexico was 23,150 (60.0%)

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 134 (0.3%)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 204 (0.5%) Native American, 504 (1.3%) Asian, 21 (0.1%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, 12,920 (33.5%) from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1,639 (4.2%) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 37,354 persons (96.8%). The Census reported that 38,472 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 100 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized. There were 10,116 households, out of which 5,759 (56.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,767 (57.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,319 (22.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 595 (5.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 316 (3.1%)

unmarried opposite-sex partnerships POSSLQ ( , plural POSSLQs) is an abbreviation (or acronym) for "Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters", a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of ...

, and 61 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships, while 1,200 households (11.9%) were made up of individuals, and 675 (6.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.80. There were 8,681

families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

(85.8% of all households); the average family size was 4.09. The population was spread out, with 12,011 people (31.1%) under the age of 18, 4,262 people (11.0%) aged 18 to 24, 9,332 people (24.2%) aged 25 to 44, 8,559 people (22.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,408 people (11.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males. There were 10,651 housing units at an average density of , of which 10,116 were occupied, of which 5,430 (53.7%) were owner-occupied, and 4,686 (46.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.1%. 22,155 people (57.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 16,317 people (42.3%) lived in rental housing units.

Government

The City of Calexico operates under a City Council/City Manager form of government. The City Council consists of five Council Members, elected to overlapping four-year term. The Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem are chosen from among the five council members and rotate on an annual basis. The Mayor presides at council meetings, where all official policies and laws of the city are enacted. The members of the Calexico City Council set policy and appoint commissions and committees that study the present and future needs of Calexico. The other two elected officials in the City of Calexico are the City Clerk and City Treasurer. Each of them is elected directly by the voters and serves a four-year term. The Calexico branch of the Imperial County Superior Court system was officially renamed on Saturday, December 19, 1992, in honor of Legaspi family members Henry, Victor and Luis Legaspi as the Legaspi Municipal Court Complex.

Politics

In the

state legislature A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United ...

, Calexico is in , and . Federally, Calexico is in . The current mayor is Rosie Arreola-Fernández, and the mayor pro tem is Javier Moreno. The other council members are Raul Ureña, Gloria G. Romo, and Camilo Garcia. In recent years, Calexico has overwhelmingly supported

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

candidates for president. In seven of the last eight presidential elections, the Democrat has received over 70% of the vote.

Education

Colleges and universities

Post-secondary education is available at the Imperial Valley Campus of

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) syste ...

, and at

Imperial Valley College Imperial Valley College is a public community college in Imperial County, California. It was founded in 1962 and enrolls around 7,000 students per year. In April 2022, Lennor M. Johnson, Ed.D., was appointed president of the college. The main cam ...

( to the north). In addition, there are more than 20 local agencies and programs providing vocational training which can be tailored to the specific needs of potential employers.

Public schools

The

Calexico Unified School District Calexico Unified School District is a school district in California. It has its headquarters in Calexico. Schools Adult center: * Roberto F. Morales Adult Center High schools: * Calexico High School Calexico High School is a public high schoo ...

serves city residents. Calexico has 7

elementary Elementary may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''Elementary'' (Cindy Morgan album), 2001 * ''Elementary'' (The End album), 2007 * ''Elementary'', a Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin album, 1977 Other uses in arts, entertainment, a ...

schools, 2

junior high A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school ...

schools and 2

high High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift to ...

schools:

Elementary

; Grades K–6 * Kennedy Gardens Elementary – Home of the Eagles * Allen and Helen Mains Elementary – Home of the Trojans * Rockwood Elementary – Home of the Rockets * Blanche Charles Elementary – Home of the Dolphins * Jefferson Elementary – Home of the Tigers * Dool Elementary – Home of the Cougars * Cesar Chavez Elementary – Home of the Lobos

Junior high schools

=Grades 7–8

= * Willam Moreno Jr. High – Home of the Aztecs * Enrique Camarena Junior High School – Home of the Firebirds

High schools

;Grades 9–12 * Calexico High School 9th Campus - Home of the Bulldogs * Calexico High School – Home of the Bulldogs (10th-12th) * Aurora High School – Home of the Eagles

Public charter school (Independent Study)

RAI Online Charter School—raicharter.net (K–12, tuition-free)

Adult education schools

* Robert F. Morales Adult Education Center * Independent Studies Office

Private schools

Calexico Mission School )'' , established = 1936, type = Private , principal = Oscar Olivarria , faculty = 21 , enrollment = 300 , location = 601 East First Street Calexico, California 92231 , website = http://www.calexicomissionschool.com Calexico Mission Academy ...

, a

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, a ...

Academy operated by the Southeastern California Conference in Riverside, CA provides private religious education in Calexico from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Our Lady of Guadalupe Academy (Home to the Bees), and

Vincent Memorial Catholic High School Vincent Memorial Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Calexico, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego The school serves approximately 300 students. Background Vincent Memorial was estab ...

(Home to the Scots),

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

schools operated by the

Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego The Diocese of San Diego is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Southern California, United States. Its ecclesiastical territory includes all of San Diego and Imperial Counties in Southern California, wi ...

, are also in Calexico.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Calexico is served by the privately owned Calexico Transit, LA Shuttle and Numero Uno Shuttle and the publicly owned

Imperial Valley Transit Imperial Valley Transit (IVT), also known as IV Transit, is the provider of mass transportation in California's Imperial Valley, serving the cities of El Centro, Calexico, Brawley, and Imperial. Formed in 1989 with just 3 buses and serving clo ...

for local transit. Calexico is also served by

Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and ...

. Freight rail service is provided by Union Pacific Railroad's Calexico Subdivision.

Utilities

Calexico's public works departments operates water and sewer service for the city.

Community

Calexico generally identifies as part of the larger

region, which includes the

El Centro metropolitan area Imperial County is a county on the southeast border of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 179,702, making it the least populous county in Southern California. The county seat is El Centro. Imperial is the m ...

, as do the rest of the cities in the county. Notable sites *Hotel De Anza (Hotel establishment notable for its history and having served celebrities and public figures) * Calexico Carnegie Library ( Carnegie library built in 1918 and added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...

in 2005) *US Inspection Station – Calexico (Historically used as the original port of entry during the early 20th century – was closed and added to the

in 1992) *

Camp Salvation Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...

(Refugee camp established in 1849 by Lieut. Cave for emigrants coming from the

Southern Emigrant Trail :''The Southern Emigrant Trail should not be confused with the Applegate Trail, which is part of the Northern Emigrant Trails.'' Southern Emigrant Trail, also known as the Gila Trail, the Kearny Trail, Southern Trail and the Butterfield Stage ...

during the California Gold Rush – was registered as a

California Historical Landmarks A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meeting at least one of ...

site in 1965.) *Camp John H. Beacom – a semipermanent camp named after Colonel John H. Beacom (6th infantry) garrisoned in Calexico during World War I for patrolling duties. The site was abandoned in 1920 according to cavalry journals. *Camp Calexico was another post used for patrolling duties by Colonel W. G. Schreibe and his infantry in 1914 *

Mount Signal Solar Mount Signal Solar, also known as Imperial Valley Solar Project, is a 794 Watt-peak, MWp (614 Watt-peak AC, MWAC) photovoltaic power station west of Calexico, California, Calexico, California, United States, in the southern Imperial Val ...

(One of the largest PV solar farms in the world) Camp Salvation, Calexico

Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco, smoking, and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October in the United States. It began as a tribute to fallen DEA special agent Enrique Camerena in 1985. According to ...

, a national observance dedicated to spreading awareness about the prevention of drugs and violence (especially in schools) originated within the city of Calexico during the mid to late 1980s as a tribute to DEA officer Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Red Ribbon Week campaigns were pushed forward by

Nancy Reagan Nancy Davis Reagan (; born Anne Frances Robbins; July 6, 1921 – March 6, 2016) was an American film actress and First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. She was the second wife of president Ronald Reagan. Reagan was born in Ne ...

Sister city

(since April 28, 2017)

Media

The city media includes national public television stations, county-wide radio stations (some of which feature nation-wide or California state-wide programing), county-wide print publications such as Imperial Valley Press as well as a few locally managed general interest publications.

In popular culture

Film and television * 1983 film

Curtis Hanson Curtis Lee Hanson (March 24, 1945 – September 20, 2016) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. His directing work included the psychological thriller '' The Hand That Rocks the Cradle'' (1992), the neo-noir crime film '' L ...

's ''

Losin' It ''Losin' It'' is a 1983 comedy film directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Tom Cruise, Shelley Long, Jackie Earle Haley, and John Stockwell. The plot concerns four teenagers trying to lose their virginity. ''Losin' It'' was filmed largely in C ...

'' starring

Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Go ...

was filmed in Calexico * 1997 film ''

The Game The Game or The Games may refer to: Sports and games * The Game (dice game) (German: ''Das Spiel''), a dice game designed by Reinhold Wittig * The Game (mind game), a mind game, the objective of which is to avoid thinking about The Game itself * ...

'' starring

Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the ...

; some scenes in

were shot through the chain link fence (camera and crew in Calexico) between the US and Mexico *The film ''

Sky High Sky High or Skyhigh may refer to: Business * Sky High Aviation Services, an airline based in the Dominican Republic Film and television * ''Sky High'' (1922 film), an American silent film * ''Sky High'' (1951 film), a US Air Force comedy wit ...

'' written and directed by

Lynn Reynolds Lynn Fairfield Reynolds (May 7, 1889 – February 25, 1927) was an American director and screenwriter. Reynolds directed more than 80 films between 1915 and 1928. He also wrote for 58 films between 1914 and 1927. Reynolds was born in Harlan ...

revolves around Calexico *1949 film ''

The Walking Hills ''The Walking Hills'' is a 1949 American Western film directed by John Sturges and starring Randolph Scott and Ella Raines. The film's plot has film noir elements in its story of a search for an old treasure by nine men including a detective tr ...

'' directed by

John Sturges John Eliot Sturges (; January 3, 1910 – August 18, 1992) was an American film director. His films include '' Bad Day at Black Rock'' (1955), '' Gunfight at the O.K. Corral'' (1957), ''The Magnificent Seven'' (1960), '' The Great Escape'' (19 ...

takes place in Mexicali and Calexico *The town is featured in the series ''

Knight Rider ''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original '' Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series '' Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...

'' during the episode "Mouth of The Snake". Michael Knight travels there to meet with the widow of a murdered federal lawyer. * In the film, ''Bordertown'' starring Jennifer Lopez,

Antonio Banderas José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received various accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival ...

and

Martin Sheen Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez (born August 3, 1940), known professionally as Martin Sheen, is an American actor. He first became known for his roles in the films '' The Subject Was Roses'' (1968) and ''Badlands'' (1973), and later achieved wi ...

one scene was shot in the Calexico port of entry. * In the episode of ''

Defiance Defiance may refer to: Film, television and theatre * ''Defiance'' (1952 film), a Swedish drama film directed by Gustaf Molander * ''Defiance'' (1980 film), an American crime drama starring Jan-Michael Vincent * ''Defiance'' (2002 film), a ...

'', "The Serpent's Egg", the lawkeeper travels to Calexico. * On ABC's hit show ''

Modern Family ''Modern Family'' is an American family sitcom television series created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan for the American Broadcasting Company. It ran for 11 seasons, from September 23, 2009, to April 8, 2020. It follows the lives of t ...

'', the main characters travel to Calexico in search of a child to adopt where the city's people and environment are exaggerated with stereotypes for comedic effect. * In ''

California's Gold ''California's Gold'' is a public television human interest program that explores the natural, cultural, and historical features of California. The series ran for 24 seasons beginning in 1991, and was produced and hosted by Huell Howser in co ...

'' Episode 204,

Huell Howser Huell Burnley Howser (October 18, 1945 – January 7, 2013) was an American television personality, actor, producer, writer, singer, and voice artist, best known for hosting, producing, and writing '' California's Gold'' and his human interest s ...

visits Calexico. * The town in

Seth MacFarlane Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (; born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, comedian, and singer. He is the creator and star of the television series ''Family Guy'' (since 1999) and '' The Orville'' (since 2017), and co-creato ...

's '' Bordertown'', Mexifornia is a parody of Calexico * The town is mentioned in first episode of '' Narcos: Mexico'' (which was originally intended to be the fourth season of the Netflix original series ''

Narcos ''Narcos'' is an American-Colombian crime drama television series created and produced by Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro. Set and filmed in Colombia, seasons 1 and 2 are based on the story of Colombian narcoterrorist and drug ...

''). The TV series ''Narcos: Mexico'' portrays Enrique Camarena, DEA agent and Calexico High School alumnus, amongst its main characters. * In season 19; episode 2 of

BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

's ''Top Gear'', starring members of the show race in sports cars from

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the List of United States cities by population, 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the U.S. state, state of Neva ...

, Nevada to Calexico * The 2007 independent film ''Descension'' was filmed in Calexico * In 2007 Bullrun was a television series which features 12 teams competing in a 4,000-mile (6,400 km) 18-day road rally to win the grand prize of US$200,000. Bullrun used a modified 12-car rally format. The rally ended in Calexico. * In the 2013 film ''

The Golden Dream ''The Golden Dream'' ( es, La jaula de oro; literally: "The Cage of Gold") is a 2013 Mexican drama film directed by Spanish-born Mexican director Diego Quemada-Díez.Mexicali Mexicali (; ) is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California. The city, seat of the Mexicali Municipality, has a population of 689,775, according to the 2010 census, while the Calexico–Mexicali metropolitan area is home to 1,000, ...

before crossing with the help of drug traffickers. Music *The band Calexico is named after the town *Rock band

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, f ...

sing about Calexico in their song "Encore" from their 2016 album, '' The Getaway'' Literature * A narcotics officer in

Michael Connelly Michael Joseph Connelly (born July 21, 1956) is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. Connelly is the bests ...

's ''

The Black Ice ''The Black Ice'' is the second novel by American crime author Michael Connelly, featuring the Los Angeles detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch. Plot In the book, narcotics officer Calexico (named after the place Calexico) Moore's body is dis ...

'' is named after the town * Johnny Shaw's ''A Jimmy Veeder Fiasco'' novel series takes place in various parts of Imperial County including Calexico *In the novel ''

Against All Enemies ''Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror'' () is a 2004 award-winning2005,(Index to lists of winners through 2006). Retrieved July 7, 2012. book by former U.S. chief counter-terrorism advisor Richard A. Clarke, criticizing past and p ...

'' by

Tom Clancy Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of his novels have ...

one scene is set on the Calexico/Mexicali border * Journalist and film maker

Peter Laufer Peter David Laufer is an independent American journalist, broadcaster and documentary filmmaker working in traditional and new media. He is the James Wallace Chair in Journalism at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. ...

writes about the city in his books ''

¡Calexico! ''¡Calexico! True Lives of the Borderlands'' is a 2011 book by Doctor of Philosophy Peter Laufer. It covers Laufer's encounters and experiences during his week-long stay in Calexico, California, a city on the Mexico–California border. He asks ...

:True Lives of the Borderlands'' and ''Calexico: Hope and Hysteria in the California Borderlands'' (co-written with

Markos Kounalakis Markos Kounalakis ( el, Μάρκος Κουναλάκης; born December 1, 1956) is an American syndicated journalist and scholar who is the second gentleman of California as the husband of lieutenant governor Eleni Kounalakis. Kounalakis write ...

) *The book ''Memories of Calexico: Curse or Blessing?'' by Antonio A. Velasquez compiles several anecdotes about Calexico *Jim Davidson's novel ''Postmarked Calexico'' makes references to the city

Notable people

* Enrique Camarena (DEA agent) *

Enrique Castillo Enrique () is the Spanish variant of the given name Heinrich of Germanic origin. Equivalents in other languages are Henry (English), Enric (Catalan), Enrico (Italian), Henrik (Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian), Heinrich (German), Hendrik, Hen ...

(Actor) *

Emilio Delgado Emilio Ernest Delgado (May 8, 1940 – March 10, 2022) was an American actor best known for his role as Luis, the Fix-it Shop owner, on the children's television series ''Sesame Street''. Delgado joined the cast of ''Sesame Street'' in 1971 and r ...

(Actor) *

Dan Navarro Dan Navarro (born Daniel Anthony Navarro, September 14, 1952) is an American vocalist, guitarist and voice actor best known as half of the duo Lowen & Navarro. He is first cousins with Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers. ...

(Singer-songwriter, voice actor) *

Bob Huff Robert S. Huff (born September 9, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who was the California State Senate minority leader and Senate Republican leader from January 5, 2012, until August 27, 2015. He represented the Senate's 29th D ...

(California senator) * Ruben Niebla (Major League Baseball player) *

Danny Villanueva Daniel Dario Villanueva (November 5, 1937 – June 18, 2015) was an American football professional player, television and Major League Soccer executive. Villanueva was a placekicker and punter who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ...

, (NFL placekicker and punter) * Eugenio Elorduy Walther (Politician) *

Bob Wilson Bob Wilson may refer to: Association footballers *Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1867) (1867–?), Irish international footballer of the 1880s * Bob Wilson (footballer, born September 1898) 1920s, Scottish footballer with Third Lanark and Fall R ...

(U.S. Congressman) *

Allen Strange Allen Strange (June 26, 1943 – February 20, 2008http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/feb/25/allen-strange-leader-in-electronic-music-dies/ ''Allen Strange, Leader in Electronic Music, Dies at 64'' By Rachel Pritchet, Kitsap Sun) was an American ...

(Composer) *

Takashi Kijima __NOTOC__ was a Japanese photographer best known for his photographs of nudes and of flowers. Kijima was born in Calexico, California on 24 December 1920, the son of a Mr Watanabe, a shoe manufacturer who had immigrated in 1905, and his wife Sei ...

(Photographer) * William Kesling (Architect) *

Primo Villanueva Primo Villanueva (born December 2, 1931) is an American former gridiron football player. He played college football at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), leading the led the College football national championships in NCAA Division ...

(Football player) * Mariano-Florentino Cuellar (Justice) *

Henry Lozano Henry Lozano (born August 24, 1948) is a non-profit executive and grassroots organizer. His years of public service culminated in his post at the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of USA Freedom Corps. On August 10 ...

(Politician) * Ben Hulse (Politician) *

Jeff Cravath Newell Jefferson Cravath (February 3, 1903 – December 10, 1953) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach the University of Denver from 1929 to 1931, at the University of San Francisco in 1941, and at the U ...

(Football player and coach) *

Bill Binder William Otto Binder (February 28, 1915 – January 28, 2010) was an American restaurateur and businessman who ran the landmark Philippe's restaurant, known as Philippe the Original, downtown Los Angeles for decades. Philippe's, a major destinatio ...

(restaurateur and owner of

Philippe's Philippe's, or "Philippe the Original" ( ) is a restaurant located in downtown Los Angeles, California. The restaurant is well known for continuously operating since 1908, making it one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles. It is also reno ...

in Downtown Los Angeles)

References

External links

*
Calexico Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Incorporated cities and towns in California Cities in Imperial County, California Mexico–United States border crossings * Communities in the Lower Colorado River Valley Imperial Valley Populated places in the Colorado Desert Populated places established in 1908 1908 establishments in California