El Centro (Spanish for "the center") is county seat of Imperial County. It boasts one of the lowest elevations in the continental United States--from the I-8 freeway one can spot a line painted on a water tower proudly marking "Sea Level." It was founded in the early 1900s as a farming community, and today the area produces much of the state's winter vegetables including lettuce, onions, carrots, and tomatoes, as well as cotton, alfalfa, and other produce. It also has numerous cattle feed lots. The community of around 40,000 people is mainly Hispanic, with a significant agricultural migrant labor force.The motto of the El Centro Chamber of Commerce is "Where the Sun Spends The Winter" - but the sun spends the summer here as well, with temperatures regularly topping 120 degrees Fahrenheit. In the fall, winter, and spring, the climate is more moderate and pleasant. The old downtown features old-fashioned Mexican-Spanish "arcade" architecture, providing both shade and a distinct atmosphere.While considered a "desert" community, El Centro is in fact surrounded by agricultural fields. Most tourism is stopovers on East-West Interstate 8, though there are also "snowbirds" from Canada who vacation in the area in winter. The nearby dunes and desert areas offer many recreational opportunities, and the proximity to Mexico allows easy cross-border visits to Mexicali.The nearby Navy base is winter home to the Blue Angels air show team, as well as a dry-land practice area for Navy pilots. http://wikitravel.org/en/El Centro