San Bernardino CA (Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Highland: home, living, safe)

[erickz623]

There's a reason why homes are so inexpensive in San Bernardino. I lived there for about a year and a half. While I met some good people during my time there, the city has just deteriorated so much. It's such a shame. The area has a lot of potential. The mountains there are beautiful.

[steel7]

In the 70s san Bernardino was a all American city.

[CA4Now]

"San Bernardino — yes, even San Bernardino — has a lot to offer. And it’s worth publicizing that fact."

How California towns like San Bernardino get a bad reputation

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

I remember going to San Bernardino as a child for day trips from the small desert town where I grew up. We did our shopping there, went to the doctor & ate at a favorite coffee shop, or we ate at the original McDonald’s. I think the burgers were 10 cents. Sometimes we went to the movies. My sister & I would see a sci-fi double feature. The whole day was an occasion.

The main shopping area was E Street. There was an upscale department store, Harris, that had a notorious, scary escalator. The Swing Auditorium was on E Street, it was well-known and had a lot of big-name performers. I went to my first rock concert at the Swing.

San Bernardino had a lot of parks, lots of trees, cool deco buildings & granite street lamps, and was surrounded by orange groves. It was clean & well-kept. It had a good hospital, St. Bernardine’s. The economy was good. A lot of people worked at the now-closed Norton AFB or at Kaiser Steel in Fontana, also gone.

All of that was long ago. I left the area, but returned to my home town for visits. The people I knew there started telling me that they never went to San Bernardino anymore, that it was “ghetto”. I can’t remember when that started.

It really was a nice town, long ago. I hope it can be that way again.

[RockyRoadg]

We just unveiled a new statue of Rosa Parks Down Town so things are looking up.


Bronze statue of civil rights icon Rosa Parks to be unveiled in San Bernardino | News | highlandnews.net

[AFtrEFkt]

Originally Posted by MarciaMarshaMarcia

I remember going to San Bernardino as a child for day trips from the small desert town where I grew up. We did our shopping there, went to the doctor & ate at a favorite coffee shop, or we ate at the original McDonald’s. I think the burgers were 10 cents. Sometimes we went to the movies. My sister & I would see a sci-fi double feature. The whole day was an occasion.

The main shopping area was E Street. There was an upscale department store, Harris, that had a notorious, scary escalator. The Swing Auditorium was on E Street, it was well-known and had a lot of big-name performers. I went to my first rock concert at the Swing.

San Bernardino had a lot of parks, lots of trees, cool deco buildings & granite street lamps, and was surrounded by orange groves. It was clean & well-kept. It had a good hospital, St. Bernardine’s. The economy was good. A lot of people worked at the now-closed Norton AFB or at Kaiser Steel in Fontana, also gone.

All of that was long ago. I left the area, but returned to my home town for visits. The people I knew there started telling me that they never went to San Bernardino anymore, that it was “ghetto”. I can’t remember when that started.

It really was a nice town, long ago. I hope it can be that way again.

Maybe in the far-flung future!

But anything's possible. I lived in "San Berdino" for a spell in the early '90s. Spent a fair amount of time downtown, around E Street, Baseline, Highland, Waterman. E Street was pretty cool back then. Before Guitar Center moved in down the road, Liers' Music was the local instrument store. There were music/culture-oriented shops like Thrash (they since have moved over to Waterman) and Windjammer (still there). Back then, the Pussycat Theatre was still (barely) operating.

Over on Baseline we'd head into the now-defunct Groove Time Music, which always had thousands of LPs in stock, along with CDs and tapes. That area was a popular place for hookers and dopers. We always hit Groove Time in the AM, to avoid those elements.

And there was a fantastic used bookstore on Highland, too.

I'd like to see things improve in Berdoo, too.

[MichiganGreg]

Originally Posted by AFtrEFkt

Maybe in the far-flung future!

But anything's possible. I lived in "San Berdino" for a spell in the early '90s. Spent a fair amount of time downtown, around E Street, Baseline, Highland, Waterman. E Street was pretty cool back then. Before Guitar Center moved in down the road, Liers' Music was the local instrument store. There were music/culture-oriented shops like Thrash (they since have moved over to Waterman) and Windjammer (still there). Back then, the Pussycat Theatre was still (barely) operating.

Over on Baseline we'd head into the now-defunct Groove Time Music, which always had thousands of LPs in stock, along with CDs and tapes. That area was a popular place for hookers and dopers. We always hit Groove Time in the AM, to avoid those elements.

And there was a fantastic used bookstore on Highland, too.

I'd like to see things improve in Berdoo, too.

Thanks for those memories! I was born / raised in SB (early 1950s), lived in Highland near the orange groves. Had to ride a bicycle through the groves to get to school. I'll never forget the rides in the spring when the blossoms were out in full; like living in an organic perfume factory. Used to ride to Perris Hill, go to the plunge in the summertime, rode to City Creek / foothills until dark, when we would return home. I canvased the entire city on a bicycle with my brother, it was a great place to play. And a safe place for kids.

Norton was running those days, all my friends were AF brats; dads were pilots, or majors/colonels in the AF. Our housing in town was new, beautiful, and safe. Learned to play guitar and frequented Liers Music a LOT. (OMG; just found their FB PAGE! The legend lives!!) Still have picks from them. Concerts at the county fair were a mainstay; grew up with Jefferson Airplane, Iron Butterfly, Cream, Jethro Tull, Janice / Big Brother & holding company...and on and on...

Sad to read about the problems facing it now...

Edit: Wow; Swing Auditorium! Forgot about that venue. Spent too much time there, too...

[AFtrEFkt]

Liers' Music has a FB page? I'm going to have to check that out.

[AFtrEFkt]

Originally Posted by TCROX

Is it going to end up more like Mexico or Africa? any bets?

You may want to check if Home Depot has replenished its stock of replacement bulbs for your brain case. It looks rather dark in there.

[TCROX]

I hope you're right- the crime reports and next election cycles will be a good barometer
I think law and order would work better!