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La Verne is a city in
Los Angeles County, California Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the List of United States counties and county equivalents, most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 202 ...
, United States. The population was 31,334 at the 2020 census.


History

The area was home to Native Americans. The European history of the area dates back to the 1830s when Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo Véjar received the Rancho San Jose land grant from Governor
Juan Bautista Alvarado Juan Bautista Valentín Alvarado y Vallejo (February 14, 1809 – July 13, 1882) usually known as Juan Bautista Alvarado, was a Californio politician that served as governor of Alta California from 1837 to 1842. Prior to his term as governor, Al ...
in 1837. The land included the present day cities Pomona, Claremont, San Dimas, Glendora, and La Verne. The adobe that Palomares built in 1837 is still preserved in Pomona as La Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose (The First House). Palomares soon moved a mile or so northeast and constructed the Ygnacio Palomares Adobe. He ensured that a nephew, Jose Dolores Palomares, secured a tract of land a mile west. In the mid-1880s, entrepreneur Isaac W. Lord purchased a tract of Jose Palomares' land and convinced the Santa Fe Railroad company to run its line across towards
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. Lord had the land surveyed for building lots and in 1887 had a large land sale, naming the new town 'Lordsburg' after himself. He also had a large Lordsburg Hotel constructed, but the land boom was over when it was completed. It sat empty for several years until sold to four members of the German Baptist Brethren Church, who persuaded others of that denomination that it would be an excellent site for a new institution of higher learning. Lordsburg College was founded in 1891. In 1906 the town was incorporated as "La Verne." Residents grew field crops, and then began planting citrus trees, which flourished. Lordsburg became known as the "Heart of the Orange Empire." The city of La Verne flourished as a center of the citrus industry until after World War II, when the citrus industry slowly faded away. Two orange groves are on the grounds of the La Verne Heritage Foundation.


Geography

La Verne is a
suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
east of
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, located in the
Pomona Valley The Pomona Valley is located in the Greater Los Angeles Area between the San Gabriel Valley and San Bernardino Valley in Southern California. The valley is approximately east of downtown Los Angeles. History The earliest inhabitants of Pomo ...
below the foothills of the
San Gabriel Mountains The San Gabriel Mountains () are a mountain range located in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, California, United States. The mountain range is part of the Transverse Ranges and lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert ...
part of the
Angeles National Forest The Angeles National Forest (ANF) of the United States Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains and Sierra Pelona Mountains, primarily within Los Angeles County in Southern California. The ANF manages a majority of the San Gabri ...
, a habitat known to support black bears. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of . It is to the east of San Dimas and to the west of Claremont. The city of Pomona lies to the south. California State Route 210 bisects La Verne in an east–west direction, and Historic
U.S. Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) is one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The high ...
also passes through the city.


Climate

According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, La Verne has a
warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.


Demographics

La Verne first appeared as a city in the 1910 U.S. Census as part of the now defunct San Jose Township (pop 7,696 in 1900). It became part of the larger East San Gabriel Valley Division in the 1960 U.S. Census and since 2000, as the East San Gabriel Valley
Census County Division A Census County Division (CCD) is a country subdivision, subdivision of a county (United States), county used by the United States Census Bureau for the purpose of presenting data, statistical data. A CCD is a relatively permanent statistical area ...
(CCD).


2020


2010

At the 2010 census La Verne had a population of 31,063. The population density was . The racial makeup of La Verne was 23,057 (74.2%) White (55.4% Non-Hispanic White), 1,065 (3.4%) African American, 265 (0.9%) Native American, 2,381 (7.7%) Asian, 61 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,822 (9.1%) from other races, and 1,412 (4.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9,635 persons (31.0%). The census reported that 30,387 people (97.8% of the population) lived in households, 501 (1.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 175 (0.6%) were institutionalized. There were 11,261 households, 3,582 (31.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,286 (55.8%) were married couples living together, 1,438 (12.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 489 (4.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 420 (3.7%) unmarried couples living together, and 74 (0.7%) homosexual partners living together. 2,517 households (22.4%) had one person and 1,429 (12.7%) had someone who was 65 or older living alone. The average household size was 2.70. There were 8,213 families (72.9% of households); the average family size was 3.16. The age distribution was 6,605 people (21.3%) under the age of 18, 3,106 people (10.0%) aged 18 to 24, 6,678 people (21.5%) aged 25 to 44, 9,417 people (30.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,257 people (16.9%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 42.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males. There were 11,686 housing units at an average density of 1,364.9 per square mile, of the occupied units 8,388 (74.5%) were owner-occupied and 2,873 (25.5%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%. 22,995 people (74.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 7,392 people (23.8%) lived in rental housing units. During 2009–2013, La Verne had a median household income of $77,040, with 7.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.


2000

At the 2000 census there were 31,638 people in 11,070 households, including 8,346 families, in the city. The population density was . There were 11,286 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 77.06% White, 3.21% African American, 0.64% Native American, 7.20% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 7.42% from other races, and 4.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.12%. Of the 11,070 households, 35.5% had children under 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 19.6% of households were one person and 9.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.23. The age distribution was 25.2% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males. As of 2007, the median household income was $75,444, and the median family income was $87,915. The per capita income for the city was $31,689. About 2.5% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over. Mexican (17.7%) and German (12.2%) were the most common ancestries. Mexico (22.3%) and the Philippines (11.8%) were the most common foreign places of birth.


Government

La Verne is located in the 5th district of
Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 2023. Its population is greater than that of 40 individua ...
, and is represented by supervisor
Kathryn Barger Kathryn Ann Barger-Leibrich (born in 1960) is an American politician who is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the 5th District since 2016 and is the Chair of Los Angeles County. A member of the Republican Party (United ...
. In the
state legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...
, La Verne is in the 22nd Senate District, represented by Democrat Susan Rubio. and in . In the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
, La Verne is in the 31st District represented by Democrat Gil Cisneros In the United States Senate, California is represented by Alex Padilla (D) and Adam B. Schiff (D). The
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Health Services Los Angeles County, officially the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, operates the public hospitals and clinics in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and is the United States' second largest municip ...
operates the Pomona Health Centre in Pomona, serving La Verne.


Public safety

The La Verne Police Department provides law enforcement services for the city of La Verne. In 2018, the La Verne Police Department appointed its first woman captain, Colleen Flores. Samuel Gonzalez is the current chief of police. The La Verne Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of La Verne.


Education

The
University of La Verne The University of La Verne (ULV) is a private university in La Verne, California. Founded in 1891, the university is composed of the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business & Public Management, the LaFetra College of Education, College o ...
is located on 3rd Street in La Verne. The Bonita Unified School District serves the city. Bonita High School is located on D Street. Lutheran High School was located on Fruit Street and closed in 2024.
Damien High School Damien High School is an all-boys Roman Catholic high school in La Verne, in the U.S. state of California, named for Saint Damien of Molokai. It is located in and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, part of the tri-school ...
is a Catholic boys' school located at the intersection of Damien and Bonita Avenues. Calvary Baptist Schools is located at the intersection of Damien Avenue and Forestdale Street.


Transportation

The
Los Angeles Metro Rail The Los Angeles Metro Rail is an urban rail transit system serving Los Angeles County, California, United States, consisting of six lines: four light rail lines (the A, C, E and K lines) and two rapid transit lines (the B and D lines), ...
A Line is currently being extended east from its current terminus in
Azusa AZUSA refers to a ground-based radar tracking system installed at Cape Canaveral, Florida and the NASA Kennedy Space Center. AZUSA was named after the southern California town Azusa, California where the system was devised in the early 1950s. ...
to Pomona. La Verne/Fairplex station, located between the University of La Verne and the Pomona Fairplex, is currently undergoing testing and will be in service with the rest of the extension within or around the summer of 2025.


In popular culture

In the 1967 film ''
The Graduate ''The Graduate'' is a 1967 American independent romantic comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols and written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham, based on the 1963 novella by Charles Webb. It stars Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddoc ...
'', the finale wedding scene was shot in La Verne (not Santa Barbara as presented in the movie) at the United Methodist Church of La Verne. The wedding scene in ''
Wayne's World 2 ''Wayne's World 2'' is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Stephen Surjik and starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as hosts of a public-access television cable television show in Aurora, Illinois. The film is the sequel to ''Wayne's World'' ...
'' was also filmed at the United Methodist Church of La Verne. In 1998, actor Christian Slater was sentenced to 90 days in the La Verne jail for domestic assault


Notable people

* Ewell Blackwell - Major League Baseball pitcher, Bonita High School alumnus * Noah Clarke - professional hockey player * Glenn Davis - American football player,
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
winner, Bonita High School alumnus, class of 1943 * Ryan Stonehouse - American football player *
Jason David Frank Jason David Frank (September 4, 1973 – November 19, 2022) was an American actor and mixed martial artist, best known for his role as Tommy Oliver in the ''Power Rangers'' television franchise. Early life Frank was born in Covina, Californi ...
- MMA fighter, Bonita High School alumnus * Jeffrey Garcia - comedian, voice actor, radio DJ, has a house in La Verne *
Erin Gruwell Erin Gruwell (born August 15, 1969) is an American teacher known for her unique teaching method, which led to the publication of The Freedom Writers Diary, ''The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves ...
- author of '' The Freedom Writers Diary'', Bonita High School alumnus * Sugar Shane Mosley - professional boxer, lives in La Verne * Paula Jean Myers-Pope - diver, four-time Olympic medalist


References


External links

*
La Verne Online
{{authority control Cities in Los Angeles County, California Communities in the San Gabriel Valley Pomona Valley Incorporated cities and towns in California 1906 establishments in California Populated places established in 1906