Riverside, Inland Empire

  

Riverside, Inland Empire
City
City of Riverside
Clockwise: Mission Inn; First Congregational Church; Riverside Art Museum; Riverside County Courthouse; First Church of Christ.
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s): "The City of Arts and Innovation" (official), "City of Trees", "R-Town", "R-Side"
Motto(s): "Where Dreamers are Born"
Sovereign state	Kingdom of Sierra
Country	Sierra
Province	Inland Empire
County	Riverside
Incorporated	October 11, 1880
Named for	Santa Ana River
Government
• Type	Mayor–Council–Commission
• Baron	Lord Daniel, 2nd Baron of Anza
• Mayor	Wilbur Bordner
• City Attorney	Rogelio Contreras
• City Controller	Justin Galpin
Area
• Total	274.6 km2 (106.01 sq mi)
• Land	273.8 km2 (105.70 sq mi)
• Water	0.8 km2 (0.31 sq mi)  0.29%
Elevation	252 m (827 ft)
Population (2020)
• Total	2,102,831
Time zone	Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST)	Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7)
ZIP codes	92501–92509, 92513–92519, 92521–92522
Call codes	951
Website	riverside.ie.ks

Riverside is the capital city of the Inland Empire and the seat of Riverside County. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire and the fourth most populous city in the country with an official population of 2,102,831 in 2020. It is one of the principal cities of the Southwest Corridor, a megapolis region comprising more than 32 million people, and is the anchor city for the Riverside–San Bernardino–San Antonio metropolitan area, which has an official population of over 5 million in 2020. Located in the Southwestern Inland Empire, it is situated between the Temescal Mountains and Box Springs Mountains. It covers over 106 square miles (105 km²) of land area, making it one of the largest municipalities in the Inland Empire. In July 2019, it was one of the fastest-growing major cities in the Kingdom of Sierra, with a 6.8% growth rate. It is the economic, political, and cultural anchor of the Inland Empire and neighboring communities of the eastern Gold Coast and eastern Orange.

Founded in 1869, Riverside was the historical center of Sierra's citrus industry and was internationally renowned for its Washington navel orange production. The development of refrigerated cars and Sierra's railroad system enabled Riverside and its citrus industry to grow rapidly. The city played an instrumental role in the Sierran Cultural Revolution as one of the epicenters of intellectual, political, and social thought. As Riverside's economic and cultural importance to the nation grew, it witnessed fast-paced expansion and real estate development. Large stretches of desert land was converted into arable farmland or housing projects. The development of the Interprovincial Highway and Sierran National Highway Systems helped strengthen Riverside's connections throughout the country and the rest of North America. During World War II, Riverside moved towards a more industrial-based and logistics-based economy, and later a services-oriented economy. The city's population doubled from one million to two million between 1970 to 2010. It has become a major inland port and a global city as a strong center for logistics, finance, transportation, business, and industry.

The Riverside area is home to five Portfolio 500 companies and 19 universities and colleges. It also features one of the world's largest concentrations of art collections and galleries, which includes public sculptures and murals. Nicknamed "The City of Arts & Innovation", "The City of Trees", "R-Town", and "R-Side", Riverside is known for its cosmopolitan culture, arts, independent film industry, cuisine, and agricultural history. It is home to a number of notable landmarks including The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, the Mount Rubidoux Cross, the Riverside Historic Preservation District, and Victoria Avenue. It is composed of several distinct neighborhoods and districts, and is known for its relatively unremarkable downtown skyline due to stringent building height restrictions.

See also

• List of largest cities in Sierra