73-592: Big Bear Valley is a valley in San Bernardino County , California , United States. The valley, in the San Bernardino Mountains , includes Big Bear Lake , Big Bear City , Fawnskin , Holcomb Valley , Sugarloaf , Erwin Lake, Baldwin Lake , Bluff Lake and Lake Williams. The Spanish colonizers arrived to the valley in the eighteenth century and encountered people who they referred to as " Serranos " in
146-547: A $ 7.9 billion annual budget and 25,430 employees. The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has 5 members elected from their districts: Other County of San Bernardino Elected Officials In the United States House of Representatives , San Bernardino County is split among 6 congressional districts: In the California State Assembly , San Bernardino County is split among 10 assembly districts: In
219-642: A 2020 population that was 53.7% Hispanic, it is California's most populous majority-Hispanic county and the second-largest nationwide. The indigenous peoples that resided in what is now San Bernardino County were primarily the Taaqtam (Serrano) and ʔívil̃uqaletem (Cahuilla) peoples who lived in the San Bernardino Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains ; the Chemehuevi and the Kawaiisu peoples who lived in
292-580: A fuel bed. This has significantly altered many areas of the desert. At higher elevations, fire regimes are regular but infrequent. While the Mojave Desert is generally sparsely populated, it has increasingly become urbanized in recent years. The metropolitan areas include Las Vegas , the largest urban area in the Mojave and the largest urban area in Nevada with a population of about 2.3 million. St. George, Utah ,
365-455: A household in the county was $ 42,066, and the median income for a family was $ 46,574. Males had a median income of $ 37,025 versus $ 27,993 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 16,856. About 12.6% of families and 15.80% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over. As of 2021, the Board of Supervisors oversees
438-567: A majority and by double digits as well as Hillary Clinton in 2016 . The Democratic Party also carried the county in 2008 and 2012 , when Barack Obama won majorities of the county's votes, and in 1992 and 1996 , when Bill Clinton won pluralities. Republican George W. Bush took the county in 2000 by a plurality and in 2004 by a majority. The county is split between heavily Latino, middle-class, and Democratic areas and wealthier conservative areas. The heavily Latino cities of Ontario and San Bernardino went for John Kerry in 2004 but with
511-406: A natural border to the Mojave Desert. There are also abundant alluvial fans , which are called bajadas , that form around the mountains within the Mojave Desert and extend down toward the low altitude basins, which contain dried lake beds called playas, where water generally collects and evaporates, leaving large volumes of salt. These playas include Rogers Dry Lake and China Lake . Dry lakes are
584-678: A noted feature of the Mojave landscape. The Mojave Desert is also home to the Devils Playground , about 40 miles (64 km) of dunes and salt flats going in a northwest-southeasterly direction. The Devil's Playground is a part of the Mojave National Preserve and is between the town of Baker, California and the Providence Mountains . The Cronese Mountains are within the Devil's Playground. There are very few surface rivers in
657-669: A pattern of a series of parallel mountain ranges and valleys. It is also the site of Death Valley , which is the lowest elevation in North America. The Mojave Desert is often colloquially called the "high desert", as most of it lies between 2,000 and 4,000 feet (610 and 1,220 m). It supports a diversity of flora and fauna. The 54,000 sq mi (140,000 km ) desert supports a number of human activities, including recreation, ranching, and military training. The Mojave Desert also contains various silver , tungsten , iron and gold deposits. The spelling Mojave originates from
730-452: A relatively low voter turnout. In 2006, San Bernardino's population exceeded 201,000, and in 2004, only 42,520 votes were cast in the city; that same year, strongly Republican Rancho Cucamonga had over 145,000 residents, of whom 53,054 voted. In the 1980s, Northern San Bernardino County proposed to create Mojave County due to the abysmal service levels the county provided. Ultimately, the vote for county secession failed. The proposed county
803-570: Is a former ranch along the Mojave River. Several attractions and natural features are in the Calico Mountains . Calico Ghost Town , in Yermo, is administered by San Bernardino County. The ghost town has several shops and attractions and inspired Walter Knott to build Knott's Berry Farm . The Bureau of Land Management also administers Rainbow Basin and Owl Canyon. The Calico Early Man Site , in
SECTION 10
#1732852678162876-509: Is also slightly larger than Switzerland . It borders both Nevada and Arizona . The bulk of the population, nearly two million, live in the roughly 480 square miles south of the San Bernardino Mountains adjacent to Riverside and in the San Bernardino Valley in the southwestern portion of the county. About 390,000 residents live just north of the San Bernardino Mountains, in and around the roughly 280 square-mile area that includes
949-483: Is at the eastern end of the San Gabriel Valley . The San Bernardino Valley includes the cities of Ontario , Chino , Chino Hills , Upland , Fontana , Rialto , Colton , Grand Terrace , Montclair , Rancho Cucamonga , San Bernardino , Loma Linda , Highland , Redlands , and Yucaipa . More than 80% of the county's land is owned by the federal government. There are at least 35 official wilderness areas in
1022-473: Is generally abundant in winter annuals. The plants of the Mojave Desert each generally correspond to an individual geographic feature. As such, there are distinctive flora communities within the desert. Notable species of the Mojave Desert include bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis ), mountain lions ( Puma concolor ), black-tailed jackrabbits ( Lepus californicus ), and desert tortoises ( Gopherus agassizii ). Various other species are particularly common in
1095-557: Is not endemic, but almost completely limited to the Mojave Desert. There are also aquatic species that are found nowhere else, such as the Devils Hole pupfish , limited to one hot spring near Death Valley. Before the European colonization of North America, tribes of Native Americans, such as the Mohave , were hunter-gatherers living in the Mojave Desert. European explorers started exploring
1168-637: Is the northeasternmost metropolitan area in the Mojave, with a population of around 180,000 in 2020, and is located at the convergence of the Mojave, Great Basin, and Colorado Plateau. The Los Angeles exurban area of Lancaster - Palmdale has more than 400,000 residents, and the Victorville area to its east has more than 300,000 residents. Smaller cities or micropolitan areas in the Mojave Desert include Helendale , Lake Havasu City , Kingman , Laughlin , Bullhead City and Pahrump . All have experienced rapid population growth since 1990. The California portion of
1241-406: Is the principal saline basin of the Mojave Desert. Natural springs are typically rare throughout the Mojave Desert, but there are two notable springs, Ash Meadows and Oasis Valley . Ash Meadows is formed from several other springs, which all draw from deep underground. Oasis Valley draws from the nearby Amargosa River. Extremes in temperatures throughout the seasons characterize the climate of
1314-466: The California State Senate , San Bernardino County is split among 7 districts: San Bernardino County is a county in which candidates from both major political parties have won in recent elections. Republican Donald Trump carried the country in 2024 , flipping it for the first time in a presidential race since 2004 . In past presidential elections, Democrat Joe Biden carried the county by
1387-651: The County of San Bernardino and sometimes abbreviated as S.B. County , is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California , and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census , the population was 2,181,654, making it the fifth-most populous county in California and the 14th-most populous in the United States. The county seat is San Bernardino . While included within
1460-583: The Greater Los Angeles area, San Bernardino County is included in the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario metropolitan statistical area. With an area of 20,105 square miles (52,070 km ), San Bernardino County is the largest county in the contiguous United States by area, although some of Alaska's boroughs and census areas are larger. The county is close to the size of West Virginia . This vast county stretches from where 93% of
1533-647: The Mojave Desert region; and the 'Aha Makhav (Mohave) and the Piipaash (Maricopa) peoples who lived along the Colorado River . These groups established various villages and settlements throughout the region that were interconnected by a series of extensive trails. Wa'aachnga was a major Tongva village site, also occupied by the Serrano and Cahuilla , located near what is now the city of San Bernardino . The village
SECTION 20
#17328526781621606-539: The Mojave National Preserve . However, the southwest and central east portions of the Mojave Desert are particularly threatened as a result of off-road vehicles, increasing recreational use, human development, and agricultural grazing . The World Wildlife Fund lists the Mojave Desert as relatively "stable/intact". Various habitats and regions of the Mojave Desert have been protected by statute. Notably, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, and
1679-545: The Oligocene . Large downpours during the Miocene likely significantly eroded the rock in the Mojave and accelerated deposition . The Mojave Desert is a source of various minerals and metallic materials. Due to the climate, there is an accumulation of weathered bedrock, fine sand and silt, both sand and silt sediments becoming converted into colluvium . The deposits of gold, tungsten, and silver have been mined frequently prior to
1752-562: The Paleozoic era, the area that is now the Mojave was again likely submerged under a greater sea. During the Mesozoic era, major tectonic activities such as thrust faulting and folding resulted in distinctive shaping as well as intrusion . During the Cenozoic , more tectonic deformation occurred whilst the Mojave was partly submerged. Major volcanic activity is thought to have occurred during
1825-469: The San Gabriel Mission . In recent years, human development in the Mojave Desert has become increasingly present. Human development at the major urban and suburban centers of Las Vegas and Los Angeles has had an increasingly damaging effect on the wildlife of the Mojave Desert. An added demand for landfill space as a result of the large metropolitan centers of Las Vegas and Los Angeles also has
1898-521: The Second World War . Additionally, there have been deposits of copper , tin , lead-zinc , manganese , iron , and various radioactive substances but they have not been mined for commercial use. The flora of the Mojave Desert consists of various endemic plant species, notably the Joshua Tree , which is a notable endemic and indicator species of the desert. There is more endemic flora in
1971-581: The Southwestern United States . Named for the indigenous Mohave people , it is located primarily in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada , with small portions extending into Arizona and Utah . The Mojave Desert, together with the Sonoran , Chihuahuan , and Great Basin deserts, form a larger North American Desert . Of these, the Mojave is the smallest and driest. It displays typical basin and range topography , generally having
2044-487: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 20,105 square miles (52,070 km ), of which 20,057 square miles (51,950 km ) is land and 48 square miles (120 km ) (0.2%) is water. It is the largest county by area in California and the largest in the United States (excluding boroughs in Alaska ). It is slightly larger than the states of New Jersey , Connecticut , Delaware and Rhode Island combined, and
2117-636: The Upland Fire Department in July 2017. As of April 2019 the City of Victorville declined to renew their contract with The San Bernardino County Fire Department. The current district attorney is Jason Anderson, who was elected in March 2018 and took office on January 1, 2019. The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense. On December 2, 2015, in
2190-456: The Victor Valley . Roughly another 100,000 people live scattered across the rest of the sprawling county. The Mojave National Preserve covers some of the eastern desert, especially between Interstate 15 and Interstate 40 . The desert portion also includes the cities of Needles next to the Colorado River and Barstow at the junction of Interstate 15 and Interstate 40 . Trona is at
2263-478: The census of 2000, there were 1,709,434 people, 528,594 households, and 404,374 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 inhabitants per square mile (33/km ). There were 601,369 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 58.9% White , 9.1% African American , 1.2% Native American , 4.7% Asian , 0.3% Pacific Islander , 20.8% from other races , and 5.0% from two or more races. 39.2% of
Big Bear Valley - Misplaced Pages Continue
2336-675: The Calico Hills east of Yermo , is believed by some archaeologists, including the late Louis Leakey , to show the earliest evidence with lithic stone tools found here of human activity in North America. The Mojave Desert has a relatively stable and intact conservation status. The Mojave Desert is one of the best protected distinct ecoregions in the United States, as a result of the California Desert Protection Act , which designated 69 wilderness areas and established Death Valley National Park , Joshua Tree National Park , and
2409-584: The California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages. From 2004 to 2016, the county was embroiled in a corruption scandal over the Colonies housing development in Upland with real estate developer Jeff Burum. The scandal resulted in $ 102 million being paid to Burum's real estate company. Supervisor Bill Postmus pleaded guilty to 10 felonies in regard to his previous post as county assessor. In 2020, Burum sued
2482-720: The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia). Additionally, the Mojave Desert is also home to various species of cacti, such as silver cholla ( Cylindropuntia echinocarpa ), Mojave prickly pear ( O. erinacea ), beavertail cactus ( O. basilaris ), and many-headed barrel cactus ( Echinocactus polycephalus ). Less common but distinctive plants of the Mojave Desert include ironwood ( Olneya tesota ), blue Palo Verde ( Parkinsonia Florida ), chuparosa ( Justicia californica ), spiny menodora ( Menodora spinescens ), desert senna ( Cassia armata ), California dalea ( Psorothamnus arborescens ), and goldenhead ( Acamptopappus shockleyi ). The Mojave Desert
2555-566: The Mojave Desert in the San Gabriel mountains may receive more rain. Most of the precipitation in the Mojave comes from the Pacific Cyclonic storms that are generally present passing eastward in November to April. Such storms generally bring rain and snow only in the mountainous regions, as a result of the effect of the mountains, which creates a drying effect on its leeward slopes . During
2628-614: The Mojave Desert than almost anywhere in the world. Mojave Desert flora is not a vegetation type , although the plants in the area have evolved in isolation because of the physical barriers of the Sierra Nevadas and the Colorado Plateau. Predominant plants of the Mojave Desert include all-scale ( Atriplex polycarpa ), creosote bush ( Larrea tridentata ), brittlebush ( Encelia farinosa ), desert holly ( Atriplex hymenelytra ), white burrobush (Hymenoclea salsola), and most notably,
2701-686: The Mojave Desert was further protected from development by the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP), in which the Bureau of Land Management designated 4.2 million acres of public land as protected wilderness as part of the National Conservation Lands of the California Desert. The Mojave Desert has served as a backdrop for a number of films . The 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas takes place in
2774-575: The Mojave Desert, but two major rivers generally flow underground. One is the intermittent Mojave River , which begins in the San Bernardino mountains and disappears underground in the Mojave Desert. The other is the Amargosa River , which flows partly underground through the Mojave Desert along a southward path. The Manix, Mojave, and the Little Mojave lakes are all large but shallow. Soda Lake
2847-490: The Mojave Desert, such as the LeConte's thrasher ( Toxostoma lecontei ), banded gecko ( Coleonyx variegatus ), desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis), chuckwalla ( Sauromalus obesus ), and regal horned lizard ( Phrynosoma solare ). Species of snake include the rosy boa ( Lichanura trivirgata ), Western patch-nosed snake ( Salvadora hexalepis ), and Mojave rattlesnake ( Crotalus scutulatus ). These species can also occur in
2920-399: The Mojave Desert. Freezing temperatures as well as strong winds are not uncommon in the winter, as well as precipitation such as rain and snow in the mountains. In contrast, temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are not uncommon during the summer months. There is an annual average precipitation of 2 to 6 inches (51 to 152 mm), although regions at high altitudes such as the portion of
2993-780: The Mojave National Preserve by the California Desert Protection Act of 1994. ( Pub.L. 103–433). Various other federal and state land agencies have protected regions within the Mojave Desert. These include Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve , which protects the fields of California poppies, Mojave Trails National Monument , Desert Tortoise Natural Area , Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park , Desert National Wildlife Refuge , Lake Mead National Recreation Area , Providence Mountains State Recreation Area , Red Cliffs National Conservation Area , Red Rock Canyon State Park , Saddleback Butte State Park , Snow Canyon State Park and Valley of Fire State Park . In 2013,
Big Bear Valley - Misplaced Pages Continue
3066-727: The Mojave a critical training location for the United States Department of Defense. The Mojave Desert has long been a valuable resource for people, and as its human population grows, its importance will only grow. Miners, ranchers, and farmers rely on the desert for a living. The Mojave is also used by the state of California to meet renewable energy objectives. Large tracts of the desert are owned by federal agencies and are leased at low cost by wind and solar energy companies, although these renewable developments can cause their own environmental impact and disturb cultural landscapes and visual resources. Desert Sunlight Solar Farm , one of
3139-637: The Mojave from the nearby Sonoran Desert. The Mojave Desert is bordered by the San Andreas Fault to the southwest and the Garlock fault to the north. The mountains elevated along the length of the San Andreas fault provide a clear border between the Mojave Desert and the coastal regions to the west. The Garlock fault separates the Mojave Desert from the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi mountains, which provide
3212-607: The Spanish language, while the spelling Mohave comes from modern English. Both are used today, although the Mojave Tribal Nation officially uses the spelling Mojave . Mojave is a shortened form of Hamakhaave , an endonym in their native language, which means "beside the water". The Mojave Desert is a desert bordered to the west by the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the California montane chaparral and woodlands , and to
3285-511: The city of San Bernardino, terrorists attacked a staff meeting being held in the Inland Regional Center, murdering 14 people and wounding 22. School districts are: Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( / m oʊ ˈ h ɑː v i , m ə -/ ; Mohave : Hayikwiir Mat'aar ; Spanish : Desierto de Mojave ) is a desert in the rain shadow of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains and Transverse Ranges in
3358-685: The county again and the county reached for a $ 69 million settlement. 2022, the county's insurance company, Ironside, balked at paying the settlement, claiming that the county willfully "retaliate[d] against the Colonies II Plaintiffs as part of a decades-long dispute over land and water rights in Upland, California, culminating in a malicious prosecution of Burum." In 2020, voters approved Measure K, which limited county supervisors to one term instead of three, while reducing pay from 250 thousand dollars to 60 thousand dollars. County Supervisors appealed
3431-640: The county near the High Desert area, in the vicinity of Twentynine Palms . The remaining towns make up the remainder of the High Desert: Pioneertown , Yucca Valley , Joshua Tree , Landers , and Morongo Valley . The mountains are home to the San Bernardino National Forest , and include the communities of Crestline , Lake Arrowhead , Running Springs , Big Bear City , Forest Falls , and Big Bear Lake . The San Bernardino Valley
3504-455: The county population resides in three Census County Divisions (Fontana, San Bernardino, and Victorville-Hesperia), counting 1,793,186 people as of the 2010 Census, covering 1,730 square miles (4,500 km ), across the thinly populated deserts and mountains. It spans an area from south of the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino Valley , to the Nevada border and the Colorado River . With
3577-543: The county that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System . This is the largest number of any county in the United States (although not the largest in total area). The majority are managed by the Bureau of Land Management , but some are integral components of the above listed national protected areas. Most of these wilderness areas lie entirely within the county, but a few are shared with neighboring counties (and two of these are shared with
3650-448: The decision, only to lose in the state's appeals court. By 2022, term limits were restored and pay was restored to 80% of the annual base compensation for San Bernardino Superior Court judges under a supervisor lead ballot measure In 2022, The Board of supervisors were pushed by a major supervisor campaign contributor Jeff Burum to vote for secession from the State of California to form
3723-664: The department. The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCoFD) or the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the unincorporated parts of the county and 24 incorporated cities. The department annexed the Crest Forest Fire Protection District on July 1, 2015; the San Bernardino City and Twentynine Palms Fire Departments on July 1, 2016; and
SECTION 50
#17328526781623796-410: The desert also contains Edwards Air Force Base and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake , noted for experimental aviation and weapons projects. The Mojave Desert has several ghost towns . The most significant are the silver and copper-mining town of Calico, California , and the old railroad depot of Kelso, California . Some of the other ghost towns are more modern, created when U.S. Route 66 (and
3869-408: The deserts beginning in the 18th century. Francisco Garcés , a Franciscan friar, was the first explorer of the Mojave Desert in 1776. Garcés recorded information about the original inhabitants of the deserts. Later, as American interests expanded into California, American explorers started probing the California deserts. Jedediah Smith travelled through the Mojave Desert in 1826, finally reaching
3942-767: The international destination of Las Vegas. The Mojave is also known for its scenery, playing host to Death Valley National Park , Joshua Tree National Park , and the Mojave National Preserve . Lakes Mead , Mohave , and Havasu provide water sports recreation, and vast off-road areas entice off-road enthusiasts. The Mojave Desert also includes three California State Parks , the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve , in Lancaster , Saddleback Butte State Park , in Hi Vista and Red Rock Canyon State Park . Mojave Narrows Park , operated by San Bernardino County,
4015-470: The largest solar farms in the world, was built approximately five miles from Joshua Tree National Park . An endangered Yuma clapper rail was found dead at the site in 2014, spurring efforts from conservation groups to protect birds from the so-called lake effect, a phenomenon in which birds can mistake the reflective glare of solar panels for a body of water. The Mojave Desert is one of the most popular spots for tourism in North America, primarily because of
4088-442: The late summer months, there is also the possibility of strong thunderstorms, which bring heavy showers or cloudbursts. These storms can result in flash flooding . The Mojave Desert has not historically supported a fire regime because of low fuel loads and connectivity. However, in the last few decades, invasive annual plants such as some within the genera Bromus , Schismus and Brassica have facilitated fires by serving as
4161-503: The lesser-known U.S. Route 91 ) were abandoned in favor of the construction of Interstates . CA SR 14 , Interstate 15 , Interstate 40 , CA SR 58 , CA SR 138 , US Route 95 , and US Route 395 are the main highways that traverse the Mojave Desert. The rock that forms the Mojave Desert was likely created under shallow water in the Precambrian . Sedimentary processes left large deposits of limestones, silicates, and dolomites. During
4234-531: The neighboring Sonoran and Great Basin deserts. The animal species of the Mojave Desert have generally fewer endemics than its flora. However, endemic fauna of the Mojave Desert include Kelso Dunes jerusalem cricket ( Ammopelmatus kelsoensis), the Kelso Dunes shieldback katydid ( Eremopedes kelsoensis ), the Mohave ground squirrel ( Spermophilus Mohavensis ) and Amargosa vole ( Microtus californicus scirpensis ). The Mojave fringe-toed lizard ( Uma Scopari a)
4307-651: The neighboring states of Arizona and Nevada). Except as noted, these wilderness areas are managed solely by the Bureau of Land Management and lie within San Bernardino County: The 2010 United States Census reported that San Bernardino County had a population of 2,035,210. The racial makeup of San Bernardino County was 1,153,161 (56.7%) White , 181,862 (8.9%) African American , 22,689 (1.1%) Native American , 128,603 (6.3%) Asian , 6,870 (0.3%) Pacific Islander , 439,661 (21.6%) from other races , and 102,364 (5.0%) from two or more races. There were 1,001,145 people of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race (49.2%). As of
4380-428: The northwestern part of the county, west of Death Valley . This national park, mostly within Inyo County , also has a small portion of land within San Bernardino County. The largest metropolitan area in the Mojave Desert part of the county is the Victor Valley , with the incorporated localities of Adelanto , Apple Valley , Hesperia , and Victorville . Further south, a portion of Joshua Tree National Park overlaps
4453-575: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 8.3% were of German , 5.5% English and 5.1% Irish ancestry. 66.1% spoke English , 27.7% Spanish and 1.1% Tagalog as their first language. There were 528,594 households, out of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size
SECTION 60
#17328526781624526-416: The real potential to drastically affect flora and fauna of the Mojave Desert. Agricultural development along the Colorado river , close to the Eastern boundary of the Mojave Desert, also causes habitat loss and degradation. Areas that are particularly affected by human development include Ward Valley and Riverside county. The United States military also maintains installations in the Mojave Desert, making
4599-433: The region from Mission San Gabriel . Spanish Missionaries from Mission San Gabriel Arcángel established a church at the village of Wa'aachnga, which would be renamed Politania in 1810. Father Francisco Dumetz named the church San Bernardino on May 20, 1810, after the feast day of St. Bernardino of Siena . The Franciscans also gave the name San Bernardino to the snowcapped peak in Southern California , in honor of
4672-431: The remainder belonging to minor political parties or declining to state. The county's primary law enforcement agency is the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department . The department provides law enforcement services in the unincorporated areas of the county and in 14 contract cities, operates the county jail system, provides marshal services in the county superior courts, and has numerous other divisions to serve
4745-409: The residents of the county. The county operates the San Bernardino County Consolidated Fire District (commonly known as the San Bernardino County Fire Department). The department provides "all-risk" fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to all unincorporated areas in the county except for several areas served by independent fire protection districts, and several cities that chose to contract with
4818-502: The saint and it is from him that the county derives its name. In 1819, they established the San Bernardino de Sena Estancia , a mission farm in what is now Redlands . Following Mexican independence from Spain in 1821, Mexican citizens were granted land grants to establish ranchos in the area of the county. Rancho Jurupa in 1838, Rancho Cucamonga and El Rincon in 1839, Rancho Santa Ana del Chino in 1841, Rancho San Bernardino in 1842 and Rancho Muscupiabe in 1844. Agua Mansa
4891-827: The south and east by the Sonoran Desert. The boundaries to the east of the Mojave Desert are less distinctive than the other boundaries because there is no presence of an indicator species, such as the Joshua tree ( Yucca brevifolia ), which is endemic to the Mojave Desert. The Mojave Desert is distinguished from the Sonoran Desert and other deserts adjacent to it by its warm temperate climate, as well as flora and fauna such as ironwood ( Olneya tesota ), blue Palo Verde ( Parkinsonia florida ), chuparosa ( Justicia californica ), spiny menodora ( Menodora spinescens ), desert senna ( Cassia armata ), California dalea ( Psorothamnus arborescens ), California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) and goldenhead ( Acamptopappus shockleyi ). Along with these other factors, these plants differentiate
4964-616: The state of Empire. In 2023, San Bernardino County Chief Executive Officer Leonard X. Hernandez resigned, claiming urgent family health issues, after being accused of having an affair with a county employee. After the accustation came out, the county placed Hernandez on Leave. After Hernandez resigned, Hernandez still got paid for one year after his departure. According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 2020, there were 1,016,190 registered voters in San Bernardino County. Of those, 410,197 (40.37%) were registered Democrats, 298,234 (29.35%) were registered Republicans, with
5037-592: The valley. The Serranos had established a few permanent settlements in the mountains, and also lived in the area during the summer months of the year. They may have moved into the area some 3,000 years prior. This very biologically diverse area is also where an active bald eagle can be seen via webcam. This San Bernardino County, California –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . San Bernardino County San Bernardino County ( / s æ n ˌ b ɜːr n ə ˈ d iː n oʊ / SAN BUR -nə- DEE -noh ), officially
5110-501: Was 3.2 people, and the average family size was 3.6 people. The number of homeless in San Bernardino County grew from 5,270 in 2002 to 7,331 in 2007, a 39% increase. In the county, 32.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.3% was from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males. The median income for
5183-584: Was from the Cajon Pass to the city of Needles. In 1998, County administrator James Hlawek resigned after being subject to an FBI investigation for bribery, but only after Harry Mays, county Treasurer-Tax Collector Thomas O'Donnell, County Investment Officer Sol Levin and three businessmen had agreed to plead guilty to federal bribery charges. In 2004, County Supervisor Geral Eaves Pleaded guilty to bribery for accepting gifts from businesses for allowing billboards on county land. On November 4, 2008, San Bernardino County voted 67% for Proposition 8 , which amended
5256-699: Was part of an extensive trade network along the Mohave Trail that connected villages in San Bernardino County from the Colorado River to the Los Angeles Basin . Wá'peat was a Desert Serrano village located near what is now the city of Hesperia . It was part of a series of villages located along the Mojave River . By the late 1700s, villages in the area were being increasingly encroached upon by Spanish soldiers and missionaries, who were coming into
5329-531: Was the first town in what became San Bernardino County, settled by immigrants from New Mexico on land donated from the Rancho Jurupa in 1841. Following the purchase of Rancho San Bernardino , and the establishment of the town of San Bernardino in 1851 by Mormon colonists, San Bernardino County was formed in 1853 from parts of Los Angeles County . Some of the southern parts of the county's territory were given to Riverside County in 1893. According to
#161838