Riverside, California

Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River in Southern California. Riverside is the most populous city in the Inland Empire and Riverside County, and the 12th-most populous city in California.

The city was founded in the early 1870s and is the birthplace of the California citrus industry. Riverside is home to many important places, such as the Mission Inn, the nation's largest Mission Revival Style building, and the Riverside National Cemetery.

The University of California, Riverside is located in the northeastern part of the city. Other attractions in Riverside include the Fox Performing Arts Center, Museum of Riverside, and the California Citrus State Historic Park.

History

Main article: History of Riverside, California

Long ago, the area now known as Riverside was home to the Cahuilla and Serrano people. Later, settlers from Mexico set up ranches there.

In the 1860s, a man named Louis Prevost tried to grow silk, but it didn’t work out. Then John W. North bought some land and started a colony. He announced the new town in 1870. Riverside became known for not allowing alcohol and for being a place where people supported equal rights.

The city became famous for oranges when Eliza Tibbets planted three special orange trees from Brazil in 1874. These trees grew very well in the warm climate, and soon many people started growing oranges too. This led to a big boom in the orange industry. By 1882, there were over half a million orange trees in California, and many were in Riverside. New ways to keep the oranges cool on trains and better ways to water the land helped make Riverside a very wealthy city by 1895.

Geography

Riverside is the 59th-most populous city in the United States and the 12th-most populous city in California. It is the largest city in California's Inland Empire metro area. The city covers an area of 81.4 square miles, of which 81.1 square miles is land and 0.3 square miles is water. Downtown Riverside sits at an elevation of 860 feet.

Riverside is surrounded by mountains, some of which get a light dusting of snow in winter. The city is close to the beaches of Southern California, about a 47-mile drive to the Pacific Ocean. It is also near Orange County and Los Angeles County.

Riverside has many notable landmarks, including the historic Mission Inn and the Riverside Fox Theater, where the first showing of the film Gone with the Wind took place. The city is also home to the "World's Largest Paper Cup," a concrete structure over three stories tall.

The city has many neighborhoods, and it has proposed annexing nearby areas to grow its population and land. Riverside is home to the University of California, Riverside, and the UCR Botanical Gardens. The city is known for its connection to the navel orange, which was introduced to North America there in 1874.

Demographics

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Riverside had a population of 314,998 people. The city is made up of many different groups: 36.5% White, 6.4% African American, 2.0% Native American, 7.4% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 30.3% from other races, and 17.2% from two or more races. Many people in Riverside speak Spanish at home, and about half of all people are of Hispanic or Latino background.

Most people in Riverside live in homes with families. Many families have children, and many homes are led by married couples. The average family size is just over three people.

2010

The 2010 census reported that Riverside had a population of 303,871 people. The city is made up of many different groups: 56.5% White, 7.0% African American, 1.1% Native American, 7.4% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 22.4% from other races, and 5.1% from two or more races. About half of all people are of Hispanic or Latino background, mainly of Mexican descent.

Most people in Riverside live in homes with families. Many families have children, and many homes are led by married couples.

Religion

Riverside has many different religious groups. The most common religions are Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. There are also people who follow LDS Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Jehovah's Witnesses, and no religion. The city also has Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, and Buddhist communities.

Riverside has many churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, and other places of worship. Some religious events happen on top of Mount Rubidoux, like an Easter Sunrise service and a special walk in December to remember Juan Diego's journey.

Economy

Riverside's economy is based on light industry, making things like airplane parts, car parts, gas cylinders, electronic tools, food, and medical supplies. The city has many places where factories and offices are located, such as Hunter Industrial Park, Sycamore Canyon Industrial Park, and Airport Industrial Areas. Because Riverside is the main city in Riverside County and the largest in the Inland Empire, it also has many lawyers, accountants, engineers, and banks.

The city used to have many orange farms, but there are fewer now because of growing cities and not enough water. American electronics company Bourns is based in Riverside.

Retail shopping places include the open-air Riverside Plaza and the Galleria at Tyler mall. The Main Street Pedestrian Mall in downtown has many special shops.

Arts and culture

Riverside, California, has many places to visit and fun events to enjoy. You can explore interesting museums like the California Citrus State Historic Park Museum, The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture & Industry, March Field Air Museum, Mission Inn Museum, Riverside Art Museum, Museum of Riverside, and Sherman Indian Museum. There are also special events throughout the year.

In February, the Riverside Dickens Festival brings together people for fun literary activities. In March, the Riverside Airshow at the Riverside Municipal Airport features exciting airplane shows and family activities. Every two years, the March Field Airfest showcases impressive flying displays. In April, the Riverside International Film Festival shows movies from all over the world. During October, you can join the Ghost Walk to see old buildings and hear spooky stories. The Riverside Festival of Lights in late November and December lights up The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa with beautiful decorations, and the Festival of Trees at the Riverside Convention Center helps raise money for children’s healthcare.

Government

See also: List of mayors of Riverside, California and Mayoral elections in Riverside, California

Local government

Riverside is a charter city led by a mayor and city council. The mayor is chosen by all city voters. The city council has seven members, each representing a different area of the city. A city manager takes care of daily city services.

In 2024, Riverside voters approved Measure L, which will create a new position of inspector-general. This person will check on how city offices, special districts, and joint powers authorities are doing their jobs.

Federal and state representation

Riverside's areas are represented by different people in the California State Legislature and the United States House of Representatives.

In the California State Legislature, most of Riverside is in the 31st senatorial district, represented by Democrat Sabrina Cervantes. The city is split between the 58th Assembly district, represented by Republican Leticia Castillo, and the 63rd Assembly district, represented by Republican Natasha Johnson. A small part of the city is in the 60th Assembly district, represented by Democrat Corey Jackson.

In the United States House of Representatives, most of Riverside is in California's 39th congressional district, represented by Democrat Mark Takano. A very small part of the city is in California's 41st congressional district, represented by Republican Ken Calvert. California’s two U.S. Senators are Democrats Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla.

Courts

Crime

Riverside has seen a decrease in crime over the last few years. Efforts like Project Bridge, an anti-gang program, have helped make the city safer. The Riverside Police Department focuses on keeping neighborhoods like Casa Blanca, Arlanza, and Eastside safe.

Education

Riverside, California, has many places for students to learn. There are colleges and universities such as California Baptist University, La Sierra University, National University, Riverside City College, and the University of California, Riverside.

The city has two main school districts. The Riverside Unified School District serves the eastern part of the city and includes high schools like Arlington High School, Martin Luther King High School, and Riverside Polytechnic High School. The Alvord Unified School District serves the western part and includes La Sierra High School and Norte Vista High School.

There are also special schools such as the California School for the Deaf, Riverside for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and Sherman Indian High School for Native American students.

In 2010, Riverside received a $3 million grant to help more students finish college. This led to the Completion Counts initiative, which brings together schools and colleges in the area to support students in earning their degrees.

Media

Riverside is home to the Fox Performing Arts Center. This theater is famous because it was the first to show the most successful film ever when you adjust for prices today. That film was Gone with the Wind from 1939.

Transportation

Riverside has three major freeways: I-215, State Route 60, and State Route 91. These freeways meet in northeastern Riverside at a special interchange rebuilt in 2007.

The city has three Metrolink train stations: Riverside-Downtown, Riverside-La Sierra, and Riverside-Hunter Park/UCR. These stations connect to different train lines for travel around the area. Amtrak’s Southwest Chief also stops in Riverside, traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago.

Local bus service is run by the Riverside Transit Agency. For longer trips, Omnitrans, Greyhound Lines, and Amtrak California provide bus services, along with some smaller companies going to Mexico.

The closest airport for commercial flights is Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California. Riverside also has its own airport, the Riverside Municipal Airport, used mainly for private planes and home to the annual Riverside Air Show.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Riverside, California

See also: List of University of California, Riverside people

Riverside, California, has been home to many famous people throughout its history. Some well-known individuals grew up there or spent important parts of their lives in the city. You can learn more about them in the lists of people from Riverside and from the University of California, Riverside.

Sister cities

Riverside has nine sister cities, chosen with help from Sister Cities International. These partnerships aim to connect people and cultures from around the world. One group, the Sendai Committee, is working on a project to let people in Sendai and Riverside exchange emails like pen pals. This helps friends in different places learn about each other's lives. Riverside also started an economic partnership with the state of Oaxaca in Mexico during the early 2000s.