A Brief History of Rancho Cucamonga, CA

The area around Rancho Cucamonga was first inhabited by various Native American cultures around 3000 years ago. The Kucamongan Native Americans established a cluster of villages around the area now known as Red Hill. The name "Cucamonga" could mean "sandy place," or can be translated as "Place of the villages where the waters come out". Spanish settlers conquered the area in the 18th century, but in 1833 the land in southern and Baja California was open for granting from the new governor of Mexico. 13,000 acres around Cucamonga was granted to Tubercio Tapia on March 3, 1839, who built an adobe home on Red Hill and raised herds of cattle and began a successful winery.

California was captured by Americans in 1846, annexed in 1848, and made a state in 1850. Rancho Cucamonga’s history was affected by the different cultures that came to settle the area, build the various waterways, and cultivate the land, giving the community an interesting heritage and diverse culture. Rancho Cucamonga was eventually incorporated as a city in 1977 as a result of the merger of 3 different communities: Alta Loma, Cucamonga, and Etiwanda.

For more information on the history of Rancho Cucamonga, please visit http://www.ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us/vis/vis_history.htm