Riverside, California
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Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States and is also a focus city of the Greater Los Angeles Area. As of the 2005 census, the city had a total population of 305,255<ref>Best places to live 2006, Riverside, CA.</ref> making it the largest city in the Inland Empire region, the 12th largest municipality in the state of California, and among the 50 largest cities in the United States.
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 203.0 km² (78.4 mi²). 202.3 km² (78.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.36% water.
[edit] Demographics
Inn As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were:
- 255,166 people
- 82,005 households
- 58,141 families residing in the city.
The population density was 1,261.5/km² (3,267.2/mi²). There were 85,974 housing units at an average density of 425.0/km² (1,100.8/mi²).
The racial makeup of the city was:
- 59.32% White
- 38.14% Hispanic or Latino of any race
- 21.00% from other races
- 7.41% African American
- 5.68% Asian
- 5.10% from two or more races.
- 1.09% Native American
- 0.39% Pacific Islander
There were 82,005 households out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.1% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone 65 or older. The average household size was 3.02 and average family size 3.54.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,646, and the median income for a family was $47,254. Males had a median income of $36,920 versus $28,328 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,882. About 11.7% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] History
Riverside's downtown area is known as the "Mission Inn District", after the Mission Inn, a hotel that was modeled after the missions left along the California coast by Franciscan friars in the 18th century. However, no missionaries of the era actually came as far inland as Riverside. After secularization of the missions, the land was designated Rancho Jurupa and was granted to Juan Bandini, who later divided the rancho into two parts and sold them to two Yankee-turned ranchéros, Benjamin D. "Benito" Wilson and Abel Stearns.
The city was founded in the early 1870s beside the Santa Ana River by John W. North, a staunch temperance-minded abolitionist from Tennessee, who had previously founded Northfield, Minnesota. A few years after, the navel orange was planted and found to be such a success that full-scale planting started. Riverside was temperance minded (few saloons if any were allowed in Riverside proper), and Republican. Investors from England and Canada transplanted traditions and activities adopted by prosperous citizens. As a result, the first golf course and polo field in Southern California were built in Riverside.
The first orange trees were planted in 1871, but the citrus industry Riverside is famous for began two years later when Eliza Tibbets received two Brazilian navel orange trees sent to her by a friend at the Department of Agriculture in Washington. The trees thrived in the Southern California climate and the navel orange industry grew rapidly. Within a few years, the successful cultivation of the newly discovered navel orange led to a California Gold Rush of a different kind: the establishment of the citrus industry, which is commemorated in the landscapes and exhibits of the California Citrus State Historic Park and the restored packing houses in the Downtown's Marketplace district. By 1882, there were more than half a million citrus trees in California, almost half of which were in Riverside. The development of refrigerated railroad cars and innovative irrigation systems established Riverside as the wealthiest city per capita by 1895.
As the city prospered, a small guest hotel designed in the popular Mission Revival style grew to become the world famous Mission Inn, favored by presidents, royalty and movie stars. Inside was housed a special chair made for the sizeable President Taft. Postcards of lush orange groves, swimming pools and magnificent homes have attracted vacationers and entrepreneurs throughout the years. Many relocated to the warm, dry climate for reasons of health and to escape Eastern winters. Victoria Avenue with its landmark homes serves as a reminder of European investors who settled here.
In 1915 a Japanese immigrant named Jukichi Harada, proprietor for many years of a local restaurant, purchased a home in Riverside in the names of his American-born children in order to provide access for them to the public school system. Neighbors formed a committee and charged him with violating the California Alien Land Law of 1913, which barred aliens ineligible for citizenship from owning land. The case, The People of the State of California v. Jukichi Harada, became a test of the constitutionality of the law and progressed to the state Supreme Court, where the Haradas won. The Metropolitan Museum of Riverside now owns the house, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
Image:End of citrus.jpg At the entrance to Riverside from the 60 freeway sits Fairmount Park. This extensive urban oasis was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Slightly fraying around the edges, it still has a lovely, stocked pond, and many species of birds. Nearby, on private land, is the former site of Spring Rancheria, a Cahuilla village.
Downtown Riverside used to boast one of the largest Chinatowns in California, but the last resident, Mr. Wong, died in the 1970s and the remaining (decrepit) buildings were razed. Extensive archaeological excavation took place in the 1980s, and many artifacts are housed at the (newly re-named) Metropolitan Museum across from the Mission Inn Hotel.
To the east of downtown is the originally named "Eastside" which grew out of a colonia inhabited by Mexican immigrant workers in the Orange groves. That tradition continues today, with Oaxacan workers in the place of Spanish speakers. Michael Kearney, an anthropologist at University of California, Riverside, refers to this vast transnational labor space as "Oaxacalifornia."
Settlements of Japanese and Korean immigrants used to exist along the railroad tracks, which would fill with thousands of workers during the citrus harvest. None of these remain, but the Santa Fe depot, like several others in the Inland Empire, has been restored to its turn-of-the-century glory. Today, most of Riverside's Asian Americans live in the sections of Arlington and La Sierra, the majority being Chinese American and Korean American.
At the intersection of Howard and 12th sits the last remnants of a formerly thriving African-American neighborhood. The old Wiley Grocery store now houses the activities of 'Black' Elks club members. Nearby is the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a pilgrimage site complete with shrine. Built and destroyed three times, the current incarnation dates from the 1920s. And the Bobby Bonds recreation center named for the major league baseball legend.
Riverside was the home of the Riverside International Raceway, which has long been defunct. Riverside had three minor league baseball teams, one in 1941 (Riverside Reds) and two of the class-A California League: the Riverside Red Wave 1988-90 and the Riverside Pilots 1993-95 at the Blaine Sports complex. Today, a semi-pro collegiate team, the Inland Empire Rockets play some home games in Riverside and Moreno Valley.
[edit] Features
Riverside is home to the University of California, Riverside. The University of California, Riverside, Botanic Gardens contains 40 acres (162,000 m²) of unusual plants, with four miles of walking trails. The city prides itself on its historic connection to the navel orange, which was introduced to North America from Brazil by the first settlers to Riverside in 1873. Riverside is home to the three surviving Parent Navel Orange Tree, from which all American West Coast navel orange trees are descended.
There are three hospitals in Riverside.<ref>California Department of Health Services</ref>
- Riverside Community Hospital is a General Acute Care Hospital with Basic Emergency Services and a Level II Trauma Center as of 2006.
- Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center is a General Acute Care Hospital with Basic Emergency Services as of 2006.
- Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Riverside is a General Acute Care Hospital with Basic Emergency Services as of 2006.
[edit] Colleges and Universities
The city of Riverside is served by several institutions of higher learning:
- University of California, Riverside
- California Baptist University
- La Sierra University
- Riverside Community College
The Univ. of Cal. Riverside has its basketball teams play their games at the Student Recreation Center located on its campus. It does not have a football team.
Riverside has two notable institutions of learning for specified student bodies:
- California School of the Deaf for the hearing impaired from 7th to 12th grade was open since 1934.
- Sherman Indian School for Native American tribal members from 7th to 12th grade was open since 1878.
The Cal-School-of-the-Deaf varsity football team, the Riverside Bears had an undefeated season appeared on a May 2006 segment on ABC's 20-20 news series. [citation needed]
[edit] Environment
The Riverside area is referred to as a “smog belt” because of its above-average level of air pollution. In a comparison by the National Campaign Against Dirty Air Power (2003), the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario area was found to be one of the most polluted regions based on year-round particle measurements when compared to other U.S. cities.<ref>Air pollution and lung development. Retrieved on Mar 17, 2006.</ref> [NEJM 2004;351:1057-1067] Despite the smog problems, the city has made tremendous efforts to reduce pollution by incorporating additional mass transit (Metrolink)and equipping its entire fleet of buses with natural gas. A General Plan for the city was prepared in the year 1994 and updated in 2004. This documentation set forth broad planning goals for the city and specifically included Housing, Transportation, Noise, Seismic safety, Natural resources and all other State of California mandated Elements.
In fact, the New England Journal of Medicine (2004) published results from a longitudinal study comparing pollution in southern California communities with lung health in children. Not only did the authors find that Riverside pollution levels were amongst the highest, but they also found a significant correlation with "clinically important deficits in lung function [in children]," that is, Riverside air is so toxic that it can damage lungs in kids.<ref>Air pollution and lung development. Retrieved on Mar 17, 2006.</ref> [NEJM 2004;351:1057-1067]
[edit] Gangs and crime
Like many urban areas, Riverside has had its problems with street gangs though the problems are mainly localized to the Eastside and Casa Blanca neighborhoods. On the 2006 list of safest cities in America by Morgan Quinto Press, Riverside scored a middle-of-the-road 209th out of 371 ranked cities of over 75,000 population. [1] Riverside ranked much better than comparable-sized California cities like Oakland (364th), San Bernardino (348th), Stockton (336th), Sacramento (322rd) and Bakersfield (236th).
According to the 2005 FBI crime statistics, there were just 10 murders in the city down from 17 in 2004. [2] Like much of the country, Riverside's crime rate has been steadily dropping since reaching all-time high in the 1970s though the past two years has seen a slight increase in the overall violent crime rate (1,954 crimes in 2005 vs. 1,777 in 2004.) Car thefts and arson are well-above the national average with 2,770 car thefts and 208 arson incidents in 2005 alone.
[edit] Landmarks
Riverside is home of the historic Mission Inn, the Historic Riverside County Courthouse (based on the Petit Palais in Paris, France), and the Fox Theater (where the first showing of Gone with the Wind took place).
But, some historians point out Mission Inn was the site of a covenant of the Mission San Bernardino de Asistencia captured by American troops in 1847 during the Mexican-American war.
Also it is the home of the "World's Largest Paper Cup" which is over three stories (68.10 feet tall). There is a warehouse/manufacturing building (Dixie Corporation) right behind it. It is made of painted concrete. The "Dixie Cup" landmark is located on Iowa Street just north of Palmyrita. The manufacturing plant itself is now non-exsistant.
Four notable hills in Riverside's scenic landscape: Box Springs Mountain, Evans (Jurupa) Hill and Tecolote Hill, are preserved open spaces. South of Riverside is Lake Matthews. There is also the well-known landmark/foothill, Rubidoux Mountain next to the Santa Ana River and is the biggest landmark noticeable in the downtown area. This mountain is the dividing line between the town of Rubidoux and the City of Riverside.
[edit] Transportation
Riverside is served by three major freeways, the I-215, the State Route 60, and the State Route 91. These three freeways meet in north-eastern Riverside at the 60/91/215 interchange, which is currently going through a heavy reconstruction, due to be completed in late-2007.
The constant construction on Riverside freeways has taken its toll on Riverside's image. The area near the 215/91 interchange has a reputation as being one of the worst interchanges in the nation due to its location in a turn, continued construction, short exit time, and other factors.
The city contains two Metrolink commuter rail stations, Riverside-Downtown and Riverside-La Sierra. Both are served by the Inland Empire-Orange County and 91 Lines, and the Downtown station is served by the Riverside Line on weekdays, and the San Bernardino Line on weekends.
Local bus service is provided by the Riverside Transit Agency. Service is relatively limited, though this is common for the region. Recently, the agency proposed a new Bus Rapid Transit route to travel along the current Route 1 from the University of California to Corona. The project was due in the summer of 2005, and as of writing is still stalled in the planning stages.
Riverside Municipal Airport (FAA designator: RAL) has a 5,400 foot runway.
[edit] Notable Natives
- Dusty Baker, former professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers among others. Former manager of the Chicago Cubs
- Tim Ballengee, professional rodie
- Barry Bonds, professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Bobby Bonds, former professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Angels (among others)
- Chris Claiborne, professional football player for the St. Louis Rams
- Frank Corral, former National Football League kicker, Los Angeles Rams
- Allen Cunningham, professional poker player
- Alvin Davis, professional baseball player for the Seattle Mariners
- Bubba Franks, National Football League tight end
- David Gilliland, NASCAR driver for Robert Yates Racing
- Ed Grey, Former Atlanta Hawks Guard
- Barbara Hambly, novelist
- Don Imus, national syndicated radio talk host
- Adam Kennedy, professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- Darci Kistler, ballerina
- Amy Lee, singer (Evanescence)
- Russell Lorenzini, novelist, (The Traders)
- Greg Laurie, evangelist; Pastor of the largest church in Riverside, Harvest Christian Fellowship.
- Jason and Ronnie Martin, of Starflyer 59 and Joy Electric
- Kellie Martin, actress
- Chief Meyers, baseball player in early 20th century
- Cheryl Miller, sports commentator and former professional basketball player and coach
- Darrell Miller, former Major League Baseball player for California Angels
- Reggie Miller, former National Basketball Association player for the Indiana Pacers
- Troy Percival, professional baseball player for the Detroit Tigers and the California Angels
- Scarlett Pomers, actress (Star Trek: Voyager, Reba)
- Skee-Lo, African-American West Coast rapper known for "I Wish".
- Amber Rain, Porn Star
- Lloyd Warren Ravlin III, writer and international eccentricity
- Lindsay Ridgeway, actress, (Boy Meets World)
- Patrick Seitz, voice actor, (Bleach)
- Alia Shawkat, actress, (Arrested Development)
- Jonathan Snipes, singer in Captain Ahab
- Susan Straight, novelist, National Book Award nominee
- Sean D. Tucker, Aerobatic Air Show Pilot
- Art Webb, radio air talent/producer, (Frosty, Heidi & Frank)
- Tracy Winn, Former Porn Star
- Michael Wittig, AKA "Kalel" the bass player for hard rock band Pillar
- Terry Yee, former National Basketball Association player for the Toronto Raptors
- Johanna Botta, reality tv star, on tv shows such as Real World and Real World/Road Rules Challenge
[edit] Sister Cities
Riverside has six sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
- Image:Flag of Mexico.svg Cuautla, Morelos, Mexico
- Image:Flag of Mexico.svg Ensenada, Mexico
- Image:Flag of India.svg Hyderabad, India
- Image:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Jiangmen, China
- Image:Flag of South Korea (bordered).svg Gangnam-gu, South Korea
- Image:Flag of Japan (bordered).svg Sendai, Japan
The city of Riverside has an economic partnership program with the Mexican state of Oaxaca, Mexico in the early 2000s.
[edit] References
<references />
[edit] External links
- City of Riverside
- Riverside California
- Riverside City Data page
- [4] Poly Seniors of 1914 to 1937
- University of California, Riverside
- Inland Empire History
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
Incorporated places
Population over 100,000: Riverside (County seat) • Corona • Moreno Valley
Population 50,000 – 100,000: Hemet • Indio • Murrieta • Temecula
Population under 50,000: Banning • Beaumont • Blythe • Calimesa • Canyon Lake • Cathedral City • Coachella • Desert Hot Springs • Indian Wells • La Quinta • Lake Elsinore • Norco • Palm Desert • Palm Springs • Perris • Rancho Mirage • San Jacinto
Census-designated places
Bermuda Dunes • Cabazon • Cherry Valley • East Blythe • East Hemet • El Cerrito • Glen Avon • Highgrove • Home Gardens • Homeland • Idyllwild-Pine Cove • Lakeland Village • Lakeview • Mecca • Mira Loma • Murrieta Hot Springs • Nuevo • Pedley • Quail Valley • Romoland • Rubidoux • Sedco Hills • Sun City • Sunnyslope • Thousand Palms • Valle Vista • Wildomar • Winchester • Woodcrest
Other unincorporated communities
Aguanga •
Anza • Chiriaco Summit • Desert Center • Eastvale • Lake Tamarisk • Lost Lake • Menifee • North Shore • Ripley • Thermal
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