MISSION STATEMENT: “The mission of the Foundation is to preserve, promote and protect the unique
history, community, and environment of the Temescal Valley and surrounding areas. The Foundation will do this by
providing an active forum by which the community can preserve the past, benefit the present and plan the future. The
Temescal Heritage Foundation is a non-profit, tax exempt, educational and charitable organization.”
Temescal Heritage Foundation Inc. E.I.N. 45-0464660 Corp.# 2372968 CT – 119112
About the Heritage Foundation
The first Temescal Valley Community Faire was staged in 2000 by a small group of residents wanting to bring a unique activity to the valley. A family-oriented event, the Faire gave residents the opportunity to meet with elected officials, county service providers, local business owners and developers. In 2001, the group created the Temescal Heritage Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, to further the Temescal Valley identity by researching and publishing the history of the area, hosting tours and lectures and holding regular meetings – all while continuing to sponsor the Faire.
Over time, a few of the group’s key members moved from the area and while emphasis on history and the newsletter diminished, the Faire prospered – growing from a few hundred attendees to several thousand. THF meetings were held less frequently, until they became almost non-existent except for the necessary meetings to plan each year’s Faire.
The group started meeting regularly again in 2017 to plan the yearlong Temescal Valley Bicentennial celebration which kicked off in May 2018 at the Faire and ended at the May 2019 Faire. The group continued to meet monthly, determined to revisit the original purpose and goals of the organization. The bylaws were rewritten, a membership structure with annual fees was resurrected and, since that time, several community events have been held to focus on the historical aspect of Temescal Valley.