erers, they settled wherever springs or rivers provided water and at-
tracted game. In 1774, a Spanish expeditionary force marched through
the region, blazing a trail.
that included Moreno Valley in its vast tract became public land, de-
veloped by ranchers and traveled over by John Butterfield's legendary
stagecoach line. In 1883 the railway came through.
of those bigger-than-life entrepreneurs and visionaries of the nineteenth
century came on the scene--Frank Elwood Brown. "Brown" translates
to "Moreno" in Spanish. It's all together fitting that Brown's last name,
at least the Spanish version, lives on as the city's namesake, for this dy-
namic individual made possible the initial settlement in the Moreno
Valley by bringing the most precious of all commodities, water.
Mountains, creating what was at that time the largest man-made lake
in the world, and provided water to grateful farmers in the region.
Moreno Valley. Orange, peach and apricot groves were set out. Grain
harvests were abundant.
and farmers were forced to leave. By 1901, few people resided in the
Moreno Valley.
Timoteo Canyon, and little by little the area began to develop again.
That same year a Mr. Mead and other investors laid out the Sunnymead
Orchard. This small farming community was named after him as well as
the sunny location.
start to the development of Moreno Valley. In 1918, in preparation for
America's entry into World War I, March Field, a military facility to train
fighter pilots, was constructed between Riverside and Moreno Valley.
It was named after aviation pioneer Lt. Peyton C. March, Jr., who was
killed in a plane crash that same year.
the Valley. At the height of its activity, the base supported 85,000
troops. In 1996, March -- home to the longest airstrip in Southern
California -- was realigned as an Air Reserve Base. The surplus land
was given to the March Joint Powers Authority for development.
Today March is poised for great economic growth involving public
and private development.
tract homes when 150 cottages were built in Edgemont, just outside
the base. This was a portent of things to come. The three unincor-
porated rural communities of Edgemont, Sunnymead, and Moreno
that comprised Moreno Valley were to see startling changes in the
coming decades.
houses and small commercial developments. Attractive land prices lured
more developers, and low home prices drew families.
sons. Moreno Valley is ideally situated for enjoying both mountain and
desert resorts. In 1957, Riverside International Raceway opened and in
1973, the Lake Perris Recreation Area.
state's economic boom. In 1970, the Valley's population was 18,871.
By 1984 it more than doubled, reaching 49,702. In 1991, Moreno
Valley made news when it was named the nation's fastest growing city.
The population grew more than 300% between 1980 and 1990.
community stirred a desire among residents for managed growth and
self-governance. In 1984 voters in Edgemont, Sunnymead and Moreno
overwhelmingly approved incorporation, and on December 3, 1984,
the City of Moreno Valley was officially incorporated as a California gen-
eral law municipality.
it was in 2000. In 2006 Moreno Valley was the sixth fastest-growing city
in the US with a population over 100,000. Moreno Valley enjoys a di-
verse population projected to reach nearly 221,500 by 2012.
portunities attract families. Industries find the space they need to ex-
pand. In 2007, Moreno Valley had 1.6 million feet of commercial and
retail development underway and 8 million sq. ft. of industrial space
due to come on line.
rise again bigger and better than ever. Just as a small band of Coachella
Indians would look out over the Valley in search of possibilities, people
still come today with a vision of how their lives can improve by living
here. Moreno Valley's history is summed up in the city's motto: "People,
Pride, and Progress."