 By the late 1880's, English visitors were frequent in Riverside and there were some English residents. Following the collapse of the 1887 real estate boom, Matthew Gage whose Gage Canal was nearing completion - went to England to discuss with investors the potential of Arlington Heights as a citrus growing area. The result was the formation of the Riverside Trust Company, with Mr. Gage as manager and most of the stock owned in England. The canal was completed and, in 1890, the subdivision map for Arlington Heights was filed.
This area began to be settled in 1875, not as a part of Riverside, but instead as the Village of Arlington. It has never been a city apart from Riverside since it was included in the original 53.2 square mile city limits when Riverside was incorporated in 1883.
The focus of this region has always been agriculture and one can still see vast tracts of orange groves and crop fields. Arlington Heights is the meeting place for the Riverside of yesterday and the Riverside of today. The agricultural lifestyle, so key in the growth of the city, is integrating with the modern suburban ideals and creating a unique intersection of natural and man-made terrain. The residential population of this neighborhood is small and spread widely over the land and half the homes here were built between 1960 and 1980. Arlington Heights has one of the lowest residential densities to be found in the city and nearly all of the lots are multi-acre residences. The vast majority of homes here are owned by their residents, a reflection of higher average incomes and the low-density development. The California State Historic Park, a citrus preserve, offers a glimpse into the citrus history of the city and plans for this area include the development of high quality educational and tourist-oriented facilities. Victoria Avenue, a City Landmark, runs the length of the neighborhood. This two lane divided roadway, which is heavily landscaped, recalls the City’s citrus past in plantings and decorative street signs.
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