Riverside, California is so named because of its location next to the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire and Riverside County, and is located about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Riverside County is a great place to call home, and this page provides answers to questions related to property taxes and special appraisals for new homes. In addition, there are resources available to income-eligible residents who need public housing assistance or are at risk of homelessness.
Sixty miles east of Los Angeles, Riverside is the largest city in the county, with more than 336,000 residents. The city is renowned for its citrus industry, which was built around the sweet and tasty navel orange. In 1916, a community college was established in Riverside, and La Sierra University (1922; Seventh-day Adventist) and California Baptist University (1950) are also located here. Between 1980 and 1990, the population of Riverside grew by more than 76 percent, making it the fastest growing county in California.
The city has several schools, including La Sierra University, California Baptist College, and University of California-Riverside. The Mission Inn was developed out of Glenwood Tavern, owned by Captain Christopher Columbus Miller who moved to Riverside in 1874 to study the land of the Gage Canal which brought water to Riverside.
