By 1200 AD, KukamonganNative Americans had established a village settlement in the area around present-day Red Hill, near the city's western border, where Red Hill Country Club stands today. Kukamonga derives its name from aTongva word meaning "sandy place."[15] Anthropologists have determined that this cluster of settlers likely belonged to theTongva people or Kich people, at one time one of the largest concentrations of Native American peoples on the North American continent.[16] In the 18th century, following an expedition led byGaspar de Portola, the land was incorporated into theMission System established byFather Junipero Serra and his group of soldiers andFranciscan friars.
After a half century of political jockeying in the region, the land finally came under the control ofJuan Bautista Alvarado, governor of Mexico. On March 3, 1839, Alvarado granted 13,000 acres (5,300 ha) of land in the area called "Cucamonga" to Tubercio Tapia, a first-generation Spanish native ofLos Angeles, successful merchant, and notorious smuggler.[16][17] Tapia went on to establish thefirst winery in California on his newly deeded land.[15][16][18][19]Rancho Cucamonga was purchased by John Rains and his wife in 1858.The Rains family's home, Casa de Rancho Cucamonga, was completed in 1860 and now appears on theNational Register of Historic Places.[15][20]
During the ensuing years the town prospered and grew. In 1887, irrigation tunnels were dug into Cucamonga Canyon byChinese laborers and theSanta Fe Railroad was extended through the area. Among the town's economic mainstays was agriculture, including olives, peaches, citrus, and, most notably, vineyards.[15] In 1913, thePacific Electric Railway was extended through Rancho Cucamonga in an effort to improve crop transportation. Several landmarks in existence today pay tribute to the city's multicultural founding. In particular, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel[21] remains as a relic of the area's Mexican agriculture laborers while the Chinatown House[22] stands as a reminder of the Chinese immigrants who labored in constructing the area's infrastructure.[16]
The former community of Grapeland, first settled in 1869, lay roughly between today's Victoria Groves Park and Central Park. There was a schoolhouse which also doubled as a church. In 1890 an irrigation district was formed and $200,000 in bonds were sold to pay for improvements. The Sierra Vista reservoir was built in 1886–87 by J.L. Scofield as the focal point of a network of irrigation pipes. The system was unused, however, because the bond issue was declared illegal. "Orchards and vineyards began to die,"The Daily Report newspaper reported in a retrospective. "Residents moved out. The post office closed in 1905. Homes, buildings were destroyed or abandoned." The reservoir remained unused until 1956, when the Fontana Union Water Company filled it with 5 million US gal (19 million L) of water. The local school district was merged with theEtiwanda district in 1901. In 1957 the settlement was practically deserted, but there were still rabbit-proof stone walls marking boundaries of previous citrus orchards.[24]
Rancho Cucamonga is part of theInland Empire andSan Bernardino County, a region that lies inland from the Pacific coast and directly east ofLos Angeles County. Rancho Cucamonga is located about 37 mi (60 km) east ofLos Angeles, bordered byUpland to its west,Ontario to its south, theSan Gabriel Mountains to its north andI-15 andFontana to its east.[10] Situated on analluvial plain with awildland–urban interface, bears occasionally wander through.[25] Views of Cucamonga Peak, one of the tallest peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains, are available.[26] The city has a total area of 40.1 sq mi (104 km2), of which 99.98% is land and 0.02% is water.[5]
The city's climate is classified as hot-summer Mediterranean, orCsa, under theKöppen climate classification system.[27] Summers are long and hot, and winters are generally comfortable with occasionally chilly days. Yearly precipitation is 17.68 in (449 mm) and the city experiences an average of 287 sunny days per year, compared to a national average of 205 days.[28]
Climate data for Rancho Cucamonga, California (1987–2016; extremes since 1909)
Rancho Cucamonga city, California – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Of the 58,277 households, 37.4% had children under the age of 18; 53.8% were married couples living together; 25.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 18.5% of households consisted of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[34] The average household size was 3.0 and the average family size was 3.5.[38] The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 26.0% of the population.[39]
22.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.2 males.[34] For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 108.0 males.[34]
The 2016–2020 5-yearAmerican Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $92,290 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,367). The median family income was $103,094 (+/- $3,474).[40] Males had a median income of $50,894 (+/- $1,437) versus $37,094 (+/- $2,655) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $43,129 (+/- $1,515).[41] Approximately, 5.6% of families and 6.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 7.9% of those under the age of 18 and 6.5% of those ages 65 or over.[42][43]
German, Irish and English were the most common ancestries. Spanish was the second most common language.[44]
The census reported that 162,145 people (98.1% of the population) lived in households, 136 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 2,988 (1.8%) were institutionalized.[47]
Out of a total of 54,383 households, 23,055 (42.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 30,533 (56.1%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 7,514 (13.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, and 3,257 (6.0%) had a male householder with no wife present, as well as 2,995 (5.5%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships and 425 (0.8%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 9,956 households (18.3%) were made up of individuals, and 2,679 (4.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98. Over the 41,304families (76.0% of all households), the average family size was 2.90.[48]
During 2009–2013, Rancho Cucamonga had a median household income of $77,835, with 6.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[49]
Orchards and farms, such as this Cucamonga ranch photographed in 1884, dominated the landscape of the area until the land development boom in the late 20th century.
While most of the city's land area is devoted to residential areas, Rancho Cucamonga, like its neighborsOntario andFontana, is a major center for thelogistics industry in Southern California. This is due to its proximity to twointerstate highways andOntario International Airport, and the space afforded by the large tracts of former agricultural land in the southern section of the city.[50]
In the area around Milliken Avenue, between Archibald and Etiwanda Avenues, Foothill Boulevard, and Fourth Street, about seven square miles of land are primarily occupied by numerous massive distribution centers, and even more, smaller manufacturing companies. This area is ringed by office parks, mostly along Haven Avenue, and shopping strips, such as the Terra Vista Town Center (part of a nearly two-square-mile master-planned community in the center of the city), and malls, such asVictoria Gardens, and theOntario Mills, across Fourth Street inOntario.[51]
The city is also home to aCMC Steel (formerly Gerdau, formerly TAMCO Steel)minimill, the only producer oflong steel in California. This mill recycles ferrous scrap, such as junked cars and appliances, to producerebar.[52][53][54]
The city hostsLoanMart Field (formerly known as The Epicenter), a minor-league baseball stadium, home of theRancho Cucamonga Quakes. The Quakes' mascot, Tremor, is a "Rallysaurus."[55]
An example of the architecture and urban design of Victoria GardensThe Victoria Gardens Cultural CenterCentral Park
Victoria Gardens is alifestyle center near the eastern end of the city, at the intersection of Foothill and Day Creek Boulevards. Since the city had never developed a traditional commercialdowntown like neighboring cities Ontario andUpland had, efforts were made in the design of Victoria Gardens to bring elements of more traditional and urban town design to what had historically been a suburban city. While retaining many characteristics of traditionalshopping malls, such as large anchor stores, a food court, and vast parking lots and garages, the smaller stores are arranged as city blocks in a grid of two-lane streets, featuring lush landscaping and metered "teaser parking" in front of the stores, which open onto the sidewalk. There are two "Main Streets", which run from west to east across the center. Running from north to south between them is a pedestrian axis leading from one of theMacy's anchor stores, through a "town square" between a pair of mixed-use office buildings, to theVictoria Gardens Cultural Center, which contains the Lewis Playhouse (a 570-seattheater) and a branch of the city library. The east side of the development has Southern California's firstBass Pro Shops Outdoor World superstore; the 180,000-square-foot (17,000 m2) facility includes a Tracker Boat Center and the Islamorada Fish Company restaurant.[56] There are restaurants throughout the center, both well-known chains and unique eateries. The center also features a 12-screen movie theater.
Rancho Cucamonga is a General Law City, incorporated in 1977 under the "Council-Manager" form of local government. The four-member Council are elected by district. The Mayor, City Clerk, and City Treasurer, are all elected at-large by the voters of the city.[2] The Council then appoints the City Manager, who acts as the administrative head of the city government and is responsible for the day-to-day operations, code enforcement, and the fiscal soundness of the municipal government. The council itself serves as a local legislative body.[58] The city's elections, which are plurality, are held on a Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.
According to a city Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's various funds had $278.3 million in revenues, $243.6 million in expenditures, $1,400.7 million in total assets, $492.1 million in total liabilities, and $583.3 million in cash and investments.[59]
The Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center government complex west entrance, as seen from across Haven Avenue. The Civic Center complex houses government functions for the city.Main entrance to Rancho Cucamonga City Hall. This entrance forms the east side of the Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center, on the opposite side to the street side shown above.
Since incorporation in 1977, law enforcement services in Rancho Cucamonga City have been provided through a contract with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.[75]
Rancho Cucamonga is also home to the Foothill Communities San Bernardino County Courthouse, which is housed in a building adjacent to the Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center, in a government complex located at Haven Avenue and Civic Center Drive in the city. The Civic Center houses the Rancho Cucamonga city hall, the city police department, and other local government offices.[76]
Rancho Cucamonga has multiple public K–12 schools, operating under several different school districts, within its borders: Alta Loma School District, Central School District, Cucamonga School District, Etiwanda School District, andChaffey Joint Union High School District. Private schools include United Christian Academy. In addition, Rancho Cucamonga is the home toChaffey College and satellite campuses of theUniversity of La Verne,Cambridge College,University of Redlands, Everest College, andUniversity of Phoenix, as well as the automotive trade school.
The city of Rancho Cucamonga has two public libraries, with a combined total of over 200,000 volumes. The library at 7368 Archibald Avenue opened in 1994 and was remodeled in the summer of 2008. The Paul A. Biane library at 12505 Cultural Center Drive at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center opened in August 2006. In 2013, the Rancho Cucamonga Public Library was a recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Services, the nation's highest honor that can be bestowed on a library or museum.[77]
Rancho Cucamonga has been identified as the initial western end-point of theBrightline WestHigh Speed Rail (HSR) project to connect Southern California withLas Vegas. On December 5, 2023, it was announced that the project would be awarded a grant of USD3 Billion from theBipartisan Infrastructure Law.[79]
I-15 sits atop an elevatedberm, and cuts a curve through the southeastern part of the city, isolating a mostly industrial area, a small shopping center, and several housing tracts from the larger part of the city. Further north, I-15 forms part of the northeastern border with neighboringFontana before entering theCajon Pass through the San Gabriel Mountains. I-15 provides connectivity with theHigh Desert,Nevada, and points north for the Inland Empire and much of Southern California.
Electric power in Rancho Cucamonga is provided bySouthern California Edison and the Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Utility.
Before 2024, the city was home to theReliant Energy Etiwanda Generating Station, on Etiwanda Avenue. This facility, one of five Reliant stations in California, was a naturalgas-fired power plant, which began operation in 1963. At 640 MW (860,000 hp) net capacity, it was Reliant's second-highest-capacity plant on the West Coast. It utilized four steam turbine generators; of which units three and four remained active after turbines one and two, as well as a combustion turbine, were retired in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Several systems are in place to control gas emissions, and annually, over 900,000,000 US gal (750,000,000 imp gal; 3.4 GL) of recycled water are used for cooling.[82] As of 2024, all turbines and stacks and the entire electrical plant have been removed.
Nichkhun, singer, songwriter, actor and model. Member of the boy band2PM
Frank Zappa, musician who lived in and worked in Cucamonga during the early 1960s. He bought thePal Recording Studio from a friend, Paul Buff, and renamed it "Studio Z". The studio closed in 1964 when the building was demolished in order to widen Archibald Avenue. ("Cucamonga" is also the name of a long-lived radio show onRadio 1,Belgium, as an obscure reference to Zappa.)
The name "Cucamonga" became well known to fans ofJack Benny's popular radio program, in which an announcer, voiced byMel Blanc, would call out: "Train leaving on track five forAnaheim,Azusa and Cu-camonga!" This running gag became so well known that it eventually led to a statue of Benny in Cucamonga.[86][87]
In Season 4, Episode 8 ofSolar Opposites, Korvo, Jesse, Terry, and Yumyulack bring their Super Gooblers to "Kaley Cuoco's Rancho Cuoco-monga" which is a rehabilitative zoo for deformed creatures. The name is a play on the town of Rancho Cucamonga.
The city is the primary setting of the TV seriesWorkaholics and the feature filmNext Friday. Further mention of the city was made in the Netflix seriesUnsolved.
The city was claimed as the location where the "Flamin' Hot" flavor ofCheetos was created in the 1980s at the Frito-Lay factory.[88]
^"Rubble Remains of a Community That Was — Grapeland,"The Daily Report, July 13, 1957, page 3 / FONTANA–
Between Fontana and Etiwanda lie the dry, dusty remains of a community that died for lack of water. The name of the town was Grapeland. A few people still live in the original tpwnsite, but the brilliant future that was predicted for it in the 1880s never came to pass. Unpaved dirt roads, still graded by San Bernardino County, run spasmodically through the area. Grapevines still cover much of the parched land; but gone are the citrus groves, the fruit trees, the early pioneer settlers.... The first settlers came to Grapeland in 1869. Later, more and more arrived, until in 1890 the need for adequate water became imperative. An irrigation district was formed and $200,000 in bonds were sold. With this money, the Sierra Vista Reservoir was built as the focal point of a network of irrigation pipes. It was to remain unused for 66 years, for the entire bond issue was declared illegal. Orchards and vineyards began to die. Residents moved out. The post office was closed in 1905. Homes, buildings were destroyed or abandoned. Today, the hot sun parches the empty fields of Grapeland—the community that died of thirst. / Still in fairly good shape along Grapeland's ghost roads are rabbit-proof stone walls around long-gone ciitrus orchards. / CONSTRUCTED 1886–1887, J.L. Scofield, Engineer and Builder is the legend proclaimed by this plaque in the Sierra Vista Reservoir, which proved a delusion to settlers. It remained dry until 1956, when the Fontana Union Water Co. plastered its colorful pebbly exterior and filled it with 5,000,000 gallons of water.
