Pomona - Fertile Land of Rich History
Pomona, a city named for Pomona, the ancient Roman goddess of fruit is a fertile land of rich history. The Pomona area was situated along a trade route used by Native Americans. The first recorded inhabitants were the Gabrieleno Native Americans. The valley became known in the 1700's as Rancho San Jose. A year later it became part of the Mission San Gabriel Grazing lands. Over fifty years later, two soldiers, Don Ingacio Palomares and Don Ricardo Vejar petitioned the governor and on April, 1837 were granted rights to the land.
Known in the 1800s as an "urban garden", Pomona quickly became known as an economic leader in the citrus industry. In typical Southern California fashion of the 1870s, boosters gave the town this name before a single orange tree had been planted within its boundaries. By the 1880s, however, the arrival of railroads and Coachella Valley water had made it the western anchor of the citrus-growing region that encompassed most of what is now known unofficially as the Inland Empire. Pomona was officially incorporated in 1888 and is now the fifth largest city in Los Angeles County.
The first Los Angeles County Fair was held in 1922 at the Los Angeles Fairgrounds in Pomona. The grounds, now known as Fairplex, are home to many other events and activities other than the Fair. These include The Wally Parks NHRA motorsports Museum as well as the Sheraton Suites Fairplex. Come join us at the fair this year starting on September 7, 2007.
Source: City of Pomona
