La Verne, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Verne, California
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Weymouth Treatment Plant
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Location of La Verne in Los Angeles County, California.
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 La Verne, California
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | |
| State | California | |
| County | Los Angeles | |
| Incorporated | August 20, 1906 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 8.55 sq mi (22.16 km2) | |
| • Land | 8.43 sq mi (21.84 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.12 sq mi (0.31 km2) 1.54% | |
| Elevation | 1,060 ft (323 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 31,334 | |
| • Density | 3,791.53/sq mi (1,463.90/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) | |
| ZIP code |
91750
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| Area code | 909 | |
| FIPS code | 06-40830 | |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1660868, 2411584 | |
La Verne is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, in the United States. It's home to about 31,334 people, according to the 2020 census. La Verne is known for its friendly community and its history tied to California's past.
Contents
History of La Verne
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Long ago, Native American people lived in the area that is now La Verne.
The story of European settlement here began in the 1830s. Two men, Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo Véjar, received a huge piece of land. This land, called Rancho San Jose, was about 15,000 acres (61 square kilometers). It was given to them by Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado in 1837. This large area included what are now the cities of Pomona, Claremont, San Dimas, Glendora, and La Verne.
Palomares built a special house called an adobe in 1837. You can still see it in Pomona today; it's known as La Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose (The First House). Later, he built another adobe house nearby. His nephew, Jose Dolores Palomares, also got a piece of land a little to the west.
In the mid-1880s, a businessman named Isaac W. Lord bought some of Jose Palomares's land. He convinced the Santa Fe Railroad company to build its train tracks through this area, heading towards Los Angeles. Lord then planned out building lots for a new town. In 1887, he held a big land sale and named the new town 'Lordsburg' after himself.
Lord also had a large hotel built, called the Lordsburg Hotel. But by the time it was finished, the land boom was over. The hotel stayed empty for several years. Later, it was bought by four members of the German Baptist Brethren Church. They thought it would be a great place for a new college. So, Lordsburg College was started there in 1891.
In 1906, the town officially became a city and was named "La Verne." At first, people grew regular farm crops. Then, they started planting citrus trees, like oranges, which grew very well. Lordsburg became famous as the "Heart of the Orange Empire." The city of La Verne grew strong because of its citrus industry. This lasted until after World War II, when the citrus business slowly became less important. Today, you can still see two orange groves at the La Verne Heritage Foundation, reminding everyone of the city's past.
Geography and Climate
La Verne is a suburb located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Los Angeles. A suburb is a town or small city that is close to a larger city. La Verne is in the Pomona Valley, nestled below the San Gabriel Mountains. These mountains are part of the Angeles National Forest, where black bears are known to live.
The city covers about 8.562 square miles (22.16 square kilometers). It is next to San Dimas on the east and Claremont on the west. The city of Pomona is to the south. A major road, California State Route 210, cuts through La Verne from east to west. The famous Historic U.S. Route 66 also runs through the city.
Climate in La Verne
La Verne has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. It's a lot like the weather you'd find around the Mediterranean Sea!
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 954 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,698 | 78.0% | |
| 1930 | 2,860 | 68.4% | |
| 1940 | 3,092 | 8.1% | |
| 1950 | 4,198 | 35.8% | |
| 1960 | 6,516 | 55.2% | |
| 1970 | 12,965 | 99.0% | |
| 1980 | 23,508 | 81.3% | |
| 1990 | 30,897 | 31.4% | |
| 2000 | 31,638 | 2.4% | |
| 2010 | 31,063 | −1.8% | |
| 2020 | 31,334 | 0.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
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In 2010, La Verne had a population of 31,063 people. The city was home to a diverse group of residents. About 74.2% of the people were White, 3.4% African American, 7.7% Asian, and 0.9% Native American. About 31.0% of the people identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Most people in La Verne live in family homes. In 2010, there were 11,261 households. About 31.8% of these households had children under 18 living there. The average household had about 2.70 people.
By 2020, the population had grown slightly to 31,334 people. This shows that La Verne continues to be a growing community.
Education in La Verne
La Verne is home to several schools and a university. The University of La Verne is a well-known college located on 3rd Street.
The public schools in the city are part of the Bonita Unified School District. Bonita High School is one of the main high schools, located on D Street.
There are also several private schools in La Verne:
- Lutheran High School is on Fruit Street.
- Damien High School is a Catholic school for boys.
- Calvary Baptist Schools is located at Damien Avenue and Forestdale Street.
Transportation
Getting around La Verne and to other cities is becoming easier. The Los Angeles Metro Rail A Line is a train system that is being extended. It will soon reach east from Azusa to Pomona.
A new train station, La Verne/Fairplex station, is being built. It will be located between the University of La Verne and the Pomona Fairplex. This new station is expected to start service in or around the summer of 2025. This will give residents an easy way to travel by train.
Notable People
Many interesting people have lived in or come from La Verne:
- Ewell Blackwell - A famous Major League Baseball pitcher. He went to Bonita High School.
- Noah Clarke - A professional hockey player.
- Glenn Davis - An American football player who won the Heisman Trophy. He also graduated from Bonita High School in 1943.
- Ryan Stonehouse - An American football player.
- Jason David Frank - An MMA fighter and actor. He was also a Bonita High School alumnus.
- Jeffrey Garcia - A comedian, voice actor, and radio DJ who has a home in La Verne.
- Erin Gruwell - The author of The Freedom Writers Diary. She is a Bonita High School alumnus.
- Sugar Shane Mosley - A professional boxer who lives in La Verne.
- Paula Jean Myers-Pope - A diver who won four Olympic medals.
See also
In Spanish: La Verne para niños
