San Bernardino CA Moving Companies

San Bernardino, California

San Bernardino, California lies 65 minutes east of Los Angeles, occupying most of the San Bernardino Valley. The county seat of San Bernardino County, the city has a population of 198,580 (as of 2006), making it the 18th-largest city in California. San Bernardino is also one of the oldest cities in the state and celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2010. Often considered to be part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, it is a major city in its own right and a big draw for those moving to San Bernardino.

Economy:
While the city of San Bernardino grew on the basis of ranching and agriculture, much of its economy today depends on the government and services sectors, with a strong influence from the logistics industry. Employment in government, retail establishments and education dominated the San Bernardino workforce, and the biggest single employers in the city are the California State University-San Bernardino, Caltrans District 8, the City of San Bernardino, Community Hospital and the San Bernardino Unified School District. After the closure of the Norton Air Force Base in 1994, the economy of San Bernardino realigned much of its industrial output to the logistics and transportation industries. Today, the city’s favorable position (at the intersection of I-10, I-215 and State Route 210) has led to the establishment of train and trucking freight transit centers as well as several retail warehouse distribution points. It's no wonder San Bernardino moving companies are so busy.

History:
Spanish missionaries were the first Europeans to arrive and settle in the San Bernardino area. One such missionary, Father Francisco Dumetz arrived on May 20, 1810 and erected an altar to honor Saint Bernardino of Siena, the patron saint of that day. In 1819, the permanent mission of Rancho San Bernardino was established to convert, trade with and instruct the local Native American populations. Although the mission was abandoned in 1834, the site quickly converted to a trading post along the busy Spanish Trail. Agricultural settlement of the area began in 1851, when a group of 500 Mormons arrived from Utah. By 1854, the settlement had a population of 1200 and was incorporated as the City of San Bernardino. After experiencing modest growth after the discovery of nearby gold deposits, San Bernardino’s real growth came after 1886, when the Santa Fe Railway completed its transcontinental line. The railway headquartered its operations in the city, which evolved into the principal transportation hub for all of southern California. As a result of the rail presence, San Bernardino doubled in size between 1900 (population 6,150) and 1910 (population 12,779). Today, more and more San Bernardino moving companies are transporting new residents to the area every day.

Tourism:
Long a spa destination, due to mineral springs in the area, San Bernardino today offers a wide range of attractions for residents and visitors. Among the city’s museums are the Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum (showcasing the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the western US), A Special Place children’s museum and Heritage House (a restored Victorian home). The city has four major music companies: the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, the San Bernardino Civic Light Opera Association, the San Bernardino Valley Community Concert Association and Sinfonia Mexicana. Among the many festivals held annually in the city are the National Orange Show (running since 1911) in May and the Stater Brothers Route 66 Rendezvous (a classic car show attracting 500,000 attendees) in September. You can reach San Bernardino by air via the LA/Ontario International Airport (the San Bernardino International Airport is only open for private flights and cargo transit). Local transit from Los Angeles is available from Metrolink and around town from Omnitrans and the Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority.

Colleges/Universities:
• California State University-San Bernardino
• San Bernardino Community College
• The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire
• American Sports University

Interesting Facts:
• The Arrowhead Springs bottled water company derives its name from a figure of an arrowhead, visible on a mountain outside San Bernardino. This large feature, once thought to be an Indian marker but now known to be geological in origin, lies close to several natural springs which are the main source for the bottled water.
• Famous people associated with San Bernardino include actor Gene Hackman, costume designer Edith Head, dancer Twyla Tharp and astronaut Michael Clifford.
• In 1948, two San Bernardino brothers opened a hamburger restaurant. This small establishment eventually would become the McDonald’s fast-food chain.

Helpful Links:
• San Bernardino County
• San Bernardino Convention & Visitors Bureau
• San Bernardino Moving Guide
• San Bernardino County Real Estate