| Coordinates | 3°49′00″N103°20′00″N |
|---|---|
| Official name | City of Rialto |
| Native name | |
| Motto | Bridge to Progress |
| Image seal | City_of_Rialto_Seal_small.jpg |
| Map caption | Location of Rialto in California |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | United States |
| Subdivision type1 | State |
| Subdivision name1 | California |
| Subdivision type2 | County |
| Subdivision name2 | San Bernardino |
| Government type | General Law |
| Leader title | City Council |
| Leader name | Mayor Grace Vargas Joe Baca, Jr. Edward M. Palmer Deborah Robertson Ed Scott |
| Leader title1 | City Clerk |
| Leader name1 | Barbara McGee |
| Leader title2 | City Treasurer |
| Leader name2 | Edward Carrillo |
| Leader title3 | City Manager |
| Leader name3 | Henry T. Garcia |
| Established title | |
| Established title2 | |
| Established title3 | Incorporated (city) |
| Established date3 | 1911-11-17 |
| Area total km2 | 72.51967 |
| Area total sq mi | 28 |
| Area land km2 | 72.51967 |
| Area land sq mi | 28 |
| Area water km2 | 0.02 |
| Area water sq mi | 0.01 |
| Area water percent | 0.04 |
| Population as of | 2005 |
| Settlement type | City |
| Population total | 93,284 |
| Population density km2 | 1621.9 |
| Population density sq mi | 4200.7 |
| Timezone | PST |
| Utc offset | -8 |
| Timezone dst | PDT |
| Utc offset dst | -7 |
| Coordinates display | inline,title |
| Coordinates type | region:US_type:city |
| Elevation m | 383 |
| Elevation ft | 1257 |
| Postal code type | ZIP Code |
| Postal code | 92376, 92377 |
| Area code | 909 |
| Website | http://www.rialtoca.gov/ |
| Blank name | FIPS code |
| Blank info | 06-60466 |
| Blank1 name | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 info | 1661306 |
Rialto is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. According to Census Bureau estimates, the city had a total population of 93,284 in 2005. Rialto is home to four major regional distribution centers: Staples, Inc., which serves stores across the entire West Coast of the United States, Toys "R" Us, FedEx and Target in the northern region of the city, in the Las Colinas community. One of the United States' largest fireworks companies, Pyro Spectaculars, is also headquartered in Rialto.
The seasonal Santa Ana winds are felt particularly strongly in not only Rialto but the greater San Bernadino area as warm and dry air is channeled through nearby Cajon Pass at times during the autumn months. This phenomenon markedly increases the wildfire danger in the foothill, canyon, and mountain communities that the cycle of cold wet winters and dry summers helps create.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 56.7 km² (21.9 mi²). 56.6 km² (21.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.05% is water.
The population density was 1,622.0/km² (4,200.7/mi²). There were 26,045 housing units at an average density of 459.8/km² (1,190.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was:
There were 24,659 households out of which 52.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.8% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.7 and the average family size was 4.0.
In the city the population was spread out with 37.7% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,254, and the median income for a family was $42,638. Males had a median income of $34,110 versus $26,640 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,375. About 13.8% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Ancient artifacts discovered by archaeologists suggest that what is now the city of Rialto was settled prior to 1500. Such artifacts, now found at the Rialto Historical Society (201 N. Riverside Ave), indicate that the Serrano Indians lived in the Rialto area between 1500 and 1800 AD. No trace was left behind to suggest the eventual relocation of this group of people.
In 1851, the Mountain Family purchased part of the Lugo family's Rancho San Bernardino, and claimed several other portions of the bench which later became known as Rialto. This claim was later disallowed by the United States Government.
An adobe building from the early 19th century which was used for many purposes over the years, is the oldest building still standing in Rialto and stands restored in Bud Bender Park, formerly known as "Lilac Park". The City of Rialto leases the house and a small portion of park land to the Rialto Historical Society for $1 annually.
In 1887 a railroad connector line was built between San Bernardino and Pasadena by the Santa Fe Railroad. Along the line, townsites were located every and by the fall of that year over 25 new towns were built. This same year the Semitropic Land and Water Company was formed to organize the purchase and selling of real estate, water, and water rights and privileges.
In the fall of 1888, the first school was built and Brooke School District was formed. Records show that up until 1920, the Brooke School District was in continuous operation, except for a very short time in 1888. The prominent Rialto Trapp family bought the first school house in 1921, remodeled the building, and members of the family resided in it until it was destroyed by fire. The Rialto School District (today Rialto Unified School District), was formed in 1891. The staff consisted of two teachers and a principal with separate play areas for the boys and girls.
The Chamber of Commerce was established in 1907. Within four years the population had grown to 1,500 with 40 businesses and a local newspaper. The Chamber incorporated in the spring of 1911. The election results on October 31 of the same year were 135 for the incorporation of the city and 72 against.
Foothill Boulevard was repaired in 1913 and became U.S. Route 66 a section of the transcontinental Highway System. In 1914 Los Angeles' Pacific Electric Railway completed its San Bernardino Line through the City of Rialto, with a junction at Riverside Avenue for the Riverside Line. Today the Tracks above First Street are a part of the Union Pacific and the Pacific Electric depot on Riverside Avenue is Cuca's Restaurant.
A fire in the 1920s swept through and destroyed many of the buildings in the downtown area.
In 1994, Rialto Western Little League hosted the Southern California Championship for the Major Division, in which the winner went on to participate in the Regional Tournament. The winner was Northridge City Little League who went on to play in the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Tournament was held at Lilac Park, now known as Bud Bender Park.
As part of the Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing, in mid-2004 John Anthony Adams authored a book about the City of Rialto bearing the name of the city.
Rialto's population growth had increased to 3,156 by 1950. In 1956 the population soared to 15,359. By 1964 it showed increase to 23,290 and 33,500 in 1978. Rialto is wide and long. Rialto's population grew from 80,000 in 1994 to over 91,873 in 2000.
According to the city website ., the building of a Super Wal-Mart is in current negotiations. If built, this construction will be done in the southern region of the city, where a current Wal-Mart already exists
The contaminant, which has seeped into several of the town's drinking water wells, is suspected to have been dumped into the soil back in the 1950s and 1960s by industrial sites owned by Goodrich Corporation and Black & Decker. Both companies, most likely under contract with the Department of Defense, operated weapons manufacturing facilities which used massive quantities of rocket fuel. According to former employees at the plant, rocket fuel routinely leaked from the facility during operations and workers regularly disposed of rocket fuel in unlined pits behind the plant.
After many years of negotiations, Goodrich Corporation and Black & Decker still have not agreed to clean toxic waste from the environment in northern Rialto. Studies have shown that perchlorate consumption, at the levels measured in the affected wells, can lead to Attention Deficit Disorder, learning disabilities and decreased IQ.
With several other wells unusable due to contamination, the drought-prone city teeters on the brink of running out of water. Residents have also been forced to pay water bill price hikes to pursue the polluters for clean water.
The movie Transformers, 2007 Fox television show, Drive, the freeway scenes in The Hangover and several commercials by UPS and car ads have been shot there.
The television show, Fear Factor, used a portion of the then uncompleted highway 210 in Rialto for one of their notably-extreme stunts.
Rialto was the location of the chops shop that Eddie Mars wife was hiding out at is the classic Humphrey Bogart movie, The Big Sleep.
2007 Inductees:
2008 Inductees: November 18, 2008
2009 Inductees, November 19, 2009:
Category:Cities in San Bernardino County, California Category:Communities on U.S. Route 66 Category:California communities with Hispanic majority populations Category:Cities in California
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