San Bernardino, California

San Bernardino, California is a city located in Southern California at an elevation of 1,049 feet. The City of San Bernardino is a municipal corporation. The City Council functions as the elected Board of Directors of the corporation. The Mayor functions as the Chair of the Board. The City Manager functions as the appointed CEO of the corporation. San Bernardino was originally incorporated in 1854, and later reincorporated in 1886. San Bernardino is the county seat of San Bernardino County, which, at 20,105 square miles, is the largest county in the contiguous United States. San Bernardino County ranges from a valley near the coastal plain to the Colorado River and the Nevada border deep within the continent. San Bernardino County contains large swathes of mountains and desert, including Mojave National Preserve and portions of Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley National Park. San Bernardino is the largest city in San Bernardino County with a population of over 213,000. San Bernardino is located in the broad and fertile San Bernardino Valley. Padre Francisco Dumetz, a priest from the San Gabriel Mission, gave the valley its name in 1810. To the north and northeast of the city lies the San Bernardino Mountains. The San Bernardino Mountains feature resort towns, ski slopes, and the highest peak in Southern California, San Gorgonio Mountain, which rises to an elevation of 11,503 feet and is the only area of Southern California with evidence of glaciation during the Pleistocene epoch (the ice age). San Bernardino offers a relatively affordable housing market compared to many portions of Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties. San Bernardino has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. Winters in San Bernardino, while still mild, feature colder nights than in adjoining coastal areas.

San Bernardino is centrally located 60 miles east of Los Angeles and 120 miles north of San Diego. San Bernardino is a transportation hub along one of the major transportation corridors linking the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. Several freeways and rail lines, and two international airports are located in the vicinity. The San Bernardino area has achieved significant job growth in recent years. More than 75,000 residents of San Bernardino are employed. San Bernardino is part of the Inland Empire area. The term “Inland Empire” has been in usage since the first half of the 20 ^th Century. The area formerly was referred to as the Orange Empire due to the citrus industry that once dominated the region.

At one time, citrus groves and vineyards filled much of the countryside around San Bernardino. A combination of factors has changed that, sending the area’s economy in an entirely different direction. The area had a well-developed railroad system capable of carrying large quantities of goods. The area also had an abundance of flat vacant land well suited for the construction of large warehouses. The area had a network of freeways connecting it to the coastal communities and, in particular, the harbors of Los Angeles and Long Beach in San Pedro Bay. These harbors happened to have the capability of handing a larger volume of seaborne cargo than most harbors on the West Coast. With the increase in manufacturing coming out of several countries in Asia in recent decades, the volume of goods coming in through San Pedro Bay increased dramatically. Los Angeles County was running out of logistics space, so a logistics industry began to develop in the San Bernardino area. Now, with the explosion of online shopping and fast or same-day home deliveries, the area now has one of the largest concentrations of “big box” distribution centers in the world. According to one estimate, 40% of the nation’s consumer goods come through the Inland Empire and nearly one in eight workers in the area is employed by the logistics industry.

San Bernardino Valley College, founded as San Bernardino Junior College in 1926, is a major area employer. California State University, San Bernardino, which opened in 1965, and the San Bernardino Unified School District are also major area employers. A more recent addition to San Bernardino is the San Manuel Gateway College, whose mission is to provide entry-level job training and educational opportunities in the medical field.

San Bernardino is home to the Inland Empire 66ers, a Class A-Advanced Minor League team. The team plays at the San Manuel Stadium. According to an older economic study, the team’s presence in the city produces an economic impact of over $12 million annually, benefitting hotels and restaurants among other businesses. The Little League Western Region Headquarters is located in San Bernardino.

The historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts, built in 1928 as a vaudeville movie palace, presents live theatre and concerts. The San Bernardino Symphony also performs at the theatre.  

The San Bernardino History & Railroad Museum is located in San Bernardino. The Norton Air Force Base Museum is also located in San Bernardino. Norton Air Force Base was a United States Air Force facility that operated in San Bernardino from 1942 to 1994.

The site of the original McDonalds restaurant, opened as the McDonald’s Barbecue Restaurant in 1940, is in San Bernardino. The Original McDonalds, a museum, is now on the site. The museum contains thousands of items of McDonalds merchandise.

The 1,340-acre Glen Helen Regional Park is in the foothills northwest of the city center. The Park is home to the Glen Helen Amphitheater, one of the larges venues for outdoor concerts in the country.

The attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC practice employment law and represent workers throughout San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, including the City of San Bernardino and surrounding communities such as Redlands and Highland. We represent workers concerning Employment Discrimination and Wrongful Termination claims based on Age, Disability, and other protected characteristics. We also represent workers concerning Sexual Harassment and Wage and Hour claims. If your employer or former employer has violated your rights, call the experienced employment attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC or Contact Us via our online form.