San Bernardino - The Heartbeat of Route 66
An anchor city of the Inland Emprire, San Bernardino is one of the oldest communities in the State of California. Named on May 20, 1810 (feast day of St. Bernardine of Siena) by Padre Francisco Dumetz, the present-day location was not largely settled until 1851. The first Anglo-American colony was established by the Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) and the City of San Bernadino was incorporated in 1854. In 1857, Brigham Young had recalled the Latter-Day Saints to Utah and San Bernadino became disincorpoated. San Bernadino later became a trading hub for the region and was reincorporated in 1886.. The California Southern Railroad established a rail link with Los Angeles and the rest of the nation in 1883 and in 1905, the City of San Bernardino passed its first Charter.
World War II brought what would become Norton Air Force Base. Norton Air Force Base would later close and become the San Bernardino International Airport in 1994. The McDonald Brothers opened the first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino 1948 and later sold the business rights to Ray Kroc, who begins a franchise that is still famous to this day.
Every year, San Bernardino has three major yearly events: the annual Route 66 Rendezvous, a multi-day classic automobile event held in downtown San Bernardino each September, the National Orange Show, held each April/May, and the Western Regional Little League Championships each August.
San Bernardino has eleven sister cities, Tachikawa being the sister city that we have the oldest and strongest relationship with. It was formed because both San Bernardino and Tachikawa had United States Air Force Bases.
The other sister cities are
Goyang, South Korea
Herzliya, Israel
Ilé-If_, Nigeria
Kigali, Rwanda
Mexicali, Mexico
Roxas, Philippines
Tachikawa, Japan
Tauranga, New Zealand
Villahermosa, Mexico
Yushu, China
Zavolzhie, Russia
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia
Filled with culture and contemporary life, San Bernardino has much to offer. For those who love the performing arts, the California Theater of Performing Arts holds cultural events, including touring Broadway theatre presented by Theatrical Arts International the Inland Empire's Largest Theatre Company and the San Bernardino Symphony. The Hyundai Pavilion in adjacent Devore, the National Orange Show, and Coussoulis Arena at Cal State San Bernardino host popular music.
If your thing is discovering history, The Heritage House at 8th and D holds the collection of the San Bernardino Historic and Pioneer Society. The San Bernardino County Museum, in Redlands, California, has exhibits relating to the history of the City of San Bernardino, including a diorama of the Mormon Fort. A museum is located on the site of the first McDonalds at 1398 N. E Street. The Inland Empire Military Museum is located at 1394 N. E Street.
And, if you enjoy watching a great sporting contests, San Bernadino city hosts the Inland Empire 66ers baseball club of the California League, which as of 2007 is the Los Angeles Dodgers Single A Affiliate in 2007. The 66ers play at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.
Source: City of San Bernadino and Wikipedia Encyclopedia
