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Riverside is a city in and the county seat of
Riverside County, California Riverside County is a County (United States), county located in the southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most ...
, United States, in the
Inland Empire The Inland Empire (IE) is a metropolitan area and region inland of and adjacent to coastal Southern California, centering around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, and bordering Los Angeles County to the west. It includes the cities o ...
metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the
Santa Ana River The Santa Ana River is the largest river entirely within Southern California in the United States. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows for most of its length through San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, before cutting through ...
. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire and in Riverside County, and is about southeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is also part of the Greater Los Angeles area. Riverside is the 61st-most-populous city in the United States and 12th-most-populous city in California. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 314,998. Along with San Bernardino, Riverside is a principal city in the nation's 13th-largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA); the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (pop. 4,599,839) ranks in population just below San Francisco (4,749,008) and above Detroit (4,392,041). Riverside was founded in the early 1870s. It is the birthplace of the California citrus industry and home of the Mission Inn, the nation's largest
Mission Revival Style The Mission Revival style was part of an architectural movement, beginning in the late 19th century, for the revival and reinterpretation of American colonial styles. Mission Revival drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century ...
building. It is also home to the Riverside National Cemetery and the Eastern Division of the Federal District Court for the Central District of California. The University of California, Riverside, is in the northeastern part of the city. The university hosts the Riverside Sports Complex. Other attractions in Riverside include the
Fox Performing Arts Center The Riverside Fox Theater, also known as the Fox Performing Arts Center, was built in 1929, and is a Spanish Colonial Revival style building in the heart of downtown Riverside, California. The theater is the centerpiece of Riverside's Arts & ...
,
Museum of Riverside The Museum of Riverside is a museum of regional history and culture, Indigenous culture, and natural history located in the historic Mission Inn District of Riverside, California, United States. The museum, formerly known as the Riverside Metro ...
, which houses exhibits and artifacts of local history, the California Museum of Photography, the
California Citrus State Historic Park California Citrus State Historic Park is an open-air museum in the state park system of California, United States, interpreting the historic cultural landscape of the citrus industry. The park’s museum exhibits and interpretive features share ...
, Castle Park, and the Parent Washington Navel Orange Tree, the last of California's two original navel orange trees.


History

In the late 18th century and the early 19th century, the area was inhabited by Cahuilla and the Serrano people.
Californio Californio (plural Californios) is a term used to designate a Hispanic Californian, especially those descended from Spanish and Mexican settlers of the 17th through 19th centuries. California's Spanish-speaking community has resided there sinc ...
s such as Bernardo Yorba and Juan Bandini established ranches during the first half of the 19th century. In the 1860s, Louis Prevost launched the California Silk Center Association, a short-lived experiment in sericulture. In the wake of its failure,
John W. North John Wesley North (January 4, 1815 – February 22, 1890) was an American abolitionist, lawyer, and politician. A founder of the Republican Party of Minnesota, North also served in Minnesota's constitutional convention. As a legislator in the Mi ...
purchased some of its land and formed the Southern California Colony Association to promote the area's development. In March 1870, North distributed posters announcing the formation of a colony in California. North, a staunch temperance-minded abolitionist from New York State, had formerly founded Northfield, Minnesota. Riverside was temperance-minded, and Republican. There were four saloons in Riverside when it was founded. The license fees were raised until the saloons moved out of Riverside. Investors from England and Canada transplanted traditions and activities adopted by prosperous citizens. As a result, the first golf course and
polo Polo is a ball game played on horseback, a traditional field sport and one of the world's oldest known team sports. The game is played by two opposing teams with the objective of scoring using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small hard ...
field in southern California were built in Riverside. The first orange trees were planted in 1871, with the citrus industry Riverside is famous for beginning three years later (1874)Brown and Boyd, Vol 1, p. 429 when Eliza Tibbets received three Brazilian navel orange trees sent to her by a personal friend, William Saunders, a horticulturist at the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. The trees came from
Bahia, Brazil Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro) and the 5th-largest by ...
. The Bahia orange did not thrive in Florida, but its success in southern California was phenomenal. The three trees were planted on the Tibbets' property. One of them died after it was trampled by a cow during the first year it was planted. After the trampling, the two remaining trees were transplanted to property belonging to Sam McCoy to receive better care than L.C. Tibbets, Eliza's husband, could provide. Later, the trees were again transplanted, one at the Mission Inn property in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt (this tree died in 1922), and the other at the intersection of Magnolia and Arlington avenues. Eliza Tibbets was honored with a stone marker placed with the last tree. That tree still stands to this day inside a protective fence abutting what is now a major intersection. The trees thrived in the southern California climate and the navel orange industry grew rapidly. Many growers purchased bud wood and then grafted the cuttings to root stock. Within a few years, the successful cultivation of many thousands of the newly discovered Brazilian navel orange trees 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 California Citrus State Historic Park is an open-air museum in the state park system of California, United States, interpreting the historic cultural landscape of the citrus industry. The park’s museum exhibits and interpretive features share ...
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 car A railroad car, railcar (American and Canadian English), railway wagon, railway carriage, railway truck, railwagon, railcarriage or railtruck (British English and UIC), also called a train car, train wagon, train carriage or train truck, is a ...
s and innovative irrigation systems established Riverside as the richest city in the United States (in terms of income per capita) by 1895. As the city grew, a small guest hotel designed in the popular
Mission Revival style The Mission Revival style was part of an architectural movement, beginning in the late 19th century, for the revival and reinterpretation of American colonial styles. Mission Revival drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century ...
, known as the Glenwood Tavern, eventually grew to become the Mission Inn, favored by presidents, royalty and movie stars. Inside was housed a special chair made for the sizable President William Howard Taft. The hotel was modeled after the
missions Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion * Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...
built along the California coast by Franciscan friars in the 18th and 19th centuries. (Although Spanish missionaries came as far inland as San BernardinoSan Bernardino de Sena Estancia—east of Riverside, there was no actual Spanish mission in what is now Riverside.) 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 scattering of elegant turn-of-the-century homes, and citrus-lined paseo, serves as a reminder of European investors who settled here.


Geography

Riverside is the 61st-largest city in the United States, the 12th-largest city in California, and the largest city in California's
Inland Empire The Inland Empire (IE) is a metropolitan area and region inland of and adjacent to coastal Southern California, centering around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, and bordering Los Angeles County to the west. It includes the cities o ...
metro area. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and (0.37%) is water. The elevation of downtown Riverside is . Hills within the city limits include Mount Rubidoux, a city landmark and tourist attraction. Riverside is surrounded by small and large mountains, some of which get a dusting of winter snow. Many residents also enjoy the many beaches of Southern California. Riverside is about a drive to the Pacific Ocean and is close to Orange County and Los Angeles County.


Cityscape


Landmarks

Riverside is home to the historic Mission Inn, the Beaux-Arts style
Riverside County Historic Courthouse Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural mun ...
(based on the Petit Palais in Paris, France), and the
Riverside Fox Theater The Riverside Fox Theater, also known as the Fox Performing Arts Center, was built in 1929, and is a Spanish Colonial Revival style building in the heart of downtown Riverside, California. The theater is the centerpiece of Riverside's Arts & ...
, where the first showing of the 1939 film '' Gone with the Wind'' took place. The theater was purchased by the city and refurbished as part of the Riverside Renaissance Initiative. The Fox Theater underwent extensive renovation and restoration, which was completed in 2009, to turn the old cinema into a performing arts theater. The building was expanded to hold 1,600 seats and the stage was enlarged to accommodate Broadway-style performances. In January 2010, singer
Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three li ...
opened the newly remodeled Fox Theater in a nearly sold-out show. Riverside is the home of the "World's Largest Paper Cup" (actually made of concrete), which is over three stories (68.10 ft; 20.76 m) tall. The " Dixie Cup" landmark is on Iowa Street just north of Palmyrita, in front of what was once the Dixie Corporation's manufacturing plant (now closed down). Three notable hills are in Riverside's scenic landscape: Box Springs Mountain, Evans (Jurupa) Hill and Tecolote Hill; all of which are preserved open spaces. South of Riverside is
Lake Mathews Lake Mathews is a large reservoir in Riverside County, California, located in the Cajalco Canyon in the foothills of the Temescal Mountains. It is the western terminus for the Colorado River Aqueduct that provides much of the water used by the ...
. There is also the well-known landmark/foothill Mount Rubidoux, which is next to the Santa Ana River and one of the most noticeable landmarks in the downtown area. This foothill is the dividing line between the town of
Rubidoux Rubidoux ( ) was a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Riverside County, California, until July 1, 2011, when it became a neighborhood of the newly formed city of Jurupa Valley. The city is located within Southern California's ...
and the city of Riverside. March Joint Air Reserve Base borders Riverside on the east serving as a divider between the city and Moreno Valley. March ARB, founded in 1918, is the oldest operating Air Force base west of the Mississippi River. At the entrance to Riverside from the 60 freeway sits
Fairmount Park Fairmount Park is the largest municipal park in Philadelphia and the historic name for a group of parks located throughout the city. Fairmount Park consists of two park sections named East Park and West Park, divided by the Schuylkill River, with ...
. This extensive urban oasis was designed by the firm founded by Frederick Law Olmsted, which had designed New York's Central Park. It includes a lovely stocked pond that is home to many species of birds. On nearby private land is the former site of Spring Rancheria, a Cahuilla village.


Neighborhoods

The city of Riverside has 28 designated "neighborhoods" within the city limits. These include Airport, Alessandro Heights, Arlanza, Arlington, Arlington Heights, Arlington South, Canyon Crest, Casa Blanca, Downtown
Eastside
Grand, Hawarden Hills, Hillside Hunter Industrial Park, La Sierra, La Sierra Acres, La Sierra Hills, La Sierra South, Magnolia Center, Mission Grove, Northside, Orangecrest, Presidential Park, Ramona, Sycamore Canyon Park, Sycamore Canyon Springs, University, Victoria and Wood Streets. East of downtown is the originally named "Eastside". which grew out of a ''colonia'' inhabited by Mexican immigrant workers in the orange groves, other orchards and produce fields. The area these people lived in was originally a settlement called La Placita that predated the city, being founded in 1843. Mexican communities were also formed in the barrio of Casa Blanca during the early 20th century.


Annexations

The City Council has proposed many annexations of nearby unincorporated communities that would increase Riverside's population and land area significantly. Most notable is the Lake Hills/Victoria Grove area, which would extend the city's southwestern borders to Lake Mathews.


Current proposals

* 97 Berry Road * 103 Barton/Gem * 104 I-215 Corridor * 105 Sycamore/Central * 106 East Blaine * 107 Alta Cresta Remainder * 108 Lake Hills/Victoria Grove * 111 University City * 112 Kaliber * 113 Barton/Station


Potential annexations

* A Center Street * B Highgrove * C Spring Mountain Ranch (92) * D Canyon Ridge * E Woodcrest * F Gateway


Features

Riverside is home to the University of California, Riverside. The UCR Botanical Gardens contains of unusual plants, with four miles (6 km) of walking trails. The city prides itself on its historic connection to the navel orange, which was introduced to North America from Brazil in 1874. Riverside is home to the one surviving Parent Navel Orange Tree, from which all American West Coast navel orange trees are descended. There are three hospitals in Riverside. * Riverside Community Hospital is a General Acute Care
Hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
with Basic Emergency Services and a Level I Trauma Center as of 2020. * 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. Riverside is also home to the
Riverside Public Library The Riverside Public Library system serves the city of Riverside, California. The main library is located in the downtown area at 3900 Mission Inn Avenue. Seven other branches are located throughout the city. History On July 9, 1888, the Ri ...
system. Branches include: Arlanza, Arlington, La Sierra, Marcy, Main, Orange Terrace, Eastside Cybrary, and Casa Blanca. Convention facilities are available at several locations. The
Riverside Convention Center The Riverside Convention Center is a convention center in downtown Riverside, California. The convention center hosts conventions and events in 70,000 sq. ft. of total meeting space and 30,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space. It has 26 meeting rooms wit ...
, remodeled in 2014, offers indoors and of outdoor space. Also available is the Riverside Marriott with indoors, and the Mission Inn with indoors and outdoors. All three facilities are located within walking distance of one another in downtown Riverside. Meetings with an academic focus are also held at the University of California, Riverside.


Cemeteries

Cemeteries in Riverside include: * Crestlawn Memorial Park; notable burials include Medal of Honor recipient George Alan Ingalls, baseball player Mike Darr, actor Roland Harrah III, and actor
Darwood Kaye Darwood Kenneth Smith (September 8, 1929 – May 15, 2002), also known as Darwood Kaye, was an American child actor most notable for his semi-regular role as the bookish rich kid Waldo in the ''Our Gang'' short subjects series from 1937 to 1940. ...
. * Evergreen Cemetery; notable burials include
Marcella Craft Marcella Craft (August 11, 1874 – December 12, 1959) was an American operatic soprano who performed internationally in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Personal life Born Marcia Craft in Indianapolis, Indiana, she moved with her ...
, Frank Augustus Miller,
John W. North John Wesley North (January 4, 1815 – February 22, 1890) was an American abolitionist, lawyer, and politician. A founder of the Republican Party of Minnesota, North also served in Minnesota's constitutional convention. As a legislator in the Mi ...
, Eliza Tibbets, and
Al Wilson Aldra Kauwa Wilson (born June 21, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and ...
. * Olivewood Memorial Park; notable burials include Medal of Honor recipient
Jesus S. Duran Jesus Santiago Duran (July 26, 1948 – February 17, 1977) was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. Biography Duran was born, July 26, 1948, in Juarez, Mexico. He was the sixth of twelve siblings. Duran ...
,
Travis Alexander Travis Victor Alexander (July 28, 1977 – June 4, 2008) was an American salesman who was murdered by his ex-girlfriend, Jodi Ann Arias (born July 9, 1980), in his house in Mesa, Arizona. Arias was convicted of first-degree murder on May 8, 201 ...
, Dorothy Burgess, Mayor
Ben H. Lewis Ben H. Lewis (November 27, 1902 – June 20, 1985) was an American politician, artist, and businessman who served as the 13th mayor of Riverside, California. Prior to the office of mayor, Lewis was the president of the United Title Guaranty Comp ...
, Del Lord,
Gloria Ramirez Gloria Cecilia Ramirez (January 11, 1963 – February 19, 1994) was a woman from Riverside, California, who was dubbed "the Toxic Lady" or "the Toxic Woman" by the media when several hospital workers became ill after exposure to her body and bloo ...
, and Eric Show. * Riverside National Cemetery, established in 1976, is the largest cemetery managed by the National Cemetery Administration, and since 2000 has been the most active in the system based on the number of interments. * Sherman Indian High School Cemetery, Home Gardens


Climate

Riverside experiences a semiarid climate ( Köppen climate classification ''BSh'') bordering on an arid climate ( Köppen climate classification ''BWh'') with hot, dry summers and mild, relatively wet winters. Normal monthly mean temperatures range from in December to in August. On average, temperatures reach the freezing mark and on 3.5 and 21.6 days annually, respectively. Record temperatures range from on January 15, 1911, up to on July 17, 1925, June 16, 1917, and July 6, 2018. On average, Riverside receives of precipitation annually, with measurable precipitation occurring on 35 days, with almost all of it between November and April, with February the wettest month.


Environment

The Riverside area faces issues of
smog Smog, or smoke fog, is a type of intense air pollution. The word "smog" was coined in the early 20th century, and is a portmanteau of the words ''smoke'' and '' fog'' to refer to smoky fog due to its opacity, and odor. The word was then inte ...
and above-average levels 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. The city made efforts to reduce pollution by incorporating additional means of
mass transit Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...
( Metrolink) and equipping its entire fleet of buses with natural gas. Smog decreased considerably over the next few years as local municipalities and counties worked with the South Coast Air Quality Management District to implement measures to improve regional air quality. In 2020, the American Lung Association rated Riverside County one of the nation's worst counties for smog. Most of Riverside's smog problems are the result of the prevailing wind patterns that blow the smog from the Los Angeles Basin and particulates generated by southern California's multitude of vehicles, and the
Port of Los Angeles The Port of Los Angeles is a seaport managed by the Los Angeles Harbor Department, a unit of the City of Los Angeles. It occupies of land and water with of waterfront and adjoins the separate Port of Long Beach. Promoted as "America's Port", t ...
and Port of Long Beach into the
Inland Empire The Inland Empire (IE) is a metropolitan area and region inland of and adjacent to coastal Southern California, centering around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, and bordering Los Angeles County to the west. It includes the cities o ...
.


Demographics


2010

As of the 2010 census reported that Riverside had a population of 303,871. The population density was . The racial makeup of Riverside was 171,669 (56.5%) White, 21,421 (7.0%) African American, 3,467 (1.1%) Native American, 22,566 (7.4%) Asian (1.7% Filipino, 1.6% Chinese, 1.1% Korean, 1.0% Vietnamese, 1.0% Indonesian, 0.1% Japanese, 0.1% Pakistani), 1,219 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 68,111 (22.4%) from other races, and 15,418 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 148,953 persons (49.0%); 41.8% of Riverside's population is Mexican, 1.1% Guatemalan, 1.0% Salvadoran, 0.7% Puerto Rican, 0.3% Cuban, 0.2% Nicaraguan, and 0.2% Colombian. Non-Hispanic Whites were 34.0% of the population in 2010, down from 82.1% in 1970. The Census reported that 292,322 people (96.2% of the population) lived in households, 8,925 (2.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 2,624 (0.9%) were institutionalized. There were 91,932 households, out of which 38,939 (42.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 45,398 (49.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 13,845 (15.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 6,372 (6.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 6,392 (7.0%)
unmarried opposite-sex partnerships POSSLQ ( , plural POSSLQs) is an abbreviation (or acronym) for "Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters", a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of ...
, and 746 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 18,284 households (19.9%) were made up of individuals, and 6,262 (6.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.18. There were 65,615 families (71.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.67. The population was spread out, with 81,406 people (26.8%) under the age of 18, 47,126 people (15.5%) aged 18 to 24, 82,482 people (27.1%) aged 25 to 44, 66,615 people (21.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 26,242 people (8.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males. There were 98,444 housing units at an average density of , of which 51,185 (55.7%) were owner-occupied, and 40,747 (44.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.4%. 168,888 people (55.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 123,434 people (40.6%) lived in rental housing units. According to the 2010 United States Census, Riverside had a median household income of $56,403, with 17.5% of the population living below the federal poverty line.


2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 255,166 people, 82,005 households, and 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 59.3% White, 7.4% African American, 1.1% Native American, 5.68% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 21.0% from other races, and 5.1% from two or more races. 38.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 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 Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 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. 15.8% of the population and 11.7% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 18.9% of those under the age of 18 and 8.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.


Religion

Riverside is largely Christian and is home to Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Protestant, and Universalist Unitarian churches, an Islamic mosque, Jewish synagogue, Hindu temple, and several Buddhist temples. Riverside is also home to the Inland Empire Atheists and Agnostics organization. Large Seventh-Day Adventist populations, due to La Sierra University, are located in Riverside and proximity to
Loma Linda Loma Linda (Spanish for "Beautiful Hill") is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States, that was incorporated in 1970. The population was 24,791 at the 2020 census, up from 23,261 at the 2010 census. The central area of the c ...
near San Bernardino. There is also a large Mormon population, as well as in the San Bernardino area, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has missions in Riverside and Redlands near their temple. Several religious celebrations take place on top of the city's Mount Rubidoux. One is an annual Easter Sunrise service, which is the nation's oldest continual non-denominational outdoor Easter service The 100th anniversary of the event was held April 12, 2009. Each December, a 2½-mile (4 km) procession from Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine to the top of Mount Rubidoux promotes awareness of
Juan Diego Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, also known as Juan Diego (; 1474–1548), was a Chichimec peasant and Marian visionary. He is said to have been granted apparitions of the Virgin Mary on four occasions in December 1531: three at the hill of Tepeyac an ...
's walk up Tepeyac hill, in 1531, where he reportedly saw a Marian apparition known as Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 2012, a controversy erupted regarding the cross atop Mount Rubidoux, which was on city-owned land and maintained by the city. Due to constitutional issues regarding separation of church and state, the Riverside City Council sold the cross and the land under it (0.43 acres; 1740.15 sq m) to a private entity for $10,500.


Economy

Riverside's economy consists largely of light-industry and generates a range of products including aircraft components, automotive parts, gas cylinders, electronic equipment, food products, and medical devices. Supporting the manufacturing sector are several industrial parks, including those in the Hunter Industrial Park, Sycamore Canyon Industrial Park and Airport Industrial Areas. As the county seat of Riverside County and the most populous city in the Inland Empire, Riverside also houses several legal, accounting, engineering, and banking firms. Citrus production and packing houses still exist within the city, but the industry is in decline. American electronics company
Bourns, Inc. Bourns, Inc. is an American electronics company that develops, manufactures and supplies electronic components for a variety of industries including automotive, industrial, instrumentation, medical electronics, consumer equipment and portable e ...
is among the companies based in Riverside. Citrus is in decline in many areas of the Inland Empire where urbanization and water scarcity have made the industry uneconomic. ;Top employers According to the City's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:


Film and television

Riverside's close proximity to Hollywood, combined with its many unique architectural features, has made it a frequent filming choice by film studios, starting with the 1919 film ''Boots'', which starred Dorothy Gish and was filmed at the Mission Inn. Episodes of the 2013 television celebrity diving program ''Splash'' are taped at Riverside Community College's aquatics complex, and a local gay bar named V.I.P. was the setting for the second episode of Season Five of the Bravo TV reality show ''
Tabatha Takes Over ''Tabatha Takes Over'' (formerly ''Tabatha's Salon Takeover'') is an American reality television series on the Bravo network, in which former ''Shear Genius'' contestant and hair salon owner, Tabatha Coffey helps failing salons turn around in one ...
''. The HBO show ''
Enlightened Enlightened may refer to: * ''Enlightened'' (TV series), an American comedy-drama * ''Enlightened'' (album), 2007, by Dynamic Duo * The Enlightened, a faction in ''Ingress'' (video game) See also * Enlightened self-interest, a philosophy in et ...
'' (2011–2013), which starred Laura Dern, was also set in Riverside.


Retail

Retail shopping centers include the open-air Riverside Plaza, and the Galleria at Tyler mall. The Main Street Pedestrian Mall in downtown is the site of several unique shops.


Arts and culture


Museums

*
California Citrus State Historic Park California Citrus State Historic Park is an open-air museum in the state park system of California, United States, interpreting the historic cultural landscape of the citrus industry. The park’s museum exhibits and interpretive features share ...
Museum * The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture & Industry * Entomology Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside (not open to the public). *
Heritage House Museum The Heritage House Museum is a museum complex in Okawville, Illinois, Okawville, Illinois. The museum comprises three of the village's historic homes: the Frank Schlosser Complex, the Dr. Robert C. Poos Home, and the Joseph Schlosser Home. The th ...
* March Field Air Museum * Mission Inn Museum * Riverside Art Museum *
Museum of Riverside The Museum of Riverside is a museum of regional history and culture, Indigenous culture, and natural history located in the historic Mission Inn District of Riverside, California, United States. The museum, formerly known as the Riverside Metro ...
*
Sherman Indian Museum Sherman Indian High School (SIHS) is an off-reservation boarding high school for Native Americans. Originally opened in 1892 as the Perris Indian School, in Perris, California, the school was relocated to Riverside, California in 1903, under the n ...
at the Sherman Indian High School *
Sweeney Art Gallery Sweeney may refer to: People * Sweeney (name) *Clan Sweeney, an Irish clan of Scottish origin Places *Sweeney Mountains, Palmer Land, Antarctica *Sweeney Ridge, a national park in California, United States Arts and entertainment *'' The Madness ...
, an extension of the University of California, Riverside * The Stahl Center Museum of Culture at the La Sierra University * University of California, Riverside California Museum of Photography *
World Museum of Natural History In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the wor ...
at the La Sierra University * Southern California Railway Museum


Festivals and events

Several festivals occur throughout the year in Riverside, many focused on the downtown area. Each year in February The Riverside Dickens Festival is held to "enhance a sense of community among citizens of Riverside County and Southern California by creating a series of literary events and to provide educational, family-oriented, literary entertainment and activities such as plays, musical performances, pageants, living history presentations, workshops, lectures, classroom study, exhibits and a street bazaar with free entertainment, vendors and costumed characters." The Riverside Airshow takes place in March at the Riverside Municipal Airport. The event attracts around 70,000 people and includes aerial performers, over of aircraft displays, a car show and military vehicle display, children's activities, food and refreshments, helicopter displays and community group exhibits. The March Field Airfest, also known as Thunder Over the Empire, is a biennial air show held at
March Air Reserve Base March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB) is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's Fo ...
. The air show is among the largest events in the Inland Empire and Riverside County. The show has featured such performers as the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, the
Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
demonstrations teams and many other military and civilian demonstrations. 2010 saw the Patriots Jet Team as the highlight demonstration team of the show. Attendance for the 2010 show was estimated at over 150,000. The
Riverside International Film Festival Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire and i ...
(RIFF) takes place in April and features films from around the world. Sponsored by the city of Riverside, local universities, and many businesses, past festivals have featured over 175 films. Old Riverside Foundation, a local nonprofit focused on historic preservation of the built environment, hosts an annual Vintage Home Tour in May that showcases private historic homes, open to the public for one day only. In October, the California Riverside Ballet sponsors the Ghost Walk, which in 2013 celebrated its 22nd year. The event is a walk around some of the city's oldest and most historic buildings, with volunteers leading tours and telling ghost stories. Also, in October, for one evening, from late afternoon until midnight, the Long Night of Arts & Innovation is held in Downtown Riverside. This event is designed to showcase the area's talent in the visual and performing arts, science and technology from its universities, community college, school districts, and innovative companies and arts organizations. It is also designed to encourage school children to seek careers in the arts and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) by connecting them to professors, artists, professionals and performers from these institutions. The Riverside Festival of Lights centers around The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, located downtown. Decoration of the Inn begins in October and a lighting ceremony that includes speakers, fireworks, and live musicians takes place the day after Thanksgiving Day. Carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides, and ice skating all color the festival. Restaurants, cafes, and community groups all contribute to the festival. The festival runs through New Year's Day. Also during the week of Thanksgiving, the
Festival of Trees Festival of Trees is the name taken by a number of (apparently independent) charity events/organizations that hold annual events around Christmas time to raise money for some local charity many for children hospitals and other organizations (ofte ...
is held at the
Riverside Convention Center The Riverside Convention Center is a convention center in downtown Riverside, California. The convention center hosts conventions and events in 70,000 sq. ft. of total meeting space and 30,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space. It has 26 meeting rooms wit ...
. Held since 1990, the event seeks to raise money for the Riverside County Regional Medical Center children's units including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Child Abuse and Neglect Unit, and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Attracting 25,000 people per year, the event has raised over $5 million since its inception. At the Festival of Trees, many professionally decorated Christmas trees are judged, auctioned, and then displayed for public viewing.


Government


Local government

Riverside is governed by a mayor and city council. The mayor is elected in a citywide election. The city council has seven members, each elected from single member wards. A
city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a "Mayor–council government" council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief execu ...
is responsible for ongoing city services. In Riverside's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, the city's government accounts were reported to have $244 million in revenues and $365 million in expenditures, with the deficiency made up by the issuance of long-term debt and transfers from the city-owned utilities (including electric and water). The report also indicates that over the prior nine years, the number of city employees increased by 23.6% to 2,686 FTE, outpacing the 12.5% increase in the number of residents.


Federal and state representation

Under the electoral maps drawn by the Citizens' Redistricting Commission, which were first used in the 2012 elections and will remain in effect through at least 2020, Riverside's state and federal legislative districts have changed substantially. In the
California State Legislature The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legisla ...
, the City of Riverside is in . In the
California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The A ...
, it is split between , and . In the United States House of Representatives, nearly all of Riverside is in , while a tiny portion of the city is part of . In the United States Senate, California is represented by Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla.


Courts

* Federal ** United States District Court, Central District of California, Eastern Division ** United States Bankruptcy Court, 9th Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel ** United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California * State ** California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Two ** Superior Court of California, County of Riverside


Crime

Riverside's crime rate has shown a drop over the past several years. According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics database, from 2002 to 2014 violent crime fell to 1,384 from 2,026 events, and property crime to 9,864 from 13,135 events. During this time, the population of the city rose by 21%. To help reduce gang-related crime, the city developed Project Bridge, an anti-gang program under the city of Riverside's Park and Recreation Department. Gang activity has been reported to center in the Casa Blanca, Arlanza and Eastside neighborhoods. Of the 60 largest U.S. police departments in 2015, the Riverside Police Department was the only department whose police did not kill anyone that year.


Education


Colleges and universities

Institutions of higher learning include: * California Baptist University *
California Southern Law School California Southern Law School (CSLS) was a private part-time evening law school in Riverside, California. It admitted its last entering class in Fall 2016 and closed after the Spring 2020 semester. It is registered with the California State Ba ...
(to close in 2020). * La Sierra University *
National University A national university is mainly a university created or managed by a government, but which may also at the same time operate autonomously without direct control by the state. Some national universities are associated with national cultural or po ...
(branch campus in Riverside) * Riverside City College *Riverside Royals College * University of California, Riverside


Vocational schools

*
Brightwood College Brightwood College, formerly Kaplan College, was a system of for-profit colleges in the United States, owned and operated by Education Corporation of America. Main qualifications offered included health, business, criminal justice, information ...
* UEI College * Platt College * American College of Healthcare * Masters Vocational College * US College * Northwest College


Secondary schools


Public school districts and high schools

Riverside is served by two school districts: * Riverside Unified School District serves eastern Riverside. ** High schools include: *** Arlington High School *** Martin Luther King High School *** John W. North High School ***
Riverside Polytechnic High School Riverside Polytechnic High School is a four-year public high school in Riverside, California, United States, and part of the Riverside Unified School District. The current facility, located on Victoria Avenue, was opened in September 1965; the t ...
also known as Poly High School *** Ramona High School *** Riverside Virtual School ***
Riverside STEM High School Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural mu ...
** Continuation high schools include: *** Abraham Lincoln High School (continuation) *** Raincross High School (continuation) *** Summit View High School (continuation) *
Alvord Unified School District Alvord Unified School District (AUSD) is a school district headquartered in Riverside, California, United States. The district boundaries encompasses the western portion of the City of Riverside, the eastern portion of the city of Corona, and seg ...
serves western Riverside. ** High schools include: ***
La Sierra High School La Sierra High School, located in Riverside, California, United States, is a public high school in the Alvord Unified School District that was founded on August 28, 1969. Tania Cabeza is the principal. La Sierra High School's official school colors ...
***
Norte Vista High School Norte Vista High School is a high school in Riverside, California, part of the Alvord Unified School District, and the home of the Norte Vista Braves. History Norte Vista started as a junior high school, named Arlington Junior High, from 1958 to ...
*** Hillcrest High School ** Continuation high schools include: *** Alvord High School (continuation)


=Other public secondary schools

= Two notable institutions of learning, for specified student bodies, are also located in Riverside: *
California School for the Deaf, Riverside The California School for the Deaf, Riverside (CSD-R or CSDR) is a school for deaf children located in Riverside, California. The school educates children from all over Southern California. Its companion school in Northern California is California ...
(CSDR) for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing from Preschool to 12th grade has been open since 1952. * Sherman Indian High School of the
Bureau of Indian Education The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), headquartered in the Main Interior Building in Washington, D.C., and formerly known as the Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP), is a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior under the Assistant S ...
, is for Native American tribal members from 9th to 12th grade; it has been open since 1878.


Private secondary schools

* Bethel Christian School * Eastside Christian Academy *
Harvest Christian school Harvest Christian College is an interdenominational Christian school located in Kadina, South Australia Kadina ( ) is a town on the Yorke Peninsula of the Australian state of South Australia, approximately 144 kilometres north-northwest of t ...
*
La Sierra Academy La Sierra Academy (LSA) is a private, co-educational, transitional kindergarten–12th grade Christian school in Riverside, California. La Sierra Academy's mission statement states: "As a Christian K - 12 college preparatory school, we serve st ...
(Seventh-day Adventist) * Notre Dame High School (Roman Catholic) *
Riverside Christian High Schoo Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural mu ...
l * Woodcrest Christian High School * Islamic Academy of Riverside *Carniege Schools Riverside


Initiative to raise college graduation rates

Riverside won a $3 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2010. As a result, the Completion Counts initiative was created as a joint partnership by the city of Riverside, Riverside City College,
Alvord Unified School District Alvord Unified School District (AUSD) is a school district headquartered in Riverside, California, United States. The district boundaries encompasses the western portion of the City of Riverside, the eastern portion of the city of Corona, and seg ...
, Riverside Unified School District,
Riverside County Office of Education The Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) serves as an intermediary between the California Department of Education and local school districts. It provides a wide range of educational and administrative services to the 23 school districts and ...
, UC Riverside, and the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce to double college graduation rates by 2020. Only Riverside, New York City, San Francisco, and
Mesa, Arizona Mesa ( ) is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the most populous city in the East Valley (Phoenix metropolitan area), East Valley section of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by ...
received such a grant. The partnership is creating measures that help students across Riverside earn a degree. For example, RCC will now give 2012 graduates of AUSD and RUSD priority class registration, and a two-year guarantee to complete an associate degree or transfer to a four-year university. Completion Counts is also ensuring that AUSD, RUSD and RCC work together to create a seamless math and English curriculum to prepare students for college-level work. High school and college student counselors are meeting regularly to agree on the best ways to get students ready for college.


Media

Riverside is the home to the
Fox Performing Arts Center The Riverside Fox Theater, also known as the Fox Performing Arts Center, was built in 1929, and is a Spanish Colonial Revival style building in the heart of downtown Riverside, California. The theater is the centerpiece of Riverside's Arts & ...
. The theater is best known for being the first theater to screen the most successful film in box-office history when adjusted for inflation, the 1939 film  Gone with the Wind.


Transportation


Highways

Riverside is served by three major freeways:
I-215 Interstate 215 is the designation for several Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to Interstate 15 (I-15): * Interstate 215 (California), a regional Interstate bypass for I-15 and a connection to I-10 that serves the ...
, State Route 60, and State Route 91. These three freeways meet in northeastern Riverside at a multi-level interchange that was rebuilt in 2007.


Rail lines

The city contains three Metrolink commuter rail stations: Riverside-Downtown, Riverside-La Sierra, and Riverside-Hunter Park/UCR. The first two are both served by the Inland Empire-Orange County and 91/Perris Valley lines, and the Downtown station is served by the Riverside Line on weekdays, and the San Bernardino Line on weekends. The Hunter Park station is served by the 91/Perris Valley Line on weekdays only. Amtrak's Southwest Chief, which runs from Los Angeles to Chicago, also serves the city.


Bus lines

Local bus service is provided by the Riverside Transit Agency.Riverside Transit Agency
Intercity bus service is provided by Omnitrans
Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and pac ...
, Amtrak California, and a handful of small operators serving the cross-border market into Mexico.


Airports

The nearest airport for commercial airline service is Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California. The Riverside Municipal Airport is an airport within Riverside city limits, but it does not have commercial airline service. It is primarily used for private aviation and is also the location for the annual Riverside Air Show.


Notable people


Sister cities

The Sendai Committee is working on setting up a secure e-pal system whereby the residents of Sendai and Riverside can exchange emails in a fashion similar to pen pals. The aim is to promote grassroots cultural exchange between the two sister cities. The city of Riverside established an economic partnership program with the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, in the early 2000s.


See also

*
California Riverside Ballet California Riverside Ballet is a ballet company formerly headquartered in Riverside, California, United States, in Riverside's historic Aurea Vista Hotel, city landmark number 84. The company was founded in 1969, and operates as a non-profit or ...
* Largest cities in southern California *
Ranchos of California The Spanish and Mexican governments made many concessions and land grants in Alta California (now known as California) and Baja California from 1775 to 1846. The Spanish Concessions of land were made to retired soldiers as an inducement for ...
*
Saint Andrew Orthodox Christian Church Saint Andrew Orthodox Christian Church is a parish church of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, an archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. The ch ...
*
List of U.S. cities with large Hispanic populations This list of U.S. cities by American Hispanic and Latino population covers all incorporated cities and Census-designated places with a population over 100,000 and a proportion of Hispanic and Latino residents over 30% in the 50 U.S. states, the ...


References


Bibliography

* Brown Jr, John and James Boyd. ''History of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties; With Selected Biography of Actors and Witnesses of the Period of Growth and Achievement'', 3 volumes, The Western Historical Association, 1922. The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago. * Gunther, Jane Davies. ''Riverside County, California, Place Names; Their Origins and Their Stories'', Riverside. 1984. . * Patterson, Tom. ''A Colony For California; Riverside's First Hundred Years''. Second Edition 1996. The Museum Press of the Riverside Museum Associates, Riverside. . * Patterson, Tom. ''Landmarks of Riverside; and the Stories Behind Them''. 1964. Press~Enterprise Co., Riverside. .


Citations and notes


Further reading

* Durian, Hal (2013). ''True Stories of Riverside and the Inland Empire''. Charleston, SC: The History Press. . * Hall, Joan H. (2003). ''Cottages, Colonials and Community Places of Riverside, California''. Riverside, CA: Highgrove Press. . * Klotz, Esther H.; Hall, Joan H. (2005). ''Adobes, Bungalows, and Mansions of Riverside, California''. Riverside, CA: Highgrove Press. . * Klotz, Esther H. (1972). ''Riverside and the Day the Bank Broke''. Riverside, CA: Rubidoux Press. *


External links

*
Riverside History
* * {{authority control Cities in Riverside County, California County seats in California Populated places on the Santa Ana River Incorporated cities and towns in California Inland Empire Populated places established in 1883 1883 establishments in California Chicano and Mexican neighborhoods in California