Riverside County California

When Bernardo Yorba and Juan Bandini established ranches in Riverside County in the first half of the 19th century, they had no idea that the county would develop into one of California’s largest and prize citrus producers.

Riverside has a distinguished history as the birthplace of Citrus farming in Southern California.  Today the city of Riverside is the largest in the county and is the county seat of the state government, and whether you are passing through or looking for a new place to call home, it has appeal.

Riverside County California USA. - California Places, Travel, and News.

What is Riverside County, California, Known For?

Riverside city is the largest Metropol in Riverside County and is the county seat and is home of the Riverside is home to the University of California; Riverside is known for 

  • Citrus farms
  • Iconic statues
  • Geographic formations

Citrus Farms

Riverside County is known as the birthplace of Southern California’s citrus industry.

Iconic Sculptures/Statues

At over three stories (68.10 ft; 20.76 m), the county is also known as the home of the world’s largest paper cup made from cement!

Geographic Formations

Riverside’s scenic landscape has three significant hills, all preserved as open spaces.

  • Box Springs Mountain.
  • Evans (Jurupa) Hill.
  • Tecolote Hill.
Riverside County California Counties Map. - California Places, Travel, and News.

What’s In Riverside County?

Riverside is the county that launched California’s citrus industry and is known for its wide-open scenic beauty, lakes, parks, museums, and cultural landmarks.

Lake Matthews

Situated in the Cajalco Canyon in the foothills of the Temescal Mountains, Lake Mathews is a large reservoir that borders the county to the South.  While recreational boating is not allowed, the large body of water is a significant feature in Butte County.

Mount Rubidoux Park, Riverside, California

Next to the Santa Ana River is Mount Rubidoux, one of the most prominent landmarks in downtown Riverside.  This city landmark provides paved paths for visitors to hike along.

At the top, the symbolic peace tower spans the trail, and an American flag fly’s proudly top.  It’s a great way to pack a lunch and spend the day admiring the wonderful vistas.  A massive cross overlooks the city at the pinnacle, and stone-carved steps are available for sitting.

March Joint Air Reserve Base

For aviation lovers, Riverside is bordered on the East by March Joint Air Reserve Base. Home to the 452nd Operations Group, March Joint Air Reserve Base is an important base for US Airforce tanker and logistic aircraft.

Large and detailed map of California Riverside county. - California Places, Travel, and News.

Interesting Facts About Riverside County

  • Riverside County, California, is situated in the southern portion of the US state of California.  With a population of just under 45,000, the iconic city of Palm Springs is the largest in Riverside County, California.
  • During the 1800s and 1900s, the area now known as Riverside County was inhabited by Cahuilla and the Serrano people.  In 1871 some navel orange trees were planted and were so successful that full-scale planting began.  The citrus industry began in full force three years later, in 1874.
  • At that time, a lady called Eliza Tibbetts received three Brazilian navel orange trees (Bahia orange) from a friend, William Saunders, a horticulturist at the United States Department of Agriculture.
  • The Bahia orange did not do well when planted in Florida but was a thriving success in Southern California.
  • President Theodore Roosevelt planted some of these trees at the Mission Inn property in 1903.
See also  Stanislaus County California
Keys View Overlook Riverside County California. - California Places, Travel, and News.
Beautiful overlook of San Bernardino Mountains and Coachella Valley from Joshua Tree’s highest viewpoint, Keys View, Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California

Things To Do In Riverside County

The whole family can do many things in Riverside, some of which are listed below.

  • March Field Air Museum.
  • Castle Park.
  • Fox Performing Arts Centre.
  • Drive-In Theatre.
  • Fairmont Park,
  • Golf Club.
  • California Citrus State Historic Park.
  • Ballet Folklorico de Riverside.
  • California Riverside Ballet

March Field Air Museum, Riverside, California

March Field Air Museum was opened in 1979 and is home to 70 historic aircraft.  If you want to explore your inner aviation geek, the museum is one of the best places to visit.

A few of the most notorious aircraft include.

  1. The iconic SR-71A Blackbird.
  2. A B-17G Flying Fortress, Boeing, which saw combat over Europe in World War 2.
  3. The high-flying EB-57B Canberra from Martin flew faster than fighters of its era.
  4. The swing-wing FB-111A Aardvark from General Dynamics.
  5. The massive FB-111A Aardvark from General Dynamics, many of which are still operational.
  6. An F14 Navy fighter built by Grumman.
  7. Five Russian-built Mig Fighters.
  8. An F4 Phantom made by McDonald Douglas.
  9. A Boeing
  10. Built F15.
  11. A General Dynamics built F16.

Castle Park, Riverside, California

Castle Park is a family amusement park featuring 27 different rides, ranging from roller coasters, a drop tower, a waterlog slide, and a merry-go-round.  The park has hosted families for more than 43 years and is still going strong.

After you have finished testing your adrenaline levels, there are more things to do.

  1. Four championship miniature golf courses.
  2. A water playground.
  3. Retail shops.
  4. A large selection of carnival games.

The Fox Performing Arts Centre, Riverside, California

The large theatre can accommodate up to 1,650 patrons and regularly holds performances and other special events. Its historical claim to fame is the venue where the first viewing of “Gone with the wind” was held.

Each month there are between 3 – 5 performances, which may include comedic sketches and musical and dance productions.

Van Buren Drive-In Theatre, Riverside, California

Drive-in theatres are slowly being regulated to history, and Riverside, California, hosts one of these historic entertainment venues. Tickets are $9 per adult and $1 per child, and each ticket admits visitors to two movies.

Fairmont Park, Riverside, California

Fairmont Park is a family-orientated public park that features.

  1. A playground.
  2. Picnic facilities.
  3. Two tennis courts.
  4. A lawn bowling green.
  5. A golf course.
  6. Three lakes, including Lake Evans, Brown Lake, and Fairmount Lake, are perfectly suited to fishing.
  7. Paddle boating and other water sports are also available.
  8. Riverside Live Steamers.

Oak Quarry Golf Club, Riverside, California

See also  San Bernardino County California

The Oak Quarry Gold Clun offers the best golf course in California. In 2000 this challenging 18-hole championship golf course was designed by the legendary Dr. Gil Morgan/Schmidt of Curley Design.

The club offers comprehensive practice facilities to get your eye back in.

  1. A grass-station driving range
  2. Two putting greens.
  3. A chipping green.
  4. A bunker practice green.

The club also has a 7,200ft2 clubhouse and entertainment area to round off the golfing facilities.

Riverside Live Steamers, Riverside, California

And as the old comedy show used to say, “And now for something completely different. “Founded in the 1950s, the Riverside Live Steamers operates four working and amazingly detailed miniature steam engines that pull three cars along 10,000 feet of railroad track.

The facility opens on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month from 10 am-3 pm. Amazingly, the rides are free; over 20,000 people ride on these masterpieces each year.

California Citrus State Historic Park

The California Citrus State and Historical Park stretches over 300 acres and serves as a memory of the once-thriving citrus industry, which inspired county names such as Orange County. Fruit tasting sessions are held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Ballet Folklorico de Riverside

If you want to experience culture with a dash of flair, the Ballet Folklorico de Riverside is your venue. This seventy-five-member company of dancers preserves Mexican culture through songs, dances, and costumes.

A year’s performances are held Calabaceado Festival, Dia de Los Muertos, Cinco de Mayo, and the annual UCR showcase.

California Riverside Ballet, Riverside, California

If your interest is more cultural, look no further than the California Riverside Ballet. The California Riverside Ballet was formed in 1969 and has earned a reputation for beautiful and well-executed performances delivered by an exceptional pool of talented ballet dancers.

RIVERSIDE CAUSA JANUARY 20 2011 The World Peace Bridge World Peace Bridge atop Mount Rubidoux Park is an important landmark and religous site in Southern California. - California Places, Travel, and News.

Famous People From Riverside County

Several well-known people hail from Riverside County, California, these include.

Barry Bonds

On July 24, 1964, Barry Bonds was born in Riverside County, California. Barry is a well-known baseball player on the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants teams. With 73, he held the home run record in 2001 and the career home run record of 762.  He also set records with 2,558 career walks and 688 intentional career walks.

Julia Garcia

Julia Garcia is a 15-year-old actress born in Riverside County, California, on October 30, 2006. She made a name for herself in recurring roles in TV series in her young career.

  1. Fresh Off the Boat.
  2. Sydney to the Max.

Kellie Martin

Kellie Martin is an actress born on October 16, 1975, in Riverside County, California.

She is known for acting in movies and TV series.

  1. Rebecca “Becca” Thatcher in Life Goes On.
  2. Daphne Blake in A Pup Named Scooby-Doo.
  3. Christy Huddleston in Christy.
  4. Lucy Knight on ER.
  5. Samantha Kinsey in Mystery Woman TV film series.
  6. Hailey Dean in the Hailey Dean Mystery TV film series.
See also  Tulare County California

In the early 1990’s she won the best young artist award for three successive years. She won “Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.” Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

Lindsay Ridgeway

Born on June 22, 1985, in Ridgeway County, California, Lindsay was a child actress who starred in the 1993 TV series “Boy Meets World.” Her last acting role was in 2005 on the Disney series “Totally Spies.”

Austin Barnes

On December 28, 1989, Austin Barnes was born in Ridgeway County, California. He made his name as a major league catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tatum McCann

On March 25, 1999, Tatum McCann was born in Ridgeway County, California. This now 23-year-old actress is well known;

  1. A child who plays iterations of Alba DeTamble in The Time Traveler’s Wife.
  2. Samantha Newman in Click.
  3. Emily Stevens in the television series Smith.

She has appeared in several guest TV series roles, including;

  1. NYPD Blue.
  2. My Name Is Earl.
  3. ER.

Her older sister, Hailey, acted next to her in The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Scarlett Pomers

Scarlett Pomers is an actress who was born on November 28, 1988, in Riverside County, California. Her most notable roles were;

  1. Reba’s daughter on the television series Reba.
  2. She also appeared in Star Trek: Voyager.

Riverside County California FAQ.

The following list of some frequently asked questions about Riverside County, California

Is Riverside County A Good Place To Live?

With its lower-than-average crime rate, growing home values, and huge population increase, Riverside County, California, is an up-and-coming area where residents enjoy living.

Regarding weather conditions, May, October, and September are the most pleasant months, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

Crime Rate in Riverside County

Crimes per 100,000 people
1. Assault – 295.0 (national average national 282.7)
2. Murder – 7.00 (national average 6.1)
3. Rape – 49.00 (national average 40.7)
4. Robbery – 125.0 (national average 135.5)
5. Burglary – 537.0 (national average 500.1)
6. Theft – 2,101 (national average 2,042.8)
7. Motor Vehicle Theft – 6.04 (national average 284.0)

Is It Expensive In Riverside County?

House prices are 50% higher than the national median value, and the average household income is only 5% higher than the national figure
1. Median home values – $544,220 (American Median $374,900
2. Median home Rent – $2,074
3. Median Household income – $70,732 (American Median $67,521)
Inflation is low, and Riverside County is considered an affordable county to live in.

References

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