Fontana, California
Encyclopedia
Fontana is a city of 196,069 residents in San Bernardino County, California
. Founded in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II
, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser
built a large steel mill in the area. It is now a regional hub of the trucking industry, with Interstate 10
and State Route 210
transecting the city from east to west, and Interstate 15
passing diagonally through its northwestern quadrant.
It is home to the largest of the San Bernardino County system libraries, a renovated historic theater, a municipal park, and the Auto Club Speedway on the site of the Kaiser Steel
Mill. Fontana also hosts the Fontana Days Half Marathon and 5K run. This race is on record as the fastest half-marathon course in the world.
The U.S. 2010 Census reported that Fontana's population was 196,069 in 2010, making it the second most populous city in the county and 20th in the state.
. Within a few years it became an agricultural town of citrus orchards, vineyards and chicken ranches astride U.S. Route 66
(now known as Foothill Boulevard). The Fontana area was radically transformed during World War II
when Henry J. Kaiser
built the only steel mill west of the Mississippi River outside the city limits.
Ross and Violet Gesler immigrated to Fontana, Ross developed the Ross Gesler orchid in the greenhouses on his Arrow Boulevard home. Later his grandson, David Eshleman, became mayor of the city.
In the 1950s and '60s Fontana was home to a drag racing strip that was a venue in the NHRA circuit. Mickey Thompson’s Fontana International Dragway was also referred to as Fontana Drag City or Fontana Drag Strip. The original Fontana strip is long since defunct, but the owners of NASCAR
’s new Auto Club Speedway opened a new NHRA-sanctioned drag strip in Fontana in mid-2006 to resurrect Fontana’s drag-racing heritage.
Ro-Val's automobile museum, located on Foothill Blvd on the western outskirts between Fontana and Cucamonga, was for a while the home for many classic automobiles of the 1920s and '30s, including a huge vehicle once owned by screen actor Fatty Arbuckle
. When the Ro-Val museum closed, the vehicles were sold to Bill Harrah, a Nevada casino owner and automobile collector, who placed them on display in the museum located at his casino.
As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 128,929, but the present population is now estimated to have reached 189,021 (2009). This rapid expansion had much to do with the numerous large, new residential developments in the almost totally undeveloped northern part of the city, as well as with the city's aggressive (and highly successful) campaign to annex several unincorporated, but developed, San Bernardino county island areas in 2006-2007.
and San Bernardino
, is built atop a geologically young, gently southward-sloping alluvial fan
from nearby Lytle Creek
, deposited mainly during the Holocene
and late-Pleistocene
epochs
. There are also sedimentary deposits of similar age from Etiwanda Creek on the western edge of the city. However, the northern and southern edges of the city are formed by the much older San Gabriel
and Jurupa mountain ranges, respectively. The Jurupa Mountains are composed primarily of Cretaceous
and Paleozoic
-era rocks, as are the San Gabriels, which also include even older, Proterozoic
formations. The most prominent of the San Gabriel Mountains visible from Fontana is Cucamonga Peak
, elevation 8,859 feet (2,700m). Additionally, the Cucamonga Fault Zone, contiguous with the Sierra Madre Fault Zone, runs through the northern part of the city, along the base of the San Gabriels, notably through the Hunter's Ridge and Coyote Canyon planned communities. It is estimated to be capable of producing earthquakes approximately of Magnitudes 6.0 to 7.0.
The city's listed elevation, measured from the northeast corner of the intersection of Upland Avenue and Sierra Avenue, downtown by City Hall, is 1237 feet (377 m). However, the highest elevation within the city limits is approximately 2,600 feet (792.48m), in the northernmost part of the Panorama neighborhood of Hunter's Ridge. The lowest point within the city limits is approximately 840 feet (256.03m), at the intersection of Etiwanda and Philadelphia avenues, the extreme southwestern corner of the city. This difference in elevation is due to the southward slope of the Lytle Creek alluvial fan.
of the San Gabriel mountains, from the Mojave Desert
. Fontana can also be extremely hot in summer, well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
(Temperatures vary by zip code)
was 4,620.8 people per square mile (1,784.1/km²). The racial makeup of Fontana was 92,978 (47.4%) White, 19,574 (10.0%) African American, 1,957 (1.0%) Native American, 12,948 (6.6%) Asian, 547 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 58,449 (29.8%) from other races
, and 9,616 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 130,957 persons (66.8%).
The Census reported that 195,625 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 216 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 228 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 49,116 households, out of which 29,465 (60.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 30,245 (61.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 8,074 (16.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4,125 (8.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,447 (7.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 317 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,801 households (9.8%) were made up of individuals and 1,633 (3.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.98. There were 42,444 families
(86.4% of all households); the average family size was 4.18.
The population was spread out with 64,521 people (32.9%) under the age of 18, 22,995 people (11.7%) aged 18 to 24, 57,646 people (29.4%) aged 25 to 44, 39,823 people (20.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 11,084 people (5.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.7 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
There were 51,857 housing units at an average density of 1,222.1 per square mile (471.9/km²), of which 33,862 (68.9%) were owner-occupied, and 15,254 (31.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.0%. 134,857 people (68.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 60,768 people (31.0%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 128,929 people, 34,014 households, and 29,013 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,569.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,378.2/km²). There were 35,908 housing units at an average density of 994.2 per square mile (383.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 45.0% White, 11.8% African American, 1.1% Native American, 4.4% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 31.9% from other races
, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 57.7% of the population.
There were 34,014 households out of which 57.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.8 and the average family size was 4.0.
In the city the population was spread out with 37.8% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 14.7% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,782, and the median income for a family was $46,957. Males had a median income of $36,062 versus $26,305 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,208. About 12.2% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
and Rancho Cucamonga
, many product distribution centers for such companies as Toyota, Target
, Sears, Mercedes-Benz
, Southern California Edison
, Home Shopping Network
, and Avery Dennison
. The city is also home to numerous small manufacturers of building materials and other locally-used products, and many small auto dealerships and salvage yards. Fontana's economy has also heavily encouraged, at least until such activities had been somewhat hampered by the Subprime mortgage crisis
, the planning, developing and construction of new housing tracts. The city also has numerous local shopping centers, such as the Summit Heights Gateway/Falcon Ridge Town Center at the north end of the city, and Palm Court in the southern section. The city also features commercial strip zoning along several of its major avenues and boulevards, such as the "Miracle Mile" Straddling the 210 Freeway between Citrus and Sierra Avenues. The official Fontana Auto Center is part of that zone, with two major dealerships already in place.
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
Possibly the city's largest economic engine, however, is the Auto Club Speedway. Although technically not within the city limits, the speedway brings tens of thousands of racing fans and dozens of teams to the region for a few days each year, which can be a major boon for local restaurants, motels, hotels, and auto service stations.
style in 1937, and designed by architect C.H. Boller, the former Fontana (movie) Theater was recently renovated during 2004-2008 after several decades of various other uses, into a live dinner theater, with $6,000,000 in funds earmarked by the Fontana City Council. It reopened to the public on July 25, 2008.
One of the objectives of the program is to introduce the process used by the artist to develop the art form, and methods used to bring the work to life. Each artist selected for the quarterly showcases is asked to exhibit their work for a three month period in the City Council Chamber Foyer located at City Hall. The artist will also be showcased in a small presentation, invited to dine with the members of the Fontana Community and presented to City Council. Additionally, each artist selected will be awarded a nominal stipend from the local Fontana business community.
mill. The large smelting furnaces of the mill were sold to China
, and the rest remains a working steel mill operated by California Steel Industries, which is owned by the Japanese company JFE Steel Corporation.
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
Fontana is a General Law City governed by the codes adopted by the legislators of the State of California. Fontana is governed by an elected Mayor and four Council Members. The Mayor and Council Members, City Clerk and City Treasurer are elected every four years.
provides patient transportation via EMT/Paramedic staffed ambulances.
Fontana also maintains its own police department, but for the unincorporated areas (like the nearby town of Bloomington), the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
is used (mainly from the Fontana satellite station, or backup deputies from the West Valley/Rancho Cucamonga
Regional Station).
Fontana is located in the 32nd Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Gloria Negrete McLeod
, and in the 62nd and 63rd Assembly
Districts, represented by Democrat Wilmer Carter
and Republican Mike Morrell
respectively. Federally, Fontana is located in California's 43rd congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +10 and is represented by Democrat Joe Baca
.
Located on Sierra Avenue, downtown, some features of the library include:
The building also contains some city government offices.
Many dedicated individuals and community groups volunteer their efforts in working toward the beautification, preservation and maintenance of the Center.
, some areas of the city are served by neighboring school districts.
and offer an independent study program to obtain a high school diploma.
.
The city is also served by Omnitrans bus service.
Company. Gas service is provided by the Southern California Gas Company. Telephone and DSL Internet service are through AT&T
and Verizon, though Verizon serves a smaller portion of the city. Time Warner Cable
also provides cable television and cable Internet access. Burrtec Waste provides rubbish and trash collection throughout the city. Burrtec offers both regular waste and green waste recycling programs. Fontana is served by five different water companies, but none of their service areas overlap. These companies are: Fontana Water; the Cucamonga Valley Water District; Marygold Mutual Water; and West Valley Water District, and the City of Rialto. Sewage service in the city is provided by the Inland Empire Utilities Agency
, but is billed out by the City of Fontana itself.
The hospital is home to sixty different specialized departments, plus emergency care.
Also, located in the north end of the city, along the "Miracle Mile" of Sierra Lakes Parkway and the 210 freeway, is the Sierra San Antonio Medical Plaza, a 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²) outpatient center and medical office building supported by San Antonio Community Hospital. Services currently available from SSAMP are urgent care, diagnostic radiology, physician offices, and a pharmacy.
The facility also boasts a 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) educational suite where community lectures, health screenings, awareness campaigns, maternity and CPR classes are held.
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
. Founded in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser
Henry J. Kaiser
Henry John Kaiser was an American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. He established the Kaiser Shipyard which built Liberty ships during World War II, after which he formed Kaiser Aluminum and Kaiser Steel. Kaiser organized Kaiser Permanente health care...
built a large steel mill in the area. It is now a regional hub of the trucking industry, with Interstate 10
Interstate 10 in California
Interstate 10 , the major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States, runs in the U.S. state of California east from Santa Monica, on the Pacific Ocean, through Los Angeles and San Bernardino to the border with Arizona...
and State Route 210
Interstate 210 and State Route 210 (California)
Interstate 210 and State Route 210 together form a contiguous highway, called the Foothill Freeway, in the Greater Los Angeles area of the U.S. state of California. The western portion of the route is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, while the eastern portion is a state highway...
transecting the city from east to west, and Interstate 15
Interstate 15 in California
In the U.S. state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north–south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Counties, and it has a length of in the state. It is a major thoroughfare for traffic between Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as points beyond...
passing diagonally through its northwestern quadrant.
It is home to the largest of the San Bernardino County system libraries, a renovated historic theater, a municipal park, and the Auto Club Speedway on the site of the Kaiser Steel
Kaiser Steel
Kaiser Ventures is an American corporation, headquartered in Ontario, California. It was founded by Henry J. Kaiser to provide steel plate for the Pacific Coast shipbuilding industry, which expanded during World War II, then shrank, then expanded again during the Korean War...
Mill. Fontana also hosts the Fontana Days Half Marathon and 5K run. This race is on record as the fastest half-marathon course in the world.
The U.S. 2010 Census reported that Fontana's population was 196,069 in 2010, making it the second most populous city in the county and 20th in the state.
History
Fontana was founded in 1913 by Azariel Blanchard MillerAzariel Blanchard Miller
Azariel Blanchard Miller was an American farmer, rancher, and developer credited with founding the city of Fontana, California, in 1913. Miller Park, Miller Avenue, and Fontana A.B...
. Within a few years it became an agricultural town of citrus orchards, vineyards and chicken ranches astride U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
(now known as Foothill Boulevard). The Fontana area was radically transformed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when Henry J. Kaiser
Henry J. Kaiser
Henry John Kaiser was an American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. He established the Kaiser Shipyard which built Liberty ships during World War II, after which he formed Kaiser Aluminum and Kaiser Steel. Kaiser organized Kaiser Permanente health care...
built the only steel mill west of the Mississippi River outside the city limits.
Ross and Violet Gesler immigrated to Fontana, Ross developed the Ross Gesler orchid in the greenhouses on his Arrow Boulevard home. Later his grandson, David Eshleman, became mayor of the city.
In the 1950s and '60s Fontana was home to a drag racing strip that was a venue in the NHRA circuit. Mickey Thompson’s Fontana International Dragway was also referred to as Fontana Drag City or Fontana Drag Strip. The original Fontana strip is long since defunct, but the owners of NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
’s new Auto Club Speedway opened a new NHRA-sanctioned drag strip in Fontana in mid-2006 to resurrect Fontana’s drag-racing heritage.
Ro-Val's automobile museum, located on Foothill Blvd on the western outskirts between Fontana and Cucamonga, was for a while the home for many classic automobiles of the 1920s and '30s, including a huge vehicle once owned by screen actor Fatty Arbuckle
Fatty Arbuckle
Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. Starting at the Selig Polyscope Company he eventually moved to Keystone Studios where he worked with Mabel Normand and Harold Lloyd...
. When the Ro-Val museum closed, the vehicles were sold to Bill Harrah, a Nevada casino owner and automobile collector, who placed them on display in the museum located at his casino.
As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 128,929, but the present population is now estimated to have reached 189,021 (2009). This rapid expansion had much to do with the numerous large, new residential developments in the almost totally undeveloped northern part of the city, as well as with the city's aggressive (and highly successful) campaign to annex several unincorporated, but developed, San Bernardino county island areas in 2006-2007.
Topography
Most of the city of Fontana, like its eastern neighbors RialtoRialto, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Rialto had a population of 99,171. The population density was 4,434.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Rialto was 43,592 White, 16,236 African American, 1,062 Native American, 2,258 Asian, 361 Pacific Islander, 30,993 from other...
and San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, is built atop a geologically young, gently southward-sloping alluvial fan
Alluvial fan
An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit formed where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads typically at the exit of a canyon onto a flatter plain. A convergence of neighboring alluvial fans into a single apron of deposits against a slope is called a bajada, or compound alluvial...
from nearby Lytle Creek
Lytle Creek
Lytle Creek, California, is an approximately stream in southwestern San Bernardino County near the city of San Bernardino. It is a tributary of the Santa Ana River. The river flows through the eastern San Gabriel Mountains and has three forks, the North, Middle and South forks...
, deposited mainly during the Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
and late-Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
epochs
Epoch (geology)
An epoch is a subdivision of the geologic timescale based on rock layering. In order, the higher subdivisions are periods, eras and eons. We are currently living in the Holocene epoch...
. There are also sedimentary deposits of similar age from Etiwanda Creek on the western edge of the city. However, the northern and southern edges of the city are formed by the much older San Gabriel
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
and Jurupa mountain ranges, respectively. The Jurupa Mountains are composed primarily of Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
and Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
-era rocks, as are the San Gabriels, which also include even older, Proterozoic
Proterozoic
The Proterozoic is a geological eon representing a period before the first abundant complex life on Earth. The name Proterozoic comes from the Greek "earlier life"...
formations. The most prominent of the San Gabriel Mountains visible from Fontana is Cucamonga Peak
Cucamonga Peak
Cucamonga Peak is one of the highest peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains of California. The area is in the Cucamonga Wilderness on the San Bernardino National Forest. Named for Tiburcio Tapia's Rancho Cucamonga, the mountain towers over the present-day cities of Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario and Fontana...
, elevation 8,859 feet (2,700m). Additionally, the Cucamonga Fault Zone, contiguous with the Sierra Madre Fault Zone, runs through the northern part of the city, along the base of the San Gabriels, notably through the Hunter's Ridge and Coyote Canyon planned communities. It is estimated to be capable of producing earthquakes approximately of Magnitudes 6.0 to 7.0.
The city's listed elevation, measured from the northeast corner of the intersection of Upland Avenue and Sierra Avenue, downtown by City Hall, is 1237 feet (377 m). However, the highest elevation within the city limits is approximately 2,600 feet (792.48m), in the northernmost part of the Panorama neighborhood of Hunter's Ridge. The lowest point within the city limits is approximately 840 feet (256.03m), at the intersection of Etiwanda and Philadelphia avenues, the extreme southwestern corner of the city. This difference in elevation is due to the southward slope of the Lytle Creek alluvial fan.
Climate
The city is frequently affected by the strong, hot and dry Santa Ana winds as they blow through the nearby Cajon PassCajon Pass
Cajon Pass is a moderate-elevation mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California in the United States. It was created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault...
of the San Gabriel mountains, from the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
. Fontana can also be extremely hot in summer, well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
(Temperatures vary by zip code)
Surrounding areas
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Fontana had a population of 196,069. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,620.8 people per square mile (1,784.1/km²). The racial makeup of Fontana was 92,978 (47.4%) White, 19,574 (10.0%) African American, 1,957 (1.0%) Native American, 12,948 (6.6%) Asian, 547 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 58,449 (29.8%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 9,616 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 130,957 persons (66.8%).
The Census reported that 195,625 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 216 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 228 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 49,116 households, out of which 29,465 (60.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 30,245 (61.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8,074 (16.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4,125 (8.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,447 (7.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 317 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,801 households (9.8%) were made up of individuals and 1,633 (3.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.98. There were 42,444 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(86.4% of all households); the average family size was 4.18.
The population was spread out with 64,521 people (32.9%) under the age of 18, 22,995 people (11.7%) aged 18 to 24, 57,646 people (29.4%) aged 25 to 44, 39,823 people (20.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 11,084 people (5.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.7 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
There were 51,857 housing units at an average density of 1,222.1 per square mile (471.9/km²), of which 33,862 (68.9%) were owner-occupied, and 15,254 (31.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.0%. 134,857 people (68.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 60,768 people (31.0%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 128,929 people, 34,014 households, and 29,013 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,569.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,378.2/km²). There were 35,908 housing units at an average density of 994.2 per square mile (383.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 45.0% White, 11.8% African American, 1.1% Native American, 4.4% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 31.9% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 57.7% of the population.
There were 34,014 households out of which 57.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.8 and the average family size was 4.0.
In the city the population was spread out with 37.8% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 14.7% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,782, and the median income for a family was $46,957. Males had a median income of $36,062 versus $26,305 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,208. About 12.2% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Fontana's current economy is driven largely by industrial uses, particularly trucking-based industries. The city is home to several truck dealerships, and other industrial equipment sales centers, and, like its neighbors OntarioOntario, California
Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
and Rancho Cucamonga
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Rancho Cucamonga is a suburban city in San Bernardino County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,269, up from 127,743 at the 2000 census. L. Dennis Michael was elected as Mayor on November 2, 2010. Jack Lam is the City Manager...
, many product distribution centers for such companies as Toyota, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, Sears, Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison , the largest subsidiary of Edison International , is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California, USA. It provides 14 million people with electricity...
, Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network or HSN began in 1977 as a 24-hour/7 day a week home shopping television network televised via cable, satellite, and some terrestrial channels in the Philippines. HSN can also be shopped online at hsn.com...
, and Avery Dennison
Avery Dennison
Avery Dennison Corporation is a global manufacturer and distributor of pressure sensitive adhesive materials , office products, and various paper products....
. The city is also home to numerous small manufacturers of building materials and other locally-used products, and many small auto dealerships and salvage yards. Fontana's economy has also heavily encouraged, at least until such activities had been somewhat hampered by the Subprime mortgage crisis
Subprime mortgage crisis
The U.S. subprime mortgage crisis was one of the first indicators of the late-2000s financial crisis, characterized by a rise in subprime mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures, and the resulting decline of securities backed by said mortgages....
, the planning, developing and construction of new housing tracts. The city also has numerous local shopping centers, such as the Summit Heights Gateway/Falcon Ridge Town Center at the north end of the city, and Palm Court in the southern section. The city also features commercial strip zoning along several of its major avenues and boulevards, such as the "Miracle Mile" Straddling the 210 Freeway between Citrus and Sierra Avenues. The official Fontana Auto Center is part of that zone, with two major dealerships already in place.
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care consortium, based in Oakland, California, United States, founded in 1945 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and physician Sidney Garfield... |
5,300 |
| 2 | Fontana Unified School District Fontana Unified School District Fontana Unified School District is located in and serves most of the city of Fontana, California, a community in San Bernardino County about 50 miles east of Los Angeles. The district contains 45 schools, which serve students from K-12 to adult education. It was established in the 1920s and unified... |
3,939 |
| 3 | City of Fontana | 1,883 |
| 4 | Target Target Corporation Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's... |
1,393 |
| 5 | Manheim Auctions Manheim Auctions Manheim, Inc. is an automobile auction company. It is the largest one in the world by volume of trade. As a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., Manheim provides services including financing, title work, transportation, recovery, auto body repair, dealership management systems, dent repair and... |
700 |
| 6 | Better Beverages | 500 |
| 7 | American Security Products | 450 |
| 8 | Coronado Stone Products | 400 |
| 9 | Firth Rixson | 380 |
| 10 | Reddaway YRC Worldwide YRC Worldwide Inc. is the holding company for a portfolio of brands including YRC, YRC Reimer, New Penn, USF Holland and USF Reddaway. YRC Worldwide has a comprehensive network in North America with local, regional, national and international capabilities... |
350 |
Possibly the city's largest economic engine, however, is the Auto Club Speedway. Although technically not within the city limits, the speedway brings tens of thousands of racing fans and dozens of teams to the region for a few days each year, which can be a major boon for local restaurants, motels, hotels, and auto service stations.
Culture, sports and recreation
Center Stage
Located next door to the Lewis Library on Sierra stands the Center Stage Theater. Built in the Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style in 1937, and designed by architect C.H. Boller, the former Fontana (movie) Theater was recently renovated during 2004-2008 after several decades of various other uses, into a live dinner theater, with $6,000,000 in funds earmarked by the Fontana City Council. It reopened to the public on July 25, 2008.
Art Depot
The Art Depot is one of Fontana's original community centers, and is a specialized Cultural Arts facility. Originally built as a freight depot of the Pacific Electric Railway in 1915, the Art Depot sits alongside the newly landscaped Pacific Electric Trail in the Helen Putnam Historical Plaza. The Art Depot offers art classes, open studio activities, and special events.Artist Showcase
The city's Artist Showcase program at city hall was developed in order to demonstrate Fontana’s dedication to the Cultural Arts. Through the provision of quarterly artist showcases, Fontana residents are introduced to local artists.One of the objectives of the program is to introduce the process used by the artist to develop the art form, and methods used to bring the work to life. Each artist selected for the quarterly showcases is asked to exhibit their work for a three month period in the City Council Chamber Foyer located at City Hall. The artist will also be showcased in a small presentation, invited to dine with the members of the Fontana Community and presented to City Council. Additionally, each artist selected will be awarded a nominal stipend from the local Fontana business community.
Auto Club Speedway
Auto Club Speedway, a racetrack that plays host to one NASCAR Sprint Cup event a year and various smaller races, is located in an unincorporated part of Fontana, on Cherry Avenue. It is built on the former site of the Kaiser SteelKaiser Steel
Kaiser Ventures is an American corporation, headquartered in Ontario, California. It was founded by Henry J. Kaiser to provide steel plate for the Pacific Coast shipbuilding industry, which expanded during World War II, then shrank, then expanded again during the Korean War...
mill. The large smelting furnaces of the mill were sold to China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, and the rest remains a working steel mill operated by California Steel Industries, which is owned by the Japanese company JFE Steel Corporation.
Fontana Park
Upon opening to the public on October 25, 2008, Fontana Park (located in the northern part of the city at Summit Avenue and Lytle Creek Road), is now the city's second largest municipal park, featuring a large state-of-the-art community center(Jessie Turner Health and Fitness Community Center), aquatic center, skate park, dog park, sports pavilion, and several child-oriented play areas.Government
Local government
According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city’s various funds had $348.0 million in Revenues, $224.0 million in expenditures, $1,371.6 million in total assets, $754.1 million in total liabilities, and $251.3 million in cash and investments.The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
| City Department | Director |
|---|---|
| City Manager | Kenneth R. Hunt |
| Deputy City Manager / Development Services | Debbie Brazill |
| Deputy City Manager / Administrative Services | David R. Edgar |
| Police Chief | Rodney Jones |
| Redevelopment/Special Projects Director | Raymond Bragg |
| Public Works Director | Chuck Hays |
| Community Services Director | Garth Nelson |
| Deputy City Clerk | Sandra Medina |
| Human Resources Director | Annette Henckel |
| Engineering Director | Ricardo Sandoval |
| Building and Safety Director | Andy Shipper |
| Management Services Director | Lisa A. Strong |
| Information Technology Director | Dennis Vlasich |
| Community Development Director | Don Williams |
Fontana is a General Law City governed by the codes adopted by the legislators of the State of California. Fontana is governed by an elected Mayor and four Council Members. The Mayor and Council Members, City Clerk and City Treasurer are elected every four years.
Public safety
Effective July 1, 2008, the City of Fontana formed its own Fire Protection District (similar to a Fire Department). Fontana has continued with its previous fire protection provider (now as a contract city) with the San Bernardino County Fire Department. American Medical ResponseAmerican Medical Response
American Medical Response, Inc. or is an American provider of emergency and non-emergency medical transportation, operating in 38 states and the District of Columbia. It employs around 17,000 personnel and has a fleet of 4,400 vehicles...
provides patient transportation via EMT/Paramedic staffed ambulances.
Fontana also maintains its own police department, but for the unincorporated areas (like the nearby town of Bloomington), the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department serves San Bernardino County, California, which is geographically the largest county in the lower 48 states. SBSD provides law enforcement services to the unincorporated areas of the county and contract law enforcement services to 14 of the county's...
is used (mainly from the Fontana satellite station, or backup deputies from the West Valley/Rancho Cucamonga
Rancho Cucamonga
Rancho Cucamonga was a Mexican land grant in present day San Bernardino County, California given in 1839 to dedicated soldier, smuggler and politician, Tiburcio Tapia by Mexican governor Juan Bautista Alvarado. The grant encompassed present day Rancho Cucamonga...
Regional Station).
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Fontana is located in the 32nd Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Gloria Negrete McLeod
Gloria Negrete McLeod
Gloria Negrete McLeod has been a California State Senator since December 2006. Prior to that, she served in the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2006 after having lost in a 1998 bid for the Assembly. A resident of Chino, she defeated Joe Baca, Jr...
, and in the 62nd and 63rd Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
Districts, represented by Democrat Wilmer Carter
Wilmer Carter
Wilmer Amina Carter has been a California State Assemblymember since December 2006. She is a Democrat.-Pre Legislative Career and Personal:Carter served 16 years on the Rialto Board of Education from 1983 through 1999. For 23 years from 1973 until 1996, she was a staff member for Congressman George...
and Republican Mike Morrell
Mike Morrell
Mike Morrell is an American politician currently serving in the California State Assembly. He is a Republican representing the 63rd district, encompassing parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Prior to being elected to the state assembly, he was a real estate broker.- External links :* ...
respectively. Federally, Fontana is located in California's 43rd congressional district
California's 43rd congressional district
California's 43rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in San Bernardino County. The Hispanic-majority district encompasses the southwestern part of the county and includes San Bernardino and Rialto....
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +10 and is represented by Democrat Joe Baca
Joe Baca
Joseph N. "Joe" Baca is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 42nd from 1999 to 2003, is located in southwestern San Bernardino County and includes Fontana, Rialto, Ontario and parts of the city of San...
.
Lewis Library
One of the more prominent and well-known landmarks of the city is the Lewis Library and Technology Center, which opened in April 2008. At an estimated cost of over $60,000,000, this facility was made possible through a mixture of private and public funds. It is the largest library in the San Bernardino County Library System.- New book shelving, reading areas and a Children's Library, named in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- An expanded collection exceeding 142,000 items, including 7,850 reference, media, and periodical items;
- A room of historical documents, maintained by the Fontana Historical Society;
- Electronic databases, software applications, remote access to online informational resources and Internet access;
- Homework clubs and a homework center;
- Spanish language and homework materials;
- A computer technology support and training center;
- A literacy center with tutoring programs;
- A career center;
- 203 public use computer work stations including 25 Spanish language computers;
- Community meeting rooms and a 330-seat auditorium for meetings, lectures and special presentations;
- A bookstore and coffee bar;
- A below-grade parking garage.
The building also contains some city government offices.
Mary Vagle Center
Fontana is also home to the Mary Vagle Science and Nature Center. Situated at the base of Mount Jurupa in the southern part of the city, it offers an opportunity for a wide range of environmental education activities, including a reptile viewing area, displays, dioramas, and hands on programs. There is a 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) pond, three miles (5 km) of self guided hiking trails, and the ninth most significant petroglyph site in the state. Hawks, rabbits, deer, rattlesnakes, foxes, and bobcats thrive in this protected habitat. After school science adventures club and summer science adventures day camp are also available along with a Junior Ranger Program, Eagle Scout Program, Nature Discovery Walk & Native American Indian Presentation.Many dedicated individuals and community groups volunteer their efforts in working toward the beautification, preservation and maintenance of the Center.
Public schools
While most residents of the city attend schools within the Fontana Unified School DistrictFontana Unified School District
Fontana Unified School District is located in and serves most of the city of Fontana, California, a community in San Bernardino County about 50 miles east of Los Angeles. The district contains 45 schools, which serve students from K-12 to adult education. It was established in the 1920s and unified...
, some areas of the city are served by neighboring school districts.
- The Northwest area of the city is partly served by the Etiwanda School DistrictEtiwanda School DistrictEtiwanda School District is a school district located in San Bernardino County, California that serves the community of Etiwanda, which is part of the incorporated city of Rancho Cucamonga, a portion of Fontana, and the remainder of the district is in San Bernardino County territory.-History:The...
(K thru 8 only) and the Chaffey Joint Union High School DistrictChaffey Joint Union High School DistrictChaffey Joint Union High School District is a school district located in San Bernardino County, California that serves the communities of Ontario, Montclair, Rancho Cucamonga, and portions of Fontana, Upland, Chino, and Mount Baldy.-History:...
(High Schools only). - The Southeast area of the city is partly served by the Colton Joint Unified School DistrictColton Joint Unified School DistrictThe Colton Joint Unified School District in San Bernardino County, California serves the communities of Colton, Bloomington, and Grand Terrace, as well as portions of Fontana, Loma Linda and unincorporated Riverside County.-High schools:...
. - The Northeast area of the city is partly served by the Rialto Unified School DistrictRialto Unified School DistrictRialto Unified School District is a school district in Rialto, California. The Superintendent is Harold L. Cebrun. The president of the board of education is Joanne T. Gilbert....
.
Charter Schools
There are two Options For Youth Charter Schools in Fontana. These schools are chartered through the Upland Unified School DistrictUpland Unified School District
Upland Unified School District is a school district located in San Bernardino County, California that serves the community of Upland, California. It has a total population of approximately 63,800 and covers a total area of 24 square miles.-History:...
and offer an independent study program to obtain a high school diploma.
Transportation
The Metrolink rail service to the greater Los Angeles area runs through the center of town. The City of Fontana is ten minutes away from Ontario International AirportOntario International Airport
LA/Ontario International Airport , formerly Ontario International Airport, is a public airport located east of the central business district of Ontario, a city in San Bernardino County, California, USA. This airport is owned and operated by the Los Angeles World Airports , an agency of the city...
.
The city is also served by Omnitrans bus service.
.svg.png)
San Bernardino FreewaySan Bernardino FreewayThe San Bernardino Freeway, formerly known as the Ramona Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Orange Counties in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It refers to the following two segments:....svg.png)
Ontario Freeway
Foothill Boulevard (Historic U.S. Route 66)
Foothill Freeway
Utilities
Fontana receives electrical power through the Southern California EdisonSouthern California Edison
Southern California Edison , the largest subsidiary of Edison International , is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California, USA. It provides 14 million people with electricity...
Company. Gas service is provided by the Southern California Gas Company. Telephone and DSL Internet service are through AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
and Verizon, though Verizon serves a smaller portion of the city. Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
also provides cable television and cable Internet access. Burrtec Waste provides rubbish and trash collection throughout the city. Burrtec offers both regular waste and green waste recycling programs. Fontana is served by five different water companies, but none of their service areas overlap. These companies are: Fontana Water; the Cucamonga Valley Water District; Marygold Mutual Water; and West Valley Water District, and the City of Rialto. Sewage service in the city is provided by the Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
- Inland Empire Utilities Agency :The Inland Empire Utilities Agency is a regional wastewater facility and wholesale supplemental water supplier in California. IEUA is located in southern California and serves western San Bernardino county. Specifically, IEUA provides services to 7 cities: Chino,...
, but is billed out by the City of Fontana itself.
Healthcare
Fontana is home to the Kaiser Permanente-Fontana Hospital. Located on Sierra Avenue, and occupying most of the block between Sierra, Marygold, and Palmetto Avenues, and Valley Boulevard, The campus forms one of the largest healthcare facilities in the Inland Empire Region. On more of a side note, the various facilities are also among the tallest and largest buildings in the city (other than industrial distribution centers).The hospital is home to sixty different specialized departments, plus emergency care.
Also, located in the north end of the city, along the "Miracle Mile" of Sierra Lakes Parkway and the 210 freeway, is the Sierra San Antonio Medical Plaza, a 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²) outpatient center and medical office building supported by San Antonio Community Hospital. Services currently available from SSAMP are urgent care, diagnostic radiology, physician offices, and a pharmacy.
The facility also boasts a 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) educational suite where community lectures, health screenings, awareness campaigns, maternity and CPR classes are held.
In popular culture
- Pigmy Love CircusPigmy Love CircusPigmy Love Circus is a Los Angeles rock band that has existed since the late 1980s era of the Hollywood underground rock scene.Pigmy Love Circus originally consisted of Shepherd Stevenson on bass, Mike Savage on vocals, Anthony Martinez on drums, with Rand "Pig" Walters and Peter Fletcher on guitars...
has a song called Drug run to Fontana on the album The Power of BeefThe Power of BeefThe Power of Beef is a 2003 album by Pigmy Love Circus.-Track listing:#"Livin' Like Shit"#"Drug Run to Fontana"#"Swamp Creature"#"Bone Orchard"#"Pistolero Sleep"#"Bad Luck"#"Murderer"#"Highway Man"#"Headless Horseman"#"12 Gauge Kiss"...
.
- The steel mill scene in Terminator 2Terminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
was filmed in the abandoned Kaiser Steel Mill.
- The Hells AngelsHells AngelsThe Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
Motorcycle Club was founded in Fontana, in 1948. The founding charter is known as the Berdoo Charter, in reference to the slang name for San Bernardino.
Notable natives, residents, or former residents
- Dave BaldwinDave Baldwin-External links:* *...
, MLB player, writer, artist, lived in Fontana as a child. - Travis BarkerTravis BarkerTravis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
, drummer, The AquabatsThe AquabatsThe Aquabats are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally. They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music...
, Blink-182Blink-182Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, The Transplants, +44+44 (band)+44 was an alternative rock band formed by Blink-182 members Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker...
, and Box Car RacerBox Car RacerBox Car Racer was a short-lived American post-hardcore band from San Diego, California, formed in 2002. The band was a side-project of guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182, along with lead guitarist David Kennedy of Hazen Street, and touring bassist Anthony Celestino... - Nick BarnettNick BarnettNicholas Alexander Barnett is an American Football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. A graduate of Fontana A.B...
, NFL player (Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
) - Corey BenjaminCorey BenjaminCorey Dwight Benjamin is an American professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1998-2003. He graduated from Fontana High School in Fontana, California, then played college basketball for Oregon State University, and was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 1998...
, former NBA player - Shelton BrooksShelton BrooksShelton Brooks was a popular music and jazz composer who wrote some of the biggest hits of the first third of the 20th century.Brooks was born in Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada...
, musician, songwriter, lived in Fontana for many years - Al CaponeAl CaponeAlphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
, mobster, bootlegger, once maintained a home on Tamarind Avenue (8775 Tamarind Avenue) in Fontana. A prominent "C" is visible on the south side of the chimney - Jesse ChavezJesse ChavezJesse David Chavez is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....
, MLB Player - Chukwudi ChijinduChukwudi ChijinduChukwudi Chijindu is an American soccer player who currently plays for Los Angeles Blues of the USL Professional Division, on loan from Chivas USA.-Youth:...
, soccer player for Chivas USA - Greg ColbrunnGreg ColbrunnGregory Joseph Colbrunn was a Major League Baseball player for 13 seasons.Colbrunn was part of the victorious Arizona Diamondbacks 2001 World Series winning team....
, MLB Player - Mike DavisMike Davis (scholar)Mike Davis is an American Marxist social commentator, urban theorist, historian, and political activist. He is best known for his investigations of power and social class in his native Southern California.-Life:...
, author and commentator - Lucas DudaLucas DudaLucas Christopher Duda is an American professional baseball player. He currently is a right fielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Duda bats left handed and throws right handed.-Early life:...
, outfielder for the New York Mets - Maurice EduMaurice EduMaurice Edu is an American soccer player who plays for Rangers in the Scottish Premier League and the United States national team.- Early life :...
, soccer player, Rangers F.C.Rangers F.C.Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses... - Bill FagerbakkeBill FagerbakkeWilliam Mark "Bill" Fagerbakke is an American actor and voice actor. He is well-known for his long-running-roles as Patrick Star in the animated series SpongeBob SquarePants and "Dauber" Dybinski on the sitcom Coach....
, television and voice actor, SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"... - Sammy HagarSammy HagarSam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
, rock musician (guitarist and vocalist), former member of MontroseMontrose (band)Montrose was a California-based hard rock band. The band originally featured Ronnie Montrose on guitar and future solo artist and former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar...
and Van HalenVan HalenVan Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart... - Scott KarlScott KarlScott Karl , is a United States former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1995 - 2000. Karl played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, and Anaheim Angels. He wore uniform number 42 prior to Major League Baseball retiring the number to honor Jackie...
, MLB player for the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Colorado RockiesColorado RockiesThe Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, and the Anaheim Angels - Sam KhalifaSam KhalifaSam Khalifa , is a former Major League Baseball player. The seventh overall pick in the 1982 June draft. He played 164 games across three seasons in the majors, most as a shortstop and all as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates...
, former MLB Player. - Jeff LieferJeff LieferJeffrey David Liefer is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. He was drafted in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago White Sox...
, MLB Player - Whitman MayoWhitman MayoWhitman B. Mayo was an American actor best known for his character Grady Wilson on the 1970s television sitcom Sanford and Son....
television actor (Sanford and SonSanford and SonSanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
), lived in Fontana and was once Grand Marshall of the Fontana Days Parade - Troy PercivalTroy PercivalTroy Eugene Percival is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He gained fame as a closer. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1995-2009 for four different teams, pitching primarily with the California/Anaheim Angels...
, relief pitcherRelief pitcherA relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
for the Tampa Bay RaysTampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field... - Ken Prymus, actor MASHMASH (film)MASH is a 1970 American satirical dark comedy film directed by Robert Altman and written by Ring Lardner, Jr., based on Richard Hooker's novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. It is the only feature film in the M*A*S*H franchise...
- Leo RomeroLeo RomeroLeo Romero is a professional skateboarder. Leo is second generation Mexican American. Leo first started skating around 1997 with his friends, "the Death Junkies". His early influences included Jamie Thomas and Andrew Reynolds, which perhaps explains Leo's tendency to skate large obstacles and...
, professional skateboarder - Sean RooksSean RooksSean Lester Rooks is a retired American basketball player who played in the NBA from 1992 to 2004. A 6'10" center from Fontana High School in Fontana, California and the University of Arizona, Rooks was drafted in the second round of the 1992 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks...
, NBA basketball player (retired) - Alexis SernaAlexis SernaAlexis Serna is a free agent placekicker and punter in the Canadian Football League. He graduated from A. B. Miller High School in Fontana, California. He was the starting placekicker and punter for the Oregon State University football team, the Oregon State Beavers, from 2004-2007...
, placekicker for the Winnipeg Blue BombersWinnipeg Blue BombersThe Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
(CFLCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
) - Jimmy SmithJimmy Smith (cornerback)James "Jimmy" Smith is an American football cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens with the 27th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Colorado....
, cornerback for the University of Colorado - Don WhiteDon WhiteDon White or Donald White may refer to:* Donald C. White , Pennsylvania state senator* Donald J. White , Environmental Strategist* Don White , English rugby union footballer...
, Lead CH-53E pilot, Coyote, Former MAG-16 WTO