Grand Boulevard explains Corona's circle on the map

Corona has a map detail that starts to make sense once someone points it out. Grand Boulevard was laid out as a circular road around the original townsite, back when the community was still called South Riverside.

The circle shaped more than the street pattern. It became part of Corona’s early identity, along with citrus groves, rail access, and the town’s 1896 name change from South Riverside to Corona. The name fit the road shape, and the road shape gave the city a built-in landmark.

Grand Boulevard also carried the city’s road-race years. In 1913 and 1914, drivers raced on the circular route, bringing national attention to a place that was still closely tied to farms and citrus work.

The race era was brief, but the shape stayed. Today, Grand Boulevard is a simple way to see how Corona’s early planning still shows up in ordinary streets. You do not need a museum to notice it. You can see the story in the map.