Warden has a population of 2,745 residents and total land area is 2.2 sq miles. The population of Warden was 1,639 in 1990. A quiet community, residents can enjoy a friendly atmosphere with close proximity to outdoor recreation and reasonable travel to urban areas. Warden is agriculture related and this continues to provide the thrust for the economy of the area. In regards to the history of the
present-day Hispanic populace, some of the families can trace their heritage back to the days of the earliest Spanish contact in the area. This first group predates the influx of Bessarabian German settlers by decades. A large number of Hispanics came to work in the fields that opened to more diverse agriculture after the federal Columbia Basin Project brought irrigation to the area. This second group of Hispanics came up from Texas, but they had roots in the villages around the city of Monterey, Mexico. They claim a distinct Tejano culture and have been in the US for generations already. The third group are the most recent arrivals that seem to come mostly from the West Mexican States of Jalisco, Sinaloa, and Sonora. They have a culture that is distinct from the Tejanos in many regards, including language, music, and food. Many in this third group still may speak only Spanish; whereas the other groups may be bilingual or speak only English already.
