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Rancho Cucamonga History, California

Rancho Cucamonga, a city in San Bernardino County in California was incorporated in the year 1977 due to the merger of unincorporated communities including Cucamonga, Etiwanda and Alta Loma. Talking about the Native American traditions of southern California, it stabilized about 3000 years ago. Approximately 20 linguistic families along with close to about 135 varied languages helped in characterizing this culture. By the 1200 A.D. era, the Native Americans of Kucamonga established some village-like gathering surrounding the land masses popularly known as the Red Hill. These Kucamonga people formed an integral part of Gabrielino culture. Also, the anthropologists hold the notion that these Garielinos existed like one of biggest concentrations of the indigenous people in North America.

The mid 19th C blend of lives as well as cultures is duly represented in the property developed by John Rains and Maria Merced Williams de Rains. The couple bought this Rancho de Cucamonga in the year 1858 from the daughter of Tapia and Leon Victor Prudhomme, her husband. This Rancho era came to an end thereby changing the land ownership as well as debates over the water rights. When mixed with transportation, this water availability shaped the very nature of the development.

Abraham Lincoln signed in the post office situated at Red Hill base in the year 1864. After the departure of Dona Merced and the death of John Rains, Rancho was declared as a foreclosed estate. Later, this Rancho was purchased by Isaias Hellman and businessman of San Francisco who formed Cucamonga Company. Both access and water supply were given to the colony of Cucamonga in the year 1887 because irrigation tunnels were dug in the Cucamonga canyon. Even though the early settlers cultivated and planted olive, citrus and peach, wine making and vineyards were the main features of this Cucamonga community.

The community of Alta Loma was carved from real Rancho de Cucamonga. Hellman, the banker, formed Cucamonga Homestead Association however, he could not have water for the subdivision and the development of the town was curtailed. Later, Adolph Petsch along with other investors started Hermosa tract outside the Rancho area in the year 1881. The city’s Etiwanda community was the first town to be planned by the famous William and George Chaffey. Women and men from various cultures actually shaped the overall history of Rancho Cucamonga. Many of the Mexican families contributed a lot to the city’s groves and vineyards and constructing camps.

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