Moreno Valley,

Riverside County, California

This vibrant city of 180,000+ souls is NOT even close to being considered a ghost town, but since it is the home for Ghost Town USA, we proudly feature its story on our pages.

A brief historic timeline of

Moreno Valley

pre-1883

Cahuilla Indian settlements along hill bases around the valley.

1775-1776

Anza Expedition --- Spanish expeditionary force under leadership of Captain Juan Bautista de Anza, marched through the region from Yuma to Northern California.

1848

Gold discoveries in western Sierra foothills on January 24 create a mass rush to California.

1850

September 9, President Millard Fillmore signs legislation making California the 31st state.

1860s

Butterfield Stage Route ran from Tucson to Los Angeles through what is now Temecula and up Temescal Valley through Corona. Many local histories incorrectly claim it ran through Western Perris and Moreno Valleys then over Pigeon Pass/Reche Canyon to San Bernardino. However, there was an independent stage that did follow that route.

1881/2

Frank Brown and Edward Judson began development of Redlands.

1883

Frank Brown contracts to provide water to the town of Redlands. He and Judson formed the Bear Valley Land and Water Company and built a dam on the Santa Ana River in Bear Valley (now called Big Bear Dam/ Lake).

1888

Town of Alessandro established. It was named after Alessandro the hero in RAMONA, Helen Hunt Jackson’s popular novel. It was located under what is now the runways at March Air Reserve Base, due east of the current March Air Museum.

1890

The town of New Haven is platted and developed by Brown & Judson.

Then in October the name was changed to Moreno (Which is Spanish for Brown.)

1891

Perris & Alessandro Irrigation District formed by order of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. This was the first salvo in the litigation battle between Redlands and the Moreno Valley region over use of the Bear Valley Dam water.

Moreno development begins at the intersection of Alessandro and Redlands boulevards, and a post office was established.

1893

In May 1893, Riverside County was formed from part of San Bernardino and San Diego counties. For county seat honors, Riverside was the only name officially on the ballot, but a space was provided for write-ins. Moreno did poll 11 votes, a distant second.

The Moreno-Riverside Stage line began operation. Owned and operated by Hadley & Williams, it ran down Box Springs Grade, which at that time was a steep, dangerous road. A daily stage line also ran from Moreno to Redlands (via San Timoteo Canyon), carrying mail and passengers.

Physical development included:

First Community Church. (Renamed and moved to Fir Ave in the early 1900s.)
Methodist-Episcopal Church met in the Moreno School building.
Four established schools held class, but only Moreno had its own building (replaced in 1928). The other schools were Alessandro, Cloverdale, and Midland. All four of these school names are currently applied to more recent schools. Classes were held in homes and other buildings while the necessary facilities were built. The Midland school was built with $4000 in bonds. It was located at or near where the present library is located, which is at the corner of Kitching St., and Alessandro Blvd.
The Moreno Indicator newspaper was established with Franklin H, Austin as editor.
Hotel de Moreno opened on Feb 27. It was a three-story brick building with wide verandas and a tennis court.
other businesses included

drug store
grocery
hardware store
lumber yard
doctor
livery & others

mid-1890s

Increasing agricultural needs, increased demands for water by upstream users and drought conditions caused a decrease in water available for local farmers.

1899

Litigation over the water from Bear Valley dam ended, and the City of Redlands was awarded priority rights. Coupled with a major drought, most farming in the Moreno Valley area ended. Many buildings in Moreno and Alessandro were jacked up and moved to Riverside. What was left was either torn down and loaded onto wagons, or abandoned. Some houses were even stolen and moved, much to the chagrin of the building’s owners!

1901

The entire Moreno Valley was nearly deserted except for a few dry farms, which produced crops such as wheat, oats and barley.

1912

Moreno Mutual Water Company discovered water in San Timoteo Canyon. 33,000 volt electric transmission lines were pushed up Box Springs Grade and ran down through west end of the valley to the City of Perris.

1913

Sunnymead Orchard Tract laid out by a Mr. Mead and other investors. This small farming community was named after him as well as the sunny location.

1918

Alessandro Aviation Field was developed as a WW I-era training base for fighter pilots. On March 20, the airfield was officially named March Field in honor of early aviation pioneer Lt. Peyton C. March Jr.

1920s

Early development of Edgemont (Edge of the Mountains).

In Sunnymead, the Courtesy Market was established on Sunnymead Blvd. by H.O Larson.

1922

March Field closed due to general disarmament program after WWI.

1927

March Field reopened as flight training school.

1928

Building known as “Old Moreno School” built in Moreno. This building replaced the older one built in 1893.

1936

Grevillea Ave (Sunnymead Blvd) was paved.

1942

US 395 widened, which helped the struggling businesses in Edgemont. Camp Haan established along the west side of US 395 to house and train thousand of troops being sent overseas.

The Perris Valley district of the California Electric Power Co., established an office in Edgemont to supply power to Edgemont & Moreno.

1947

Due to WW II having ended two years before, Camp Haan closed, hurting both the economy of Edgemont and Sunnymead.

1948

Midland School obtained a couple old barracks from Camp Haan for use as classrooms. Other buildings from the old base were relocated all over town. Sunnymead’s population was estimated to be 1500-2000.

1949

1^st annual Sunnymead Fair took place. Fairgrounds were located where

Sunnymead Park now is (Perris/Fir)

Early 1950s

1^st major development of tract homes with 150 cottages built in Edgemont, and outside the east gate of March.

1951

In Edgemont, Baker’s Serve-Ur-Self gas station built. Location not determined, but from old photo appears to be on the northeast side of a major intersection (Old US 395/I-215 & Alessandro?). It was close to the heart of the Edgemont business district, and in addition to six pumps, offered Goodyear Tires and full services.

1953

Clarence and Shirley Glidewell purchased the old Courtesy Market on Sunnymead Boulevard, enlarged it, and increased the stock. The name was changed to reflect the new owners – Glidewell’s Courtesy Market.

1954

Eastern Municipal Water District began supplying water for the valley.

1955

Estimated population was 7500

Some of the businesses operating at this time included

Beacon Cocktail Lounge and Café
C. (Chet) Moreland Insurance Agency
Descher’s Associated Service, a five-pump Flying A service station.
Doshier’s Union Oil Service, A full-service Union 76 service station.

H & H Cafe.
Hitchcock’s Chevron Station, also had a public scale available.
Moreno General Store...In Moreno.
Sunnymead Stop-Shop Market & (meat) Locker Service.
Watson’s Hobby Shop. Located in the “Boals Building” along US 395.

1958

Riverside International Raceway opened. (In mid-1950s Bob Hope was on the Board of Directors.) Site of major racing activities, including the Skip Barber Driving School.

1960

US 60 (now called SH 60) was completed as a freeway in the Badlands area. Construction through Moreno Valley was finished by 1965. Census figures gave the population of the entire Moreno Valley area as around 15,000. Valley Bank opened its doors at the same location is now is at the intersection of Heacock St./ Sunnymead Blvd.

1966

First incorporation drive began with a feasibility study. A sewer bond was approved, and sewer lines were soon to be installed.

1968

Issue of incorporation defeated in the election.

1970

On October 24, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the dam at Lake Perris.

Census figures showed the population increasing.

· Edgemont – 3500

· Moreno – 250

· Sunnymead – 6708

1975

A new restaurant built on southeast corner of Heacock/Sunnymead, where the Der Wienerschnitzel currently stands.

1980

Census figures showed a major increase in the population.

· Edgemont – 5215

· Moreno – 1175

· Sunnymead – 11,554

1982

In February, the shopping center on the southwest corner of Perris/ Alessandro built. (K-Mart)

1983

Second attempt at incorporation issued defeated. Growth begins in earnest.

1984

Third attempt at incorporation made. In November the issue passed, and on Dec 3, 1984, City of Moreno Valley came into being. 1st city council consisted of:

David Horspool
Bob Lynn
Judy Nieburger
Marshall C. Scott (Mayor)
Stephen C. Webb

1988

Riverside International Raceway closed in August.

1990

City of Moreno Valley population reaches a population of 118,779, and the community makes news as the fastest growing city in the country.

1992

Moreno Valley Mall at Towngate opened at the old raceway site, just about the time the economy took a major dump. Throughout Southern California cities and towns were badly hurt by the crash. Most economists called it a recession, but in the Southern California region many folks considered it a depression. Call it what you may, but it lasted for several years.

1995

March Air Force Base de-commissioned to a reserve base. City offices relocated into the first city-owned “City Hall” building on Frederick Street, just south of Alessandro Blvd. The boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s subsides. In 1995 the official estimate of population was 139,300 people, making it California’s 25^th largest city.

2002

The major “recession” of the 1990s finally ended with a major increase in growth bringing a large number of residential developments. Commercial and industrial projects also began to sprout throughout the city, including a new LOWE’S Home improvement store, and WALGREEN’s new 750,000 square foot warehouse, housing their Southwestern US distribution center (Opening Jan 2004). Other large projects included new office buildings for B & B FRAMING (a locally-owned contracting firm), WASTE MANAGEMENT and the BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) which relocated from Riverside to a spot across from City Hall.

2003

This was the year of growth. Population estimates place Moreno Valley’s population at nearly 151,000.

Some of the major projects that have been completed:

WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, built a larger facility in Towngate Center.

3 NEW PARKS

SENIOR CITIZEN’s Apartment building on Eucalyptus Ave, just east of Heacock.

WALMART: On July 10, it was announced that a new Walmart (Super Walmart?) is to be built just west of

the Auto Mall.

CIRCUIT CITY and WENDY’S (Opened Dec 2003) Restaurant near LOWE’s.

HYUNDAI: A new dealership located at auto mall.

HOME DEPOT: A second Moreno Valley store at the northwest corner of Perris Blvd and Iris Ave. will open

in January 2004.

LAKESIDE PLAZA: a new shopping center anchored by a Stater Brothers grocery store at the northwest

corner of Lasselle/Iris.

In 2003 the city issued over 5600 building permits, the largest number since 1989. With existing home prices increasing at 20% or greater per year, and with new home prices pushing into the mid-200,000 range, new and existing homes are selling very well. There is much commercial and industrial expansion, and barring any unforeseen economic downturns, the future of Moreno Valley indeed looks very bright.

2004-2007

Look for new schools, parks, commercial and industrial development as well as a city-owned electrical utility and continued rapid residential growth.

The FUTURE…

Visit the City of Moreno Valley’s AWARD-WINNING Website!

*****

FIRST POSTED: May 20, 2001

LAST UPDATED: Dec 17, 2007

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