The story of Old West legend Wyatt Earp and his brothers, Virgil and Morgan, lives on in books, movies, and even a 1950s TV series. The focus has always been on their “lawman” escapades in Tombstone, Arizona. However, they lived in Arizona for just a short time — a little over two years. What is lesser known is the entire family spent most of their time in Southern California’s Inland Empire.

One of the local Earp residences was in the Temescal Valley. Known today for its master-planned communities, spacious homes and scenic views of the Santa Ana Mountains, the area has an interesting historical past.

The area was the site of Rancho Temescal, the first non-Native American settlement in Riverside County. The famed Butterfield Overland Mail route ran through that area between 1858 and 186

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