San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is the largest
county in the contiguous
United States by area, containing more land than
nine states.
Located in the southeast of the
state of
California, the deserts and mountains of this vast county stretch from the outskirts of the densely populated
Greater Los Angeles Area to the
Nevada border and the
Colorado River.
As of 2005 the population was 1,932,000, largely located in its more populated southwestern portions. The
county seat is
San Bernardino. Its southwestern portions are considered to be part of the
Inland Empire region of
Southern California, a bicounty area.
Father Francisco Dumetz named San Bernardino on
May 20, 1810, feast day of St.
Bernardino of Siena.
San Bernardino County was formed from parts of
Los Angeles County in 1853. Parts of the county's territory were given to
Riverside County in 1893.
The
Franciscans gave the name San Bernardino to the snowcapped peak in
southern California, in honor of the saint. From him the county derives its name.
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 52,073
km² (20,105
mi²). 51,936 km² (20,052 mi²) of it is land and 137 km² (53 mi²) of it (0.26%) is water. It is the largest county in the lower 48 states, and is thirteen times the area of the state of
Rhode Island.
The county has three major regions: the
Mojave Desert, the
San Bernardino Mountains, and the
San Bernardino Valley. Most of the county's area is desert, with the mountains and valley in the southwest corner.
The Mojave National Preserve covers some of the eastern desert, especially between
Interstate 15 and
Interstate 40. The desert portion also includes the cities of
Needles next to the
Colorado River, and
Barstow at the junction in
Interstate 15 and
Interstate 40.
Trona is at the northwestern part of the county west of
Death Valley. This famous national park, mostly within
Inyo County, also has a small portion of land within the county. The largest metropolitan area in the
Mojave Desert part of the county is the
Victor Valley with the incorporated localities of
Apple Valley,
Victorville,
Adelanto, and
Hesperia. Further south, a portion of
Joshua Tree National Park overlaps the county near
Twentynine Palms. Additional places near and west of Twentynine palms include
Yucca Valley,
Joshua Tree, and
Morongo Valley.
The mountains are home to the
San Bernardino National Forest, and include the communities of
Crestline,
Lake Arrowhead,
Running Springs,
Big Bear City,
Forest Falls, and
Big Bear Lake.
The
San Bernardino Valley is at the eastern end of the
San Gabriel Valley, and is part of the
Inland Empire. The San Bernardino Valley includes the cities of
Ontario,
Chino,
Chino Hills,
Upland,
Fontana,
Rialto,
Colton,
Grand Terrace,
Rancho Cucamonga,
San Bernardino,
Loma Linda,
Highland,
Redlands, and
Yucaipa.
San Bernardino County is ranked as the county with the worst ozone air pollution in the United States by the
American Lung Association.[
1]
*
Interstate 10*
Interstate 15*
Interstate 40*
Interstate 210*
Interstate 215*
U.S. Route 95*
U.S. Route 395*
California State Route 127*
Inyo County, California- north
*
Clark County, Nevada- northeast
*
Mohave County, Arizona- east
*
La Paz County, Arizona- southeast
*
Riverside County, California- south
*
Orange County, California- southwest
*
Los Angeles County, California- west
*
Kern County, California- west
San Bernardino County, California, is one of the few counties in the United States to border as many as 8 counties.
*
Barstow College*
California State University, San Bernardino*
Chaffey College*
Loma Linda University*
San Bernardino Valley College*
University of Redlands*
Victor Valley CollegePresidential elections results| Year | GOP! Dems |
|---|
| 2004 | 55.3% 289,306 | 43.6% 227,789 |
| 2000 | 48.7% 221,757 | 47.2% 214,749 |
| 1996 | 43.6% 180,135 | 44.4% 183,372 |
| 1992 | 37.2% 176,563 | 38.7% 183,634 |
| 1988 | 60.0% 235,167 | 38.5% 151,118 |
| 1984 | 64.8% 222,071 | 34.0% 116,454 |
| 1980 | 59.7% 172,957 | 31.7% 91,790 |
| 1976 | 49.5% 113,265 | 47.9% 109,636 |
| 1972 | 59.7% '144,689 | 35.5% 85,986| 1968 | 50.1% 111,974 | 40.0% 89,418| 1964 | 42.8% 92,145 | 57.1% 123,012| 1960 | 52.0% 99,481 | 47.5% ''90,888 | |
| | |
San Bernardino County has traditionally been a stronghold of the
Republican Party. However, the
Democratic Party has become more competitive in recent years.
As of the
census² of 2000, there were 1,709,434 people, 528,594 households, and 404,374 families residing in the county. The
population density was 33/km² (85/mi²). There were 601,369 housing units at an average density of 12/km² (30/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 58.91%
White, 9.09%
African American, 1.17%
Native American, 4.69%
Asian, 0.30%
Pacific Islander, 20.82% from
other races, and 5.03% from two or more races. 39.16% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
There were 528,594 households out of which 43.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were
married couples living together, 14.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.50% were non-families. 18.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 3.58.
In the county the population was spread out with 32.30% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 18.70% from 45 to 64, and 8.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,066, and the median income for a family was $46,574. Males had a median income of $37,025 versus $27,993 for females. The
per capita income for the county was $16,856. About 12.60% of families and 15.80% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 20.60% of those under age 18 and 8.40% of those age 65 or over.
The
Inland Empire is well known for its
Chicano gangs. The most well-known is the Onterio Sur Varrio Sunkist St Los B.A's
Black Angels OVS gang and West Side Verdugo. Fueled by
drug money and the ease of communication brought on by affordable
cell phones, the street gangs have flourished and spread across and beyond the Inland Empire in the face of sporadic and ineffective
law enforcement efforts and inadequate intervention strategies. Incidents of gang violence in San Bernardino County have increased since the
1960s, while at the same time growing more brutal. There are now an estimated 68,600 gang members in 287 gangs in the Inland Empire.
Sergeant Phil Brown of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said the gangs are growing more violent in the farthest reaches of the county, including the
High Desert. Racial tensions among the Chicano gangs and the Afro-American gangs have heightened dramatically in the Inland Empire, causing even the most rural areas to be affected. "It's getting out in more remote areas," Brown said. "They go gang against gang. There's more gang violence to the general public and it's becoming more random.." [
2]
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Adelanto*
Apple Valley*
Barstow*
Big Bear Lake*
Chino*
Chino Hills*
Colton*
Fontana*
Grand Terrace*
Hesperia*
Highland*
Loma Linda*
Montclair*
Needles*
Ontario*
Rancho Cucamonga*
Redlands*
Rialto*
San Bernardino*
Twentynine Palms*
Upland*
Victorville*
Yucaipa*
Amboy*
Angelus Oaks*
Baker*
Big Bear City*
Big River*
Bloomington*
Bluewater*
Cadiz*
Crestline*
Daggett*
Earp*
Forest Falls*
Fort Irwin*
Goffs*
Joshua Tree*
Lake Arrowhead*
Landers*
Lenwood*
Lucrene Valley*
Lytle Creek*
Mentone*
Morongo Valley*
Mountain View Acres*
Muscoy*
Nebo Center*
Newberry Springs*
Nipton*
Phelan*
Pinon Hills*
Running Springs*
San Antonio Heights*
Searles Valley*
Trona*
Twentynine Palms Base*
Wrightwood*
Yermo*
Yucca Valley*
The Mojave National Preserve*
Calico Ghost Town northeast of Barstow via
Interstate 15*
Zzyzx (The name of a
road and
rural community in the County)
*
Amboy, a ghost town along
Route 66*
Joshua Tree National Park*
San Bernardino National Forest home to
Big Bear outdoor activities
Including current residents, as well as former residents who have made their mark in history.
*
Jefferson Hunt Western Pioneer
*
Glen Bell, founder of
Taco Bell*
John Walker Lindh, the so-called "American Taliban" fighter now incarcerated in
Victorville*
Dick and Mac McDonald, the fast food pioneering brothers of what became
McDonalds Corporation
*
Tim Powers, fantasy author
*
Spike (Peanuts), the fictional canine resident from the
Needles area
*
Roy Rogers and
Dale Evans*
Wyatt Earp, One of the "Fighting Earps" of Dodge City, and Tombstone Fame. Lived in *
San Timeteo Canyon, *
Colton and *
Vidal. *
Earp, California*
Nicholas Porter Earp, Justice of the Peace, Coroner, Judge, Preacher, Saloon Owner, Gambler, Father of the "Fighting Earps".
*
Virgil Earp, One of the "Fighting Earps" of Dodge City, and Tombstone Fame. US Marshall, Arizona Territory.
*
James Cooksey Earp, One of the "Fighting Earps" of Dodge City, and Tombstone Fame. Buried in Mountain View Cemetery, *
San Bernardino*
Morgan Earp, US Marshall Killed in Tombstone, Arizona, and buried in Hermosa Gardens Cemetery, Colton, California, One of the "Fighting Earps" of Tombstone Fame.
*
List of California counties*
List of school districts in San Bernardino County, California*
San Bernardino County website*
San Bernardino County Museum website*
The Inland Empire Community Online*
Photographic virtual tour of San Bernardino County.
