Download or read book Early Pomona written by Mickey Gallivan and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2007 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first settlers to carve the Pomona Valley out of the California wilderness were Ricardo Vejar and Ygnacio Palomares, who received land grants in 1837 for fighting for Mexico's independence. Nearly three decades after California was ceded to the United States, Southerners escaping the aftermath of the Civil War migrated to the area, and the city was incorporated in 1888. Pomona's landscape evolved from vast Mexican ranchos into prosperous vineyards and orchards, and later into one of Los Angeles's major suburbs. Pomona today is home to the world's largest county fair, the Los Angeles County Fair, as well as to California Polytechnic University and Western University of Health Sciences. The city boasts a thriving art colony, three historic districts, and a unique mix of architecture, including Victorian, Craftsman, transitional, and Spanish-style homes. The more than 150,000 Pomona residents pride themselves on a neighborly small-town flavor that belies the city's large population.