A Brief History of Fontana, California

The earliest recorded landowner in the Fontana area was Don Antonio Maria Lugo, who received a land grant in 1813. A second grant secured the land known as Rancho de San Bernardino for his sons. The Lugo sons sold a portion of their land, which included part of what is now Fontana, to a group of Mormon settlers in 1851

Originally a sleepy, dusty town of citrus orchards and cattle ranches astride Route 66 and numerous rail lines, The city faced a transition after the Second World War, and became a leader in steel production. The City was incorporated on June 25th, 1952 with a population of just over 13,000. The routing of the San Bernardino Freeway through the town allowed for massive economical growth, while large population growth soon followed, with the area becoming a prominent industrial exurb of Los Angeles.