Rancho Cucamonga, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Rancho Cucamonga | |
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| Coordinates: 34°7′24″N 117°34′46″W / 34.12333°N 117.57944°W | |
| Country | United States |
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| State | California |
| County | San Bernardino |
| Incorporated (city) | November 30, 1977[1] |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Donald Kurth [2] |
| - Mayor Pro Tem | L. Dennis Michael |
| Area | |
| - Total | 40.2 sq mi (104.12 km2) |
| - Land | 40.19 sq mi (104.09 km2) |
| - Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) 0.03% |
| Elevation | 1,207 ft (368 m) |
| Population (2008)[3] | |
| - Total | 174,308 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| ZIP Code | 91701, 91729, 91730, 91737, 91739 [4] |
| Area code(s) | 909 [5] |
| FIPS code | 06-59451 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1667908 |
| Website | http://www.ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us/ |
Rancho Cucamonga is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 127,743. By July 1, 2002 Census the fast-growing city's population had reached 143,711. By 2008, the city's estimated population had reached 174,308 people.[6] In 2006, Money magazine ranked Rancho Cucamonga as the 42nd best place to live in the U.S.
Dr. Donald J. Kurth was elected as mayor on November 7, 2006. Jack Lam is the city manager.
The city was incorporated in 1977, as a result of a merger among the unincorporated communities of Alta Loma, Cucamonga, and Etiwanda.
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[edit] Geography
Rancho Cucamonga is located at 34°7′24″N 117°34′46″W / 34.12333°N 117.57944°W (34.123345, -117.579404)[7], or about 39 miles (63 km) east of Los Angeles.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 97.0 km² (37.5 mi²). 97.0 km² (37.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.03% is water.
Rancho Cucamonga is the conjunction of the Mojave Trail, the Old Spanish Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, former U.S. Route 66 (now signed as Foothill Boulevard), and El Camino Real.
Rancho Cucamonga's location (right next to the San Gabriel Mountains) causes the city to be very smoggy.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 127,743 people, 40,863 households, and 31,832 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,317.0/km² (3,411.4/mi²). There were 42,134 housing units at an average density of 434.4/km² (1,125.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.13% White,27.78% Hispanic or Latino of any race were, 13.25% from other races,8.48% African American, 6.39% Asian,5.41% from a biracial or multiracial background,0.72% Native American, and 0.27% Pacific Islanders of the population.
Rancho Cucamonga is fast becoming a racially diverse community and is a major real estate destination for middle-class African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans. Some housing tracts and gated communities tend to be more homogeneous in terms of race and ethnicity. Residents are more similar in terms of income, education and occupation, since Rancho Cucamonga is considered one of the most affluent cities in the Inland Empire.
There are 40,863 households, of which 44.7% have children under the age of 18. 60.2% of households consist of a married couple living together. 12.8% have a female householder with no husband present. 22.1% were non-families. 16.8% of all households are single-person and 4.1% have a person of 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the city, the population spread is as follows: 29.9% are under the age of 18, 9.9% are from 18 to 24, 33.2% are from 25 to 44, 21.0% are from 45 to 64, and 6.1% are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $71,967 and the median income for a family was $78,428 (these figures had risen to $80,538 and $88,059 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[9]). The per capita income for the city was $23,702. About 4.9% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
The 2008 population estimated by the California Department of Finance was 174,308.[10]
[edit] Rancho Cucamonga's population history
- 1950 - 1,255*
- 1960 - N/A
- 1970 - 5,796*
- 1980 - 55,250
- 1990 - 101,409
- 2000 - 127,743
(*): Population Figures for 1950 and 1970 were for the Cucamonga portion of the city only and the figures were tabulated prior to incorporation in 1977. The 1960 census data was not available
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
[edit] Commerce and Culture
While most of the city's land area is devoted to residential areas, Rancho Cucamonga, like its neighbors Ontario and Fontana, is a major center for the Logistics industry in Southern California, due to its proximity to two Interstate Highways and Ontario International Airport, and the space afforded by the large tracts of former agricultural land in the southern section of the city.[11] 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 wealthy 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 as the Ontario Mills, across Fourth Street in Ontario.[12] The city is also home to Tamco Steel, which runs the only steel mini-mill in California. This mill recycles ferrous scrap, such as junked cars and appliances, to produce rebar.[13]
[edit] Victoria Gardens
Possibly Rancho Cucamonga's cultural and commercial heart, however, is the Victoria Gardens lifestyle center, built in the eastern end of the city, at Foothill and Day Creek Boulevards. Since the city had never developed a traditional commercial downtown like neighboring cities Ontario and Upland had, special efforts were made in the design of Victoria Gardens in order to bring elements of more traditional and urban town design to what had historically been a decidedly suburban city. While retaining many characteristics of traditional shopping malls, such as large anchor stores, a food court, and sufficiently vast surrounding parking lots, 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 right up to the sidewalk. There is even a Main Street, perpendicular to a view axis leading from one of the anchor stores, through a genuine town square, between a pair of mixed-use office buildings, to the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center, which contains an auditorium and a city library.[14] There are additional restaurants throughout the center, both well-known chains and unique eateries, and a 12 screen AMC Theatre.[15]
Across the street from Victoria Gardens, Rancho Cucamonga also boasts Southern California's only Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World superstore. Both are highly visible from either side of Interstate 15.[16]
The city is also the location of The Epicenter, a minor-league baseball stadium, home of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
[edit] Politics and Government
Rancho Cucamonga is a General Law City, incorporated in 1977 under the "Council-Manager" form of local government. The four-member Council, plus the Mayor, City Clerk, and City Treasurer, are all elected at-large by the voters of the city. The Council then appoints the City Manager, who acts as the aministrative 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.
In the state legislature Rancho Cucamonga is located in the 31st Senate District, represented by Republican Robert Dutton, and in the 63rd Assembly District, represented by Republican Bill Emmerson. Federally, Rancho Cucamonga is located in California's 26th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of R +4[17] and is represented by Republican David Dreier.
[edit] Infrastructure
Rancho Cucamonga's particular situation at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains has necessitated the use of numerous control channels and basins across the city to reduce the seasonal flood danger from the several streams descending from the range. In past years, some of the city's roads were known for flooding repeatedly. Hermosa Avenue, in particular, now features many high stone curbs and extra-large storm drain grates in order to mitigate the floods.
[edit] Utilities
Rancho Cucamonga receives natural gas from the Southern California Gas Company. The city's water supply and sewage are managed by the Cucamonga Valley Water District. Garbage collection is by Burrtec Disposal, phone service is from Verizon, and Cable TV is provided by Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications.[18]
Electric power in Rancho Cucamonga is provided by Southern California Edison, and the city is also home to the Reliant Energy Etiwanda Generating Station, on Etiwanda Avenue. This facility, one of five Reliant stations in California, is a natural gas-fired power plant, which began operation in 1963. At 640 MW net capacity, it is Reliant's second-higest capacity plant on the West Coast. It utilizes four steam turbine generators; of which units three and four are currently active. Steam 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 gallons of recycled water are used for cooling. [19] [20]
[edit] Transportation
Rancho Cucamonga is served by Omnitrans Bus Service, Metrolink Train Service, and nearby Ontario International Airport. Interstate 15 and the relatively new 210 freeway extension run through Rancho Cucamonga as well as the historic U.S. Route 66. I-15 sits atop an elevated berm, 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 main part of town. It then levels out toward the north, and forms part of the northeastern border with neighboring Fontana, before entering the Devore Pass through the San Gabriel Mountains. Route 210 runs nearly straight east-west through the northern part of the city, roughly bisecting the residential communities of Alta Loma and Etiwanda. The western section of the freeway, as it passes through the city, sits in a trench, but east of Day Creek Boulevard, the freeway levels out, then becomes elevated as it passes the San Sevaine creek flood control basins, before passing into Fontana at the diagonal interchange with I-15.
[edit] Education
[edit] Schools
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, and Chaffey Joint Union High School District. In addition to these, Rancho Cucamonga is the home to Chaffey College and satellite campuses of the University of La Verne, University of Redlands, Everest College, and University of Phoenix, as well as the automotive trade school, Universal Technical Institute.
[edit] Libraries
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.
[edit] The name "Cucamonga"
"Cucamonga" comes from a Tongva place name (perhaps pronounced [kukɑ'mʌŋnɑ]) that probably means "sandy place", although Vera Rocha, Chief of the Shoshone Gabrielino branch, has stated that the meaning is "Place of the villages where the waters come out". Cuc or Kuc = come, come from or come to. Amo = water, wet, spring and Nanga = place of a village.[citation needed] Either interpretation could easily refer to the same place. The northern part of the city is located in the foothills, where there were a number of artesian wells and creeks. The surface soil is extremely sandy and rocky due to repeated storm runoff from the mountains to the north. An alternate theory, that it means "light over the mountain", is almost certainly a fanciful invention, since the "-nga" (or "-ngna") place name ending is found in many other Tongva-derived place names in the region.
In popular media, "Cucamonga" has been recognized as a funny-sounding place name. One of the catch-phrases of the radio show "The Jack Benny Program" involved a train announcer (Mel Blanc) who said over the loudspeaker, "Train now leaving on track five for Anaheim, Azusa, and Cuc... amonga," taking progressively longer pauses between "Cuc" and "amonga." Part of the joke, for the Los Angeles audience, was that no such train route existed, although all three cities (or at the time, towns) do exist. As a tribute to this 'publicity', the city of Rancho Cucamonga built its minor-league baseball stadium on a street they named Jack Benny Way, and erected a bronze statue of the TV host outside of the building's entrance (Coincidentally, Jack Benny Way intersects with Rochester Avenue, which is not named for the character portrayed by Eddie Anderson on "The Jack Benny Program", but was named in 1889 after the hometown of three investors[citation needed], all of whom were brothers from Rochester, New York). In one of his many popular media crossovers, Blanc used that same catch phrase in Daffy Duck's voice in the 1948 Merrie Melodies cartoon "Daffy Duck Slept Here" and later in Bugs Bunny's voice in a 1960s Looney Tunes cartoon.
[edit] Cucamonga in myth and media
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (April 2009) |
- In the movie Next Friday the setting is, and was partly filmed in, Rancho Cucamonga.
- An ABC television movie comedy Camp Cucamonga (1990), presumably takes place in a summer camp in Rancho Cucamonga's forested area in the San Bernardino National Forest. The current city limits barely extend into the forested regions of the foothills, and large parts of Cucamonga Peak north of the city lie in a wilderness area.
- The musical comedy team of Homer and Jethro had a Grammy-winning hit in 1959 with their single "The Battle of Kookamonga", a parody of Johnny Horton's hit "The Battle of New Orleans".
- "Pride of Cucamonga", a wine produced by the Joseph Filippi Winery in Rancho Cucamonga, was used as the title of a song by the Grateful Dead.
- The city hosts the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League.
- Comedian Jamie Kennedy performed a skit for his hidden camera show The Jamie Kennedy Experiment in which he pranked everyone at the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes Stadium into singing multiple verses of the national anthem.
- Hometown to pop punk band Rufio, O-Town boy band member Trevor Penick, as well as American Idol: Season 3 finalist Matthew Rogers.
- Cucamonga is part of the Jan and Dean song titled, Anaheim, Azusa & Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review and Timing Association which was released as Liberty 55724 in 1964 and eventually reached #77 on the Billboard Chart. The A-side of the single, Ride the Wild Surf reached Billboard's #16. Both songs were arranged and produced by Jan Berry.
- In an episode[which?] of "The Office," Michael Scott tries to entertain a child during Take Your Daughter to Work Day. Blowing a train whistle, he paraphrases the Jack Benny joke, "next stop Cuc-amonga".
- In an episode[which?] of The Simpsons, Krusty the Clown mentioned Cucamonga, along with Walla Walla, Seattle, and Keokuk as funny place names.
- In an early Sesame Street sketch, Cookie Monster tries to fool Ernie by claiming that Ernie has a dread disease called "Cucamongaphobia."
- In the 1995 movie A Kid in King Arthur's Court, King Arthur exiles the villain to Cucamonga at the recommendation of Calvin Fuller.
- Lou Costello (Abbott and Costello) states that he once played with "the Cucamonga Wildcats" during a 1947 performance of "Who's on First?"
- Actor Redd Foxx made frequent references to Rancho Cucamonga in the television show Sanford and Son.
- In Crash Tag Team Racing, a Park Drone selling a mad scientist outfit claims that he's going to use the money to buy a first-class flight to Cucamonga.
- In the 1960 film version of "The Little Shop of Horrors", there were two teenage girls from "Cucamonga High School", which didn't exist at the time.
[edit] Notable natives and residents
- Carlos Bocanegra, center back/left back for Stade Rennais grew up in Alta Loma and attended Alta Loma High School
- Tom Brunansky, Ex-Major League Baseball player
- Rollie Fingers, Ex-Major League Baseball player and Hall of Famer
- Oz Fox, lead guitarist for the Christian heavy metal band Stryper lives in Rancho Cucamonga.
- Isak from the Korean R&B Group Isak N Jiyeon was raised in Rancho Cucamonga until she was picked up by SM Entertainment
- Michael Alan Johnson, American child actor from Disney Channel's Mike's Super Short Show, is from here.
- World-renowned woodworker Sam Maloof, lived in Alta Loma. His work is featured in museums around the United States, including the Smithsonian Institution. His home is a State of California historical landmark. During the construction of the 210 Foothill Freeway, Maloof's home was moved from the 210 freeway corridor to the top of Carnelian street, where the home is now a museum.
- Matt Rogers, American football coach, television host of Really Big Things on the Discovery Channel and American Idol contestant was born September 16, 1978 in Rancho Cucamonga.
- Craig Traylor, the actor who played Stevie on Malcolm in the Middle, currently lives in Rancho Cucamonga.
- American Rapper Young Noble was born in Rancho Cucamonga.
- Musician Frank Zappa lived in and worked in Cucamonga during the early 1960s. He bought the Pal 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 on Radio 1, Belgium, as an obscure reference to Frank Zappa.)
- Lionel Manuel, former New York Giants Wide Receiver who played seven seasons in the NFL, grew up in Rancho Cucamonga.
- Nijah Harris, a contestant from America's Next Top Model, Cycle 12
- Patrick Chung, former University of Oregon Safety and the New England Patriots 2009 2nd round draft pick, went to high school at Rancho Cucamonga High School
[edit] References
- ^ "Incorporation Dates of California Cities". http://www.cacities.org/resource_files/20457.IncorpDateLO.doc. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
- ^ "Rancho Cucamonga - City Mayor". http://www.ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us/govt/mayor_content.htm. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
- ^ http://dofpublicdev.dof.ca.gov/research/demographic/reports/estimates/e-1_2006-07/
- ^ "USPS - ZIP Code Lookup - Find a ZIP+ 4 Code By City Results". http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/zcl_1_results.jsp?visited=1&pagenumber=0&state=ca&city=Rancho%20Cucamonga. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
- ^ "Number Administration System - NPA and City/Town Search Results". http://www.nanpa.com/nas/public/npa_city_query_step2.do?method=displayData&cityToNpaModel.stateAbbr=CA&cityToNpaModel.city=Rancho%20Cucamonga. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
- ^ http://dofpublicdev.dof.ca.gov/research/demographic/reports/estimates/e-1_2006-07/
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Rancho Cucamonga 2007 Income Estimates
- ^ State of California, Department of Finance, E-1 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State with Annual Percent Change — January 1, 2007 and 2008. Sacramento, California, May 2008.
- ^ http://www.citivu.com/rc/city/tlanes.html
- ^ http://www.cityofrc.us/govt/documents/Exhibit3-1LANDUSE.pdf
- ^ http://www.tamcosteel.com/compinfo.html
- ^ http://www.vgculturalcenter.com/
- ^ http://www.victoriagardensie.com/
- ^ http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&appID=94&storeID=52
- ^ "Will Gerrymandered Districts Stem the Wave of Voter Unrest?". Campaign Legal Center Blog. http://www.clcblog.org/blog_item-85.html. Retrieved on 2007-10-18.
- ^ http://www.cityofrc.us/index_res.htm
- ^ http://www.reliant.com/en_US/Page/Generic/Public/Wholesale_Plant_Listings.jsp#etiwanda
- ^ http://www.reliant.com/en_US/Page/Generic/Public/Wholesale_Plant_Listings.jsp
[edit] External links
- History of Rancho Cucamonga on official city web site
- Rancho Cucamonga Library web site
- The History of Casa de Rancho Cucamonga
- Rancho Cucamonga Chamber of Commerce
- Cucamonga Valley Water District
- City of Rancho Cucamonga
- Rancho Cucamonga, California is at coordinates 34°07′24″N 117°34′46″W / 34.123345°N 117.579404°WCoordinates: 34°07′24″N 117°34′46″W / 34.123345°N 117.579404°W
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