Westmorland, California

City of Westmorland
City Hall of Westmorland
City Hall of Westmorland
Official seal of City of Westmorland
Motto: 
"Today's Roadrunners Tomorrow's Leaders"[citation needed]
Location in Imperial County and the state of California
Location in Imperial County and the state of California
City of Westmorland is located in the United States
City of Westmorland
City of Westmorland
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°02′14″N 115°37′17″W / 33.03722°N 115.62139°W / 33.03722; -115.62139[1]
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyImperial
IncorporatedJune 30, 1934[2]
Government
 • MayorAna Beltran[3]
Area
 • Total0.59 sq mi (1.53 km2)
 • Land0.59 sq mi (1.53 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation−164 ft (−50 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total2,014
 • Density3,820.34/sq mi (1,474.85/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
92281
Area codes442/760
FIPS code06-84606
GNIS feature IDs1652812, 2412239
Websitewww.cityofwestmorland.net

Westmorland (formerly, Westmoreland)[5] is a city in Imperial County, California. Westmorland is located 8.5 miles (14 km) southwest of Calipatria.[5] The population was 2,014 at the 2020 census, down from 2,225 at the 2010 census,[6] up from 2,131 in 2000. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area. The mayor of Westmorland is Ana Beltran.

Westmorland is on State Route 86, which was upgraded to a new six-lane highway to reduce its infamous auto accident and fatality risk, while it connects with Brawley, El Centro and Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.

The post office, originally called Westmoreland, opened in 1909; it closed in 1912 and re-opened in 1919. It was renamed to Westmorland in 1936.[5] Westmorland incorporated in 1934.[5]

From the 1920s through the 1950s Westmorland was the site of illegal gaming establishments and many brothels, but these were later destroyed in an attempt to improve the town's image.[when?]

Westmorland has dealt with the image of high poverty rates, and prior to the 1990s North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) economic boom, a nearly dormant farm food shipping industry.

  1. ^ a b "Westmorland". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date" (Word). California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  3. ^ "City of Westmorland - Council". cityofwestmorland.net. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 1481. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  6. ^ US Census Bureau, 2020 Census, Westmorland city, California profile