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The Beginnings
The City of Riverside's rich heritage begins with the original
residents of the area, the Cahuilla and Serrano Indian tribes,
and continues with a Spanish expedition in 1774 led by Captain
Juan Bautista de Anza, who sought to chart a colonization route.
Mexican and Spanish settlers poured into the area to establish
ranchos, presidios, and missions.
In 1844, Juan Bandini sold 6,700 acres, a considerable portion
of what is today downtown Riverside, to Louis Rubidoux, a former
fur trapper, who then started a cattle and grain ranch. In 1870, John W. North solicited investors to found the Southern California
Colony Association and laid out a mile-square town site, originally
called Jurupa. In 1871, the name was changed to Riverside.
Riverside's climate and landscape were found to be perfect
for citrus crops. The success of these crops prompted a steady
flow of agriculturalists and investors into the area who hoped
to profit from the new citrus industry. The citrus industry
also attracted numerous communities of immigrants; Chinese,
Japanese, and Mexican workers flooded into the area hoping to
acquire their own fortunes. At the turn of the century, Riverside
contained the most successful agricultural cooperative in the
world, the California Fruit Growers Exchange (Sunkist), which
was the home of a superior research institution, the Citrus
Experimentation Station, positioning Riverside to become the
world’s center for citrus machinery production.
A Charter City
By the turn of the century, Riverside had become an incorporated
city of 8,000. In 1907, by a vote of the people, it became a
charter city instituting a Mayor-Council form of government.
This charter was modified in 1929 and further amended in 1934
and 1949.
In 1950, prompted by growth in population and operating problems,
a community-wide effort developed to establish a new City Charter.
A City Board of Freeholders was elected in August 1951 to address
the problems. A new Charter implementing the Council-Manager
form of government was adopted in 1952 and ratified by the State
Legislature in 1953.
In 1981, 1986, 1996 and 2007, the Charter was clarified and
updated, but still maintains the 1952 governmental framework.
The Mayor and 7-member elected
City Council formulate City policy
and the City Manager executes the policy.
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