Ontario is a city located in
San Bernardino County, CaliforniaSan Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. As of the
2010 CensusThe Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, the city had a population of 163,924, down from 170,373 at the 2000 census, making it the county's fourth most populous city after
San BernardinoSan Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
,
FontanaFontana is a city of 196,069 residents in San Bernardino County, California. Founded in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area...
, and
Rancho CucamongaRancho Cucamonga is a suburban city in San Bernardino County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,269, up from 127,743 at the 2000 census. L. Dennis Michael was elected as Mayor on November 2, 2010. Jack Lam is the City Manager...
.
The city is home to the LA/Ontario International Airport which is the 15th busiest cargo airport in the United States. Ontario handles the mass of freight traffic between the ports of
Los AngelesThe Port of Los Angeles, also called Los Angeles Harbor and WORLDPORT L.A, is a port complex that occupies of land and water along of waterfront. The port is located on San Pedro Bay in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, approximately south of downtown...
and
Long BeachThe Port of Long Beach, also known as Long Beach’s Harbor Department, is the 2nd busiest container port in the USA. It adjoins the separate Port of Los Angeles. Acting as a major gateway for U.S.-Asian trade, the port occupies of land with of waterfront in the city of Long Beach, California...
and the rest of the country. It is also the home of
Ontario MillsOntario Mills is a large enclosed shopping mall, calling itself an outlet mall. It is located in Ontario, California and it is one of the primary tourist attractions in the Inland Empire. It is located across the street from the former site of the Ontario Motor Speedway. Like all other Mills...
and former home of the
Ontario Motor SpeedwayThe Ontario Motor Speedway, located in Ontario, California, east of Los Angeles, was the first and only automobile racing facility built to accommodate major races sanctioned by all of the four dominant racing sanctioning bodies: IndyCar Series and USAC for open-wheel oval car races; NASCAR for a ...
.
It takes its name from the Ontario Model Colony development established in 1882 by the Canadian engineer
George ChaffeyGeorge Chaffey was a Canadian–born engineer who with his brother William developed large parts of Southern California, including what became the community of Etiwanda and cities of Ontario, and Upland...
and his brothers
William ChaffeyWilliam Benjamin Chaffey was a Canadian engineer and irrigation planner who with his older brother George Chaffey developed what became the cities of Etiwanda, Ontario, and Upland in California, United States of America; and the city of Mildura, Victoria, Australia, as well as the town of Renmark,...
and Charles Chaffey. They named the settlement after their home province of
OntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
The area that is now Ontario was part of the lands used for hunting and foraging by the semi-nomadic Tongva Serrano (Gabrieleño) Indians, who were known to roam as far south as the western San Bernardino Mountains. At the time of Mexican and later of American settlement, active Native American settlements were scattered across the entire valley. Remains of a Serrano village were discovered in the neighboring foothills of the present-day city of
ClaremontClaremont is a small affluent college town in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population as of the 2010 census is 34,926. Claremont is known for its seven higher-education institutions, its...
.
Juan Bautista de AnzaJuan Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto was a Novo-Spanish explorer and Governor of New Mexico for the Spanish Empire.-Early life:...
friend of the land owner of Rancho Cucamonga [located at Township 1 South Range 7 West], Tiburcio Tapia, leaving him the assistance of the Cahuilla Indians from Anza, whom were under no control of any Spanish establishments. Other than the street and middle school named after De Anza, the only other artifact representing this expedition of De Anza and the Cahullia Tribe is a structure (still standing at 1007 East Main Street in the city's current Quiet Home Acquisition Project Area) and is not currently recognized for its significance. Following the 1819 establishment of
San Bernardino AsistenciaThe San Bernardino de Sena Estancia was established in 1819 as a ranch outpost of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel in Redlands, California. It was built to graze cattle...
, which may have served as an outpost of the
San GabrielThe Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a fully functioning Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. The settlement was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September 8, 1771, as the fourth of what would become 21 Spanish...
missionThe Spanish missions in California comprise a series of religious and military outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between 1769 and 1823 to spread the Christian faith among the local Native Americans. The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to...
, it became part of a large, vaguely identified area called "San Antonio".
In 1826,
Jedediah SmithJedediah Strong Smith was a hunter, trapper, fur trader, trailblazer, author, cartographer, cattleman, and explorer of the Rocky Mountains, the American West Coast and the Southwest during the 19th century...
passed through what is now Upland on the first overland journey to the West coast of North America via the
National Old Trails HighwayNational Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and became part of the National Auto Trail system in the United States. It was long and stretched from Baltimore, Maryland , to California...
(present-day Foothill Blvd).
The 1834 secularization of California land holdings resulted in the land's transferral to private hands. In 1881, the
Chaffey brothersGeorge Chaffey was a Canadian–born engineer who with his brother William developed large parts of Southern California, including what became the community of Etiwanda and cities of Ontario, and Upland...
purchased the land (which at that time also included the present-day city of
UplandUpland is a city in San Bernardino County, California, located at an elevation of 1,242 feet . As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 73,732, up from 68,393 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated on May 15, 1906, after previously being named North Ontario.-History and culture:Upland...
) and the water rights to it. They engineered a drainage system channeling water from the foothills of Mount Baldy down to the flatter lands below that performed the dual functions of allowing farmers to water their crops and preventing the floods that periodically afflict them. They also created the main thoroughfare of Euclid Avenue (California Highway 83), with its distinctive wide lanes and grassy median. The new "Model Colony" (called so because it offered the perfect balance between agriculture and the urban comforts of schools, churches, and commerce) was originally conceived as a
dryTeetotalism refers to either the practice of or the promotion of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. A person who practices teetotalism is called a teetotaler or is simply said to be teetotal...
town, early deeds containing clauses forbidding the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages within the town. The two named the town "Ontario" because they originally hailed from Ontario, Canada.
Ontario attracted farmers (primarily
citrusCitrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
) and ailing Easterners seeking a drier climate. To impress visitors and potential settlers with the "abundance" of water in Ontario, a fountain was placed at the Southern Pacific railway station. It was turned on when passenger trains were approaching and frugally turned off again after their departure. The original "Chaffey fountain," a simple spigot surrounded by a ring of white stones, was later replaced by the more ornate "Frankish Fountain," an Art Nouveau creation now located outside the Ontario Museum of History and Art.
Agriculture was vital to the early economy, and many street names recall this legacy. The Sunkist plant also remains as a living vestige of the citrus era. The Chaffey brothers left to found the settlements of
Mildura, AustraliaMildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
and
Renmark, AustraliaRenmark is a town in South Australia's rural Riverland area, and is located 254 km northeast of Adelaide, on the banks of the River Murray. The Sturt Highway between Adelaide and Sydney runs through the town; Renmark is the last major town encountered in South Australia when driving this route. It...
which met with varying success. Charles Frankish continued their work at Ontario.
Mining engineer John Tays refined the design of the novel "mule car," used from 1887 for public transportation on Euclid Avenue to 24th Street. At that point, the two mules were loaded onto a platform at the rear of the car and allowed to ride, as gravity propelled the trolley back down the avenue to the downtown Ontario terminus. Soon replaced by an electric streetcar, the mule car is commemorated by a replica in an enclosure south of C Street on the Euclid Avenue median.
Ontario was incorporated as a city in 1891, and North Ontario broke away in 1906, calling itself
UplandUpland is a city in San Bernardino County, California, located at an elevation of 1,242 feet . As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 73,732, up from 68,393 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated on May 15, 1906, after previously being named North Ontario.-History and culture:Upland...
. Ontario grew at an astronomical rate, increasing 10 times in the next half a century. The population of 20,000 in the 1960s again grew 10 times more by the year 2007. Ontario was viewed as an "Iowa under Palm trees," with a solid Midwestern/Mid-American foundation, but it had a large
GermanGerman Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
and Swiss community. Tens of thousands of European immigrants came to work in agriculture, and in the early 1900s the first
FilipinosFilipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
and
Japaneseare American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
farm laborers arrived, later to display nursery ownership skills.
Ontario has over two centuries of
HispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
residents from the
CalifornioCalifornio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
period of Spanish colonial and Mexican rule in the 1840s, but the first wave of Mexican settlers was in the 1880s brought as workers in the railroad industry (see
traqueroA traquero is a railroad track worker, especially a Mexican or Mexican American railroad track worker . The word derives from "traque", Spanglish for "track".While the U.S...
) and another wave from the
Mexican RevolutionThe Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
of the 1910s. Mexican Americans resided in the city's poorer southern side facing
State Route 60State Route 60 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It runs from Interstate 10 near the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles east to I-10 in Riverside County, with overlaps at State Route 57 and Interstate 215.-Route description:...
and
ChinoChino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the western end of the Riverside-San Bernardino Area and it is easily accessible via the Chino Valley and Pomona freeways....
.
Economy
In the years following Ontario's founding, the economy was driven by its reputation as a health resort. Shortly thereafter, citrus farmers began taking advantage of Ontario's rocky soil to plant lemon and orange groves. Agricultural opportunities also attracted
vintnerA vintner is a wine merchant. You pronounce it like this In some modern use, in particular in American English, the term is alsoused as a synonym for winemaker....
s and
oliveThe olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
growers. The
Graber Olive HouseThe Graber Olive House in Ontario, California is the oldest operating olive packer in the United States.In 1894, two years after planting olive trees in Ontario, C. C. Graber began selling vat cured olives from the pictured vat room in vats similar to the ones pictured.The house is a historical site....
, which continues to produce olives, is a city historical landmark and one of the oldest institutions in Ontario.
DairyA dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
farming is also prevalent, as it continues to be in neighboring
ChinoChino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the western end of the Riverside-San Bernardino Area and it is easily accessible via the Chino Valley and Pomona freeways....
.
A major pre-war industry was the city's
General ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
plant that produced clothing
ironsIroning is the use of a heated tool to remove wrinkles from fabric. The heating is commonly done to a temperature of 180-220 °Celsius, depending on the fabric. Ironing works by loosening the bonds between the long-chain polymer molecules in the fibers of the material...
. During and after
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Ontario experienced a housing boom common to many suburbs. The expansion of the Southern California defense industry attracted many settlers to the city.
Today, Ontario still has a manufacturing industry, the most notable of which is the
MagliteMaglite is a brand of flashlight manufactured in the United States by Mag Instrument, Inc. located in Ontario, California, and founded by Anthony Maglica. It was introduced in 1979. Constructed principally of anodized 6061 aluminum, they have a variable-focus beam...
corporation, which produces flashlights there. However, manufacturing has waned, and today Ontario's economy is dominated by service industries and
warehousingA warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
. Much of southern Ontario still contains dairy farms and other
agriculturalAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
farms. However, the area is currently under planning to be developed into a mixed-use area of residential homes, industrial and business parks, and town centers, collectively known as the New Model Colony.
Ontario is also home to the
Famous Stars and StrapsFamous Stars and Straps is an American clothing and accessory line created by Travis Barker on December 8, 1999, best known for being the drummer in the band blink-182...
clothing company and to
Shiekh ShoesShiekh Shoes is a West Coast footwear and apparel retailer with its headquarters in Ontario, California and operating nearly 120 stores located in California, Nevada, Washington, Arizona and Texas...
.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
| # |
Employer |
# of Employees |
| 1 |
LA/Ontario International Airport |
7,690 |
| 2 |
United Parcel ServiceUnited Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
(UPS) |
3,500 |
| 3 |
Pro’s Ranch Markets |
1,575 |
| 4 |
City of Ontario |
1,068 |
| 5 |
U.S. Merchants |
1,000 |
| 6 |
Mag InstrumentMaglite is a brand of flashlight manufactured in the United States by Mag Instrument, Inc. located in Ontario, California, and founded by Anthony Maglica. It was introduced in 1979. Constructed principally of anodized 6061 aluminum, they have a variable-focus beam...
|
900 |
| 7 |
Citizens Business Bank |
719 |
| 8 |
The Icee CompanyThe ICEE Company is a beverage company located in Ontario, California, USA. Its flagship product is the ICEE, which is a frozen carbonated beverage that comes in various fruit and soda flavors. ICEE also produces other frozen beverages, and Italian ice pops under both the ICEE and Slush Puppie...
|
700 |
| 9 |
MarriottMarriott International, Inc. is a worldwide operator and franchisor of a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott, the company is now led by son J.W. Marriott, Jr...
|
624 |
| 10 |
Toyota |
530 |
Entertainment and performing arts
Built in 1925, it was leased to West Coast Junior Theater and by the 1940s
was part of Fox West Coast Theater chain.
The Granada Theater was designed by noted architect L.A. Smith.
Sports
The Citizens Business Bank Arena is a sports arena which opened in late 2008. It is owned by Ontario, but is operated by
Anschutz Entertainment GroupThe Anschutz Entertainment Group is a sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports events, the owner of the world’s most profitable sports and entertainment venues, and under AEG Live the world's...
. It is an 11,000-seat multi-purpose arena, and is home to the
Ontario ReignThe Ontario Reign is a ice hockey team from Ontario, California that play in the ECHL. Their home arena is the Citizens Business Bank Arena. They are a minor league affiliate team of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League.-Team History:...
, a team in the
ECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
. It is the largest enclosed arena in the
Inland EmpireThe Inland Empire is a region in Southern California. The region sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Inland Empire most commonly is used in reference to the U.S. Census Bureau's federally-defined Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, which covers more than...
.
The first year
Los Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
affiliate plays at the 9,736 -seat Citizens Business Bank Arena. Ontario has posted a respectable 5,207 per game average (5th) in a very crowded southern California entertainment market. Minor league teams often have to build a following with success over time, but Ontario Reign fans have offered strong support of this team right out of the gate.
Ontario was recently announced as the host of the 2010 ECHL Allstar Game. Ontario joins Stockton (2008), Fresno (2006), and Bakersfield (2011) as California franchises hosting the league's midseason showcase. The minor league ASG is expected to pump more than $1 million dollars into the local economy.
Traditions
Since 1959, Ontario has placed three-dimensional nativity scenes from the life of
JesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
on the median of
EuclidEuclid , fl. 300 BC, also known as Euclid of Alexandria, was a Greek mathematician, often referred to as the "Father of Geometry". He was active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I...
Avenue during the Christmas season. The scenes, featuring statues by the sculptor Rudolpho Vargas, were challenged in the 1998 as a violation of
church-state separationThe concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
under the
California ConstitutionThe document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of California. The original constitution, adopted in November 1849 in advance of California attaining U.S. statehood in 1850, was superseded by the current constitution, which...
by
atheistAtheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
resident Patrick Greene, but the dispute was resolved when private organizations began funding the storage and labor involved in the set-up and maintenance of the scenery in its entirety.
As means to support the nativity scenes the Ontario Chamber of Commerce started "Christmas on Euclid". This is a craft fair extravaganza is held the first Saturday in December. High end artist/merchants come to sell their creations. The Ontario Rotary also participates in this event by having a classic car show that raises money for the library. Euclid Avenue is closed to traffic from "G" street to Holt for area residents to enjoy shopping for Christmas present and having a delicious meal. In 2009 the Ontario Kiwanis took over management of the event.
The All-States Picnic, an
Independence DayIndependence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
celebration, began in 1939 to recognize the varied origins of the city's residents. Picnic tables lined the median of Euclid Avenue from Hawthorne to E Street, with signs for each of the country's 48 states. The picnic was suspended during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but when it resumed in 1948, it attracted 120,000 people. A 1941
Ripley's Believe It or Not!Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise, founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims...
cartoon listed Ontario's picnic table as the "world's longest." As native Californians came to outnumber the out-of-state-born, the celebration waned in popularity until it was discontinued in 1981. It was revived in 1991 as a celebration of civic pride.
For over 50 years the first Saturday in June the Ontario Kiwanis and the Ontario Rotary partner for the annual "Pancake Breakfast and Car Show". Over 10,000 inland empire resident's come to eat delicious pancakes and view the over 400 cars that come to show off their gorgeous paint jobs and hope appreciate all the hard work they put into the cars.
Geography
Ontario is located at 34°3' North, 117°38' West (34.05, -117.63).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 50 square miles (129.5 km²). Of that, 49.9 square miles (129.2 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) is water. The total area is 0.13% water.
Surrounding municipalities
Climate
Demographics
2010
After a long period of growth, Ontario showed a population decline between the 2000 and 2010 censuses.
The 2010 United States Census reported that Ontario had a population of 163,924. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,278.1 people per square mile (1,265.7/km²). The racial makeup of Ontario was 83,683 (51.0%) White, 10,561 (6.4%) African American, 1,686 (1.0%) Native American, 8,453 (5.2%) Asian, 514 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 51,373 (31.3%) from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 7,654 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 113,085 persons (69.0%).
The Census reported that 163,166 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 411 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 347 (0.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 44,931 households, out of which 23,076 (51.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 23,789 (52.9%) were
opposite-sex married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7,916 (17.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 3,890 (8.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,470 (7.7%)
unmarried opposite-sex partnershipsPOSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons 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 cohabitation in American households....
, and 384 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6,741 households (15.0%) were made up of individuals and 2,101 (4.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.63. There were 35,595
familiesA family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(79.2% of all households); the average family size was 3.98.
The population was spread out with 49,443 people (30.2%) under the age of 18, 19,296 people (11.8%) aged 18 to 24, 49,428 people (30.2%) aged 25 to 44, 34,703 people (21.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 11,054 people (6.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.9 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.
There were 47,449 housing units at an average density of 948.9 per square mile (366.4/km²), of which 24,832 (55.3%) were owner-occupied, and 20,099 (44.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.8%. 90,864 people (55.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 72,302 people (44.1%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 158,007 people, 43,525 households, and 34,689 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,173.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,225.5/km²). There were 45,182 housing units at an average density of 907.6 per square mile (350.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 47.8% White, 7.5% African American, 1.1% Native American, 3.9% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 34.1% from other races and 5.3% were from two or more races. 59.9% were
HispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or
LatinoThe demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 43,525 households out of which 49.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.6 and the average family size was 4.0.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.4% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,452, and the median income for a family was $44,031. Males had a median income of $31,664 versus $26,069 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,244. 15.5% of the population and 12.2% of families were below the poverty line. 19.1% of those under the age of 18 and 7.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Local government
The city is governed by a five-member council: Mayor Paul Leon, who was elected as mayor in 2005, re-elected in November 2006 and is the first Hispanic to serve in that position in the history of Ontario, Mayor pro tem Debra Dorst-Porada, Alan Wapner, Jim Bowman and Sheila Mautz. Councilmembers Bowman and Wapner being the longest tenured members on the council both with 17 years in office. Councilmember Bowman being the only member of the council that is a lifelong resident of Ontario.(66 years)
According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's various funds had $399.4 million in revenues, $305.3 million in expenditures, $1,606.0 million in total assets, $317.6 million in total liabilities, and $412.4 million in cash and investments.
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
| City Department |
Director |
| City Manager |
Chris Hughes |
| Deputy City Manager |
Al C. Boling |
| City Attorney |
John E. Brown |
| Administrative Services / Finance Director |
Grant D. Yee |
| Development Director |
Otto Kroutil |
| Public Works / Community Services Director |
Mohamed El-Amany / Mark Chase |
| Fire Chief |
Dave Carrier |
| Police Chief |
Eric Hopley |
| Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Director |
Brent D. Schultz |
| Economic Development Director |
John Andrews |
| Redevelopment Director |
John Andrews |
Politics
In the
state legislatureThe California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Ontario is located in the 32nd
SenateThe California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Gloria Negrete McLeodGloria Negrete McLeod has been a California State Senator since December 2006. Prior to that, she served in the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2006 after having lost in a 1998 bid for the Assembly. A resident of Chino, she defeated Joe Baca, Jr...
, and in the 61st
AssemblyThe California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat
Norma TorresNorma Torres is an American politician. She is currently a member of the California State Assembly, representing the 61st district which includes the cities of Pomona, Montclair, Ontario, and Chino. She is a Democrat....
. Federally, Ontario is located in
California's 43rd congressional districtCalifornia's 43rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in San Bernardino County. The Hispanic-majority district encompasses the southwestern part of the county and includes San Bernardino and Rialto....
, which has a
Cook PVIThe Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +13 and is represented by Democrat
Joe BacaJoseph N. "Joe" Baca is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 42nd from 1999 to 2003, is located in southwestern San Bernardino County and includes Fontana, Rialto, Ontario and parts of the city of San...
.
Education
Ontario has 25 public elementary schools, six public middle schools and five public high schools under the combined oversight of four school districts. There are also several private schools throughout the city as well as two private military schools. Ontario also has nine trade schools.
Providence Christian CollegeProvidence Christian College is a four-year liberal arts college in Pasadena, California. Founded in 2005, it is an independent, confessionally Reformed college with no formal denominational ties....
, a four-year Christian liberal arts college, opened in 2005. The
University of La VerneThe University of La Verne is a private research university located in La Verne, California . Founded in 1891, the university is composed of the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business & Public Management, College of Education and Organizational Leadership, College of Law, and a Regional...
College of Law and
Chaffey CollegeChaffey College is a public community college in the San Bernardino County city of Rancho Cucamonga, California, in the northern part of the community of Alta Loma. Chaffey provides students with different classes and programs, including business, science, the arts, history, philosophy,...
Ontario Campus are located in downtown Ontario.
National UniversityNational University , founded in 1971, is a comprehensive, nonsectarian, independent, accredited, non-profit private university headquartered in La Jolla, California, United States, with academic degree programs offered at campuses located throughout the state, one in Henderson, Nevada, and...
and
Chapman UniversityChapman University is a private, non-profit university located in Orange, California affiliated with the Christian Church . Known for its blend of liberal arts and professional programs, Chapman University encompasses seven schools and colleges: Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media...
have a
satellite campusA satellite campus or branch campus is a campus of a college or university that is physically detached from the main university or college area, and is often smaller than the main campus of an institution....
near the Ontario Mills mall.
Transportation
The LA/Ontario International Airport provides domestic and limited international air travel. Because of the many manufacturing companies and warehouses in the city, the airport also serves as a major hub for freight, especially for
FedExFedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
and
UPSUnited Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
. This airport is owned by the city of Los Angeles.
Because Ontario is a major hub for passengers and freight, the city is also served by several major freeways. Interstate 10 and the Pomona Freeway (
State Route 60State Route 60 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It runs from Interstate 10 near the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles east to I-10 in Riverside County, with overlaps at State Route 57 and Interstate 215.-Route description:...
) run east-west through the city. Interstate 10 is north of the Ontario airport while the Pomona freeway is south of the airport. Interstate 15 runs in the north-south directions at the eastern side of the city.
State Route 83The segment of Euclid Avenue, Route 83, from Philadelphia Street in Ontario north to 24th Street in Upland was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district in 2005...
, also known as Euclid Avenue, also runs in the north-south direction at the western side of the city.
Ontario also has a
MetrolinkMetrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
station off of Haven Avenue. It connects Ontario with much of the Greater Los Angeles area, Orange County and the San Fernando Valley. Public bus transportation is provided by
OmnitransOmnitrans is a public transportation agency in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The largest transit operator within San Bernardino County, it serves the San Bernardino Valley. The agency was established in 1976 through a joint powers agreement and today includes 15 cities and...
.
Tourism
The
Ontario MillsOntario Mills is a large enclosed shopping mall, calling itself an outlet mall. It is located in Ontario, California and it is one of the primary tourist attractions in the Inland Empire. It is located across the street from the former site of the Ontario Motor Speedway. Like all other Mills...
mall is home to the only
Kenny Rogers RoastersKenny Rogers Roasters is a chicken restaurant that was founded by country musician Kenny Rogers and former Kentucky governor John Y. Brown, Jr., who had also owned Kentucky Fried Chicken from 1964 to 1971. The menu was originally centered on wood-fired rotisserie chicken. After closing almost all...
still operating within the United States.
Sister cities
Ontario has four
sister citiesTwin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
around the world. They are:
Brockville, OntarioBrockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Brockville is politically independent and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.Known as the "City of the 1000...
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(since 1977) GuamuchilGuamúchil , Sinaloa, is a city in northern Mexico 100 km north of Culiacán.The city serves as municipal seat of the municipality of Salvador Alvarado. At the census of 2005 the city had an official population of 61,862 inhabitants...
,
SinaloaSinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
,
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(since 1982) MocoritoMocorito is a city and its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. It stands at.The municipality reported 50,082 inhabitants in the 2000 census.-External links:*http://www.mocorito.com/...
, Sinaloa, Mexico
(since 1982) WinterthurWinterthur is a city in the canton of Zurich in northern Switzerland. It has the country's sixth largest population with an estimate of more than 100,000 people. In the local dialect and by its inhabitants, it is usually abbreviated to Winti...
,
SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(since 1982)
Notable residents
- Hobie Alter, pioneer surfboard maker and catamaran builder
- Rod Barajas
Rodrigo Richard Barajas is a Mexican American professional baseball catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. He came up to the majors with the Arizona Diamondbacks in...
, MLBMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player for the Los Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
- Jim Brulte
James L. Brulte is a Republican U.S. politician who served as a California State Senator, representing the 31st district, from 1996 to 2004. He also served as the Senate Republican leader from 2000 to 2004. Brulte also served as Vice-Chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee...
, politician
- Henry Bumstead, Academy Award-winning cinematic art director and designer
- Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...
, Author and Newbery MedalThe John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
award winning Novelist.(1984),The Luckiest Girl and memoir My Own Two Feet
- Cle Kooiman, former soccer player
- Harry Chamberlin, inventor of the Chamberlin
The Chamberlin is an electro-mechanical keyboard instrument that was a precursor to the Mellotron. It was developed and patented by Iowa, Wisconsin inventor Harry Chamberlin from 1949 to 1956, when the first model was introduced. Various models and versions of these Chamberlin music instruments...
electro-mechanical keyboard
- Del Crandall
Delmar Wesley Crandall is a former professional baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves...
, former MLB player
- Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
, MLSMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
player for the Los Angeles GalaxyThe Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
and formerly Everton of the Premier League
- Prince Fielder
Prince Semien Fielder is a Major League Baseball free agent who plays first base. He is currently listed at 5' 11" and . He was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida.He is the son of former Detroit...
, player for the Milwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
- Ana Patricia González
Ana Patricia González is a Mexican beauty queen who won the fourth year of Univision's beauty contest/reality television show Nuestra Belleza Latina on May 23, 2010....
, winner of Nuestra Belleza Latina 2010Nuestra Belleza Latina 2010 is the fourth season of Nuestra Belleza Latina and also the fourth season to be aired on Univision. The season premiere was Tuesday March 9, 2010 at 10pm/9c. It had been speculated that the show was moving to Tuesdays as its original time.The show will continue Sundays...
(Our Latin Beauty 2010)
- Robert Graettinger
Robert Frederick Graettinger was an American composer, best known for his work with Stan Kenton.-Early life and work:...
, composer
- Alan Haskvitz
Mr. Alan Paul Haskvitz is a teacher and author. He has been inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame and was named as a "Hero in Education" by Reader's Digest. He currently teaches eighth grade history at Suzanne Middle School in Walnut, California...
, National Teachers Hall of FameThe National Teachers Hall of Fame is an American non-profit organization honoring exceptional school teachers. It was founded in 1989 by Emporia State University, the ESU Alumni Association, the City of Emporia, USD 253, and the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce...
inductee, educator and author
- Nick Leyva
Nicholas Tomas Leyva is the current third base coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Leyva, who is of Mexican American descent, is a former minor league player and manager, and has spent over a decade as a Major League Baseball coach...
, former manager of the Philadelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1989–1991)
- Christina "T" Lopez
Christina T Lopez , better known by her stage name T Lopez, is an American and Mexican actress and singer from Ontario, California. T Lopez was a former member of the Latina group, known as Soluna who were signed to DreamWorks Records whose musical debut album "For All Time" and debut single of the...
, singer, actress; former member of Latin girl dance-pop band SolunaSoluna was a music group consisting of four members, all of Hispanic descent - Aurora Rodriguez, America Olivo, Jessica Castellanos, and Christina "T" López. The group's name is the combination the Spanish words for sun and moon...
- Anthony Muñoz
Michael Anthony Muñoz , is a Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle who played most of his career for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals...
, 1998 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
inductee
- Al Newman
Albert Dwayne Newman is a former infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Montreal Expos , Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers...
, former MLB player
- Douglas Northway
Douglas Dale Northway is a former freestyle swimmer from the United States, who won the bronze medal in the Men's 1500m Freestyle at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany.-References:*...
, Olympic bronze medalist, swimming
- Joan O'Brien
Joan O'Brien is an American actress and singer. She made a name for herself acting in television shows in the 1950's and 1960's, and as a film co-star with Cary Grant, Elvis Presley, John Wayne and Jerry Lewis....
, Actress, graduate of Chaffey Union High School District.
- Joey Scarbury
Joey Scarbury is an adult contemporary singer best known for his hit song, "Theme from The Greatest American Hero ", in 1981.-Childhood and early music career:...
, singer
- Robert Shaw
Robert Shaw was an American conductor most famous for his work with his namesake Chorale, with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Shaw received 14 Grammy awards, four ASCAP awards for service to contemporary music, the first Guggenheim Fellowship...
, conductor
- Mike Sweeney
Michael John "Mike" Sweeney is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Sweeney played his first 13 seasons in the majors with the Kansas City Royals, originally as a catcher and then moving to first base. Sweeney has also played for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Philadelphia...
, MLB player for the Philadelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, attended Ontario High School and led their baseball team to an undefeated record in 1991 which led to the state CIF title
- Joseph Wambaugh
Joseph Aloysius Wambaugh, Jr. is a bestselling American writer known for his fictional and non-fictional accounts of police work in the United States...
, author
- Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, musician and composer
- Antonio Pierce
Antonio Durran Pierce is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football at Arizona....
, American Football player
External links