Timeline of Cities

The history of this area cannot be told without understanding the timeline of when cities started forming. So here is a little about each city looking at when each city was founded and incorporated. Incorporated means the city “has received a charter from the state. Thus, it is legally allowed to have its own elected officials, and, with some exceptions, make it owns rules.” If a city is unincorporated it has to follow county rules. It does not have a local government. Oak Glen and Cherry Valley are among some of the cities in California that are still unincorporated. This page will continually be updated over time.

Yucaipa was named after the Serrano word , Yu kaipa’t which meant green valley/ wet marshlands. The first adobe was built in 1842 by Diego Sepulveda and the city incorporated in 1989. However, Yucaipa began with Serranos, cattle grazing of the San Gabriel Mission, Diego Sepulveda from the Mexican Independence from Spain, but a city started slowly.

Cherry Valley early 1820s when San Gabriel Mission established an outpost here. Cherry Valley,Ca is not incorporated.

Redlands was founded in 1881 by two young Yankees from Connecticut, 26 year old Frank E. Brown and 30 year old Edward Judson. Redlands was named after its reddish adobe soil. It was incorporated in 1888.

San Bernardino was founded on May 20, 1810. It was incorporated in 1854.

Beaumont was incorporated on November 18, 1912. It was founded in 1884 by a real estate development company who established a town named San Gorgonio. A second real estate development company purchased the town in 1887 and renamed  Beaumont.

Calimesa was incorporated on December 1, 1990. It was founded in 1929

Banning was incorporated on February 6, 1913. Banning was home to Cahuilla and Serrano. There was a Stagecoach stop in 1862. The first building was Gilman Ranch Adobe built by Jose Pope. Banning was named after the Father of the Port of Los Angeles General Phineas Banning. General Phineas T. Banning, who freighted over the Mormon trail from Salt Lake to San Bernardino and Los Angeles according to the City of Banning History’s website. Spanish Expedition reached Banning in 1774.

Oak Glen is not incorporated.