Rancho Cucamonga, California has a rich history rooted in its rural past as a citrus and wine producing region. It is also the site of California's oldest winery at Foothill Blvd. and Vineyard Avenue.  Although tremendous urban growth has developed in recent years, there are still a couple of wineries doing business in the city.

Rancho Cucamonga  is one of the safest communities in Southern California with award winning school districts, clean and quiet neighborhoods, executive-style housing and within one hours drive of beach, mountain and desert communities. The city is located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains just above Ontario. It is middle to upscale community and one of the newest and most modern in the northern part of the county. It covers 37 square miles and most of the homes near the foothills boast sweeping panoramic views of the valley to the south and mountains to the north.  The city is currently ranked no. 46 on Money Magazine’s Top 100 Best Places to Live.

Brief History: Cucamonga was named after a Spanish land grant, Cucamonga Rancho, inspired by the Shoshone Indian word for sandy place and was the site of a Native American settlement.

On the Jack Benny Show in the 1950’s, Mel Blanc (voice of Bug’s Bunny and other Warner Bros. cartoon characters) immortalized the town with his Southern Pacific conductor’s call of “Anaheim, Azusa and Cooooocamongaaaaa!”  In the 50’s, the city’s name was Cucamonga and fewer than 1,000 homes existed in the area. The area boasted rock quarries, wineries and orange groves.  In the 1960’s, 3,200 homes and apartments were built, but the real boom began in the 1970’s when the town built 11,000 residential units. 17,000 more homes and apartments were built in the 1980’s but in the 1990’s the building boom slowed to 9,100 residential units.

In 1977, residents voted to incorporate Cucamonga as a legal city and bring planning and development under local control.  The city incorporated the surrounding neighborhoods of Etiwanda, Alta Loma and Cucamonga forming the new City of Rancho Cucamonga.

Currently: Rancho Cucamonga’s Park and Recreation Department, working with the school district, sponsors many classes aimed at all ages, but particularly children with dance, gymnastics, exercise, crafts, roller hockey, equestrian activities, little theater, and more. Sports is big in RC with soccer, softball, basketball and for the baseball fans, it’s the Minor League Quakes with their own stadium, The Epicenter.  There are about 20 parks, including a large sports park near the stadium, a golf course, community centers, senior center, skiing, NASCAR racing, ice skating, water sports and many other activities within a short drive.

Chaffey College is a large community college located in the foothills in the neighborhood of Alta Loma.  Alta Loma schools score generally in the 70^th to the 90^th percentile…the top 30 percent of the state.  Many of the elementary schools have received California’s Distinguished School Award.

Most of the shopping in the city is located along Foothill Boulevard (Route 66) and at the Victoria Gardens near Interstate 15 and Baseline Road. The Victoria Gardens Regional Shopping Center  has a unique downtown urban village style and is a main attraction in the city. It is approximately 1.2 million square feet and features JCPenny, Macy's, Robinsons-May, Abercrombe & Fitch, Pottery Barn, Williams- Sonoma, AMC Theaters, Cheescake Factory, P.F. Chang's China Bistro and over 100 other specialty retailers and restaurants. 

Gail Griffin, GRI, e-PRO, Realtor

Direct (909) 952-9515