Fullerton, California facts for kids

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Fullerton, California

City

Clockwise from top left: Old City Hall; the Chapman Building; Fullerton Transportation Center; and downtown

Flag

Seal

Motto(s):

"The Education Community"

Location of Fullerton in Orange County, California

Fullerton, California

Location in California

Fullerton, California

Location in the United States

Country

United States

February 15, 1904

Government

• Type

Council-Manager

Area

• Total

22.44 sq mi (58.11 km²)

• Land

22.42 sq mi (58.07 km²)

• Water

0.01 sq mi (0.03 km²) 0.05%

Elevation

164 ft (50 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

143,617

• Rank

6th in Orange County
42nd in California
197th in the United States

• Density

6,411/sq mi (2,475/km²)

Demonym(s)

Fullertonian

Time zone

UTC−8 (PST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−7 (PDT)

92831–92838

562, 657/714

06-28000

1660658, 2410556

Fullerton (/ˈfʊlərtən/ fuul-ƏR-tən) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States. In 2020, about 143,617 people lived there.

Fullerton was started in 1887. It was once a big farming area, especially for oranges and other citrus fruits. It was also important for getting petroleum (oil) out of the ground, transportation, and making things. Today, Fullerton is known for its many colleges and universities, like California State University, Fullerton and Fullerton College. From the 1940s to the 1990s, many companies that made things for aerospace (like planes and rockets) were here. Fullerton is also famous as the place where the electric guitar was invented, thanks to Leo Fender.

Fullerton's Story

Early Days and Native People

Long ago, animals like saber-toothed cats and mammoths lived here. You can still find proof of them in Ralph B. Clark Regional Park.

For thousands of years, the Tongva people lived in this area. They had a large village called Hutuknga near the Santa Ana River. This village was one of the biggest in their world, called Tovaangar. The Tongva people grew acorns and seeds from grasses. They also traded with other villages near the coast and further inland.

Spanish and American Arrivals

In 1837, Juan Pacífico Ontiveros was granted the land that includes modern-day Fullerton.

The first Europeans came through in 1769. A Spanish group led by Gaspar de Portolá explored the area. Later, in 1837, a rancher named Juan Pacífico Ontiveros was given a large piece of land that included what is now Fullerton.

In 1894, Charles Chapman bought an orange farm in eastern Fullerton. He helped make the Valencia orange very popular. Fullerton soon had more orange groves than any other city in the United States. Farmers also grew walnuts and avocados. Fullerton became an important farming town and was officially made a city in 1904.

Growth and New Discoveries

The City of Fullerton's Valencia Orange Show exhibit in 1931.

The auditorium at Fullerton Union High School, built in the 1930s.

The historic Union Pacific train station, built in 1923.

Oil was discovered in 1880, leading to a big growth period in the 1920s. Many buildings were built in Spanish Colonial and Italian Renaissance styles. Examples include the historic Fox Fullerton Theatre (1925) and the Plummer Auditorium (1930). Fullerton College opened in 1913.

In 1943, a family named Bernal won an important lawsuit. They had bought a home in Fullerton, but some people tried to stop them because of their background. The Bernals won their case, which helped change unfair housing rules across the country.

In 1949, Leo Fender created the world's first successful solid-body electric guitar, the Fender Telecaster. This invention changed music forever!

After World War II

Workers at Val Vita Food Products in 1940.

After World War II, many veterans moved to California. Fullerton's population grew a lot, especially after Interstate 5 was built. New homes were built where farms used to be.

To help the growing number of people, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) was started in 1957. It moved to its current campus in 1963. The Fullerton Arboretum, a beautiful 26-acre botanical garden with many plants, opened in 1979.

Over time, Fullerton changed from a rural area with farms to a city with many homes and shopping centers.

Recent Times

In the 1990s, downtown Fullerton became quieter. But then, it started to become a lively entertainment area, especially south of Commonwealth Avenue. Many restaurants and places to have fun opened up.

A large area that used to be the Hughes Aircraft Company campus was turned into a new neighborhood called Amerige Heights between 2001 and 2004.

Fullerton's Location and Landscape

Cliffs in the West Coyote Hills.

The Fullerton Arboretum.

Fullerton is about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of downtown Los Angeles. It's also about 11 miles (18 km) north of Santa Ana, the county seat. The city is about 11 miles (18 km) from the Pacific Ocean. Fullerton has a Mediterranean climate, which means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The average temperature is about 62.2 °F (16.8 °C).

The city covers about 22.4 square miles (58 km²) of land. It is surrounded by other cities like La Habra, Brea, La Mirada, Buena Park, Anaheim, and Placentia.

Downtown Fullerton has a grid layout, with streets crossing at right angles. It has many unique shops, coffee places, and restaurants. The northern and western parts of Fullerton have low mountains called the Coyote Hills. These areas used to be orange groves and oil fields. Today, they have many homes and businesses.

West Coyote Hills Development

The West Coyote Hills are one of the last open spaces in northern Orange County.

The West Coyote Hills area has 510 acres (206 ha) of undeveloped land. Some people want to build houses there, while others want to keep it as a nature preserve. In 2012, voters approved a measure to prevent building in the area. There have been ongoing discussions about how to use this land.

Parks and Green Spaces

Hillcrest Park is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ralph B. Clark Regional Park.

Fullerton has over 50 city parks. Some popular ones include Hillcrest Park and Chapman Park. There are also larger regional parks like Craig Regional Park and Ralph B. Clark Regional Park. The Fullerton Arboretum is a beautiful place to explore different plants.

The city also has about 200 acres (0.81 km²) of recreational land in the Brea Dam Recreational Area. You can find equestrian trails, two golf courses, a sports complex, and the Janet Evans swim complex there.

People and Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	1,725	—
1920	4,415	155.9%
1930	10,860	146.0%
1940	10,442	−3.8%
1950	13,958	33.7%
1960	56,180	302.5%
1970	85,987	53.1%
1980	102,246	18.9%
1990	114,144	11.6%
2000	126,003	10.4%
2010	135,161	7.3%
2020	143,617	6.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

The Muckenthaler Cultural Center.

First Methodist Episcopal Church.

In 2020, Fullerton had a population of 143,617 people. The city is very diverse, with people from many different backgrounds.

In 2010, there were about 135,161 people living in Fullerton. About 23.3% of the people were under 18 years old. The average household had about 2.91 people.

Jobs and Economy

Shops in downtown Fullerton.

Fullerton has many different types of jobs. Some of the biggest employers in the city are:

California State University, Fullerton (a large university)
St. Jude Medical Center (a hospital)
Raytheon (a company that makes electronics and defense systems)
Fullerton College (a community college)
The City of Fullerton (local government)

Learning and Schools

Hope International University.

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF).

Fullerton has many great schools, from elementary to university level.

Public Schools

Fullerton has several public school districts. There are many elementary schools (grades K-6), junior high schools (grades 7-8), and high schools (grades 9-12).

The four public high schools in Fullerton are:

Sunny Hills High School
Fullerton Union High School (the oldest high school in Orange County)
Troy High School (known for its Troy Tech program)
La Vista High School and La Sierra High School (schools for students who need a different learning environment)

Private Schools

Fullerton also has several private schools, including Catholic schools and other independent schools.

Colleges and Universities

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF): This is a very large university with many different study programs. It's the biggest university in the California State University system.
Fullerton College: This is a two-year community college, the oldest one still running in California. It offers many different courses and helps students prepare to transfer to a four-year university.
Hope International University: A private Christian university.
Marshall B. Ketchum University: A university focused on health sciences.

Fun and Culture

The Muckenthaler Cultural Center.

The Dewella complex is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fullerton has a lively music scene. Many famous bands and musicians have come from or performed here, including The Adolescents, Agent Orange, Social Distortion, and Gwen Stefani from No Doubt. Singer-songwriters like Jackson Browne and Tim Buckley also have ties to Fullerton.

Every year on June 21, Fullerton celebrates Make Music Day. Musicians of all ages perform for free in many places around the city.

Fullerton Masonic Temple.

A downtown mural honoring the Fender Musical Instrument Company.

The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation played a huge part in Fullerton's music history. They made famous electric guitars like the Stratocaster and Telecaster, which changed rock and roll. Even after Leo Fender sold the company, he started a new one, G&L Guitars, right in Fullerton.

The Muckenthaler Cultural Center is a place where you can see art and watch theater shows. The Fullerton Public Library is also a great place to visit in downtown Fullerton.

The Fox Theatre, built in 1925.

Fullerton also has local theaters like the Maverick Theater. The city used to have a professional baseball team called the Orange County Flyers.

News and Media

From 1921 to 1984, Fullerton had its own daily newspaper, The Fullerton Daily News Tribune. Today, Fullerton is served by an independent newspaper called the Fullerton Observer, which is printed twice a month by volunteers.

Getting Around Fullerton

Trains and Buses

The Fullerton Transportation Center.

A helicopter at Fullerton Municipal Airport.

Fullerton was founded because of the railroad, and train tracks still run through the city.

The Fullerton Transportation Center is a major hub for trains and buses. You can catch Metrolink commuter trains and Amtrak long-distance trains here. It's also a big bus station for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA).

Roads and Highways

An OCTA bus in Fullerton.

Fullerton has several major highways. State Route 91 (the Riverside Freeway) runs east to west. It connects with Interstate 5 (the Santa Ana Freeway) and State Route 57 (the Orange Freeway).

Main roads in Fullerton include Harbor Boulevard, which runs from south to north. Other important roads are Magnolia Street, Lemon Street, and Commonwealth Avenue.

Airport

Fullerton Municipal Airport is the only general aviation airport left in Orange County. It's used for smaller planes and helicopters. For bigger flights, the nearest airport is John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana.