San Bernardino County history: A.B. Miller – Welcome to San Bernardino County

A.B. Miller on horseback as depicted in an outdoor mural in downtown Fontana. Photo courtesy of Mracew.

A mural depicting historical scenes, including a person named A.B. Miller on a horse, and a child drinking juice from an orange with text that says “Fontana Girl” above her. The artwork also features an old mill and workers in a field. — A.B. Miller on horseback as depicted in an outdoor mural in downtown Fontana. Photo courtesy of Mracew.

Before Azariel Blanchard Miller arrived, the land that would become Fontana was part of Rancho de San Bernardino, one of the many local ranchos in the area. In 1853, San Bernardino County was created, and by 1890, the Southern California Railroad established a station and small town, which was named Rosena.

Agricultural developers saw potential in the land. Among them was Miller, who purchased 17,000 acres in Rosena and established the Fontana Water and Land Company, choosing the name Fontana, which means “fountain” in Italian.

According to legend, Miller used 200 horses, mules, plows and scrapers to transform the area into citrus orchards, poultry farms and cattle ranches. To protect his groves from severe winds, he planted long rows of eucalyptus trees, some of which can still be seen along the I-10 freeway.

On June 7, 1913, Miller’s mother, Eliza, formally christened the town Fontana by striking the base of the flagpole with a bottle of local grape juice, signaling the end of Rosena. Over 4,000 people attended the ceremony, which eventually became an annual celebration now known as Fontana Days.

Miller’s original planting of 2,000 acres of citrus groves earned Fontana the distinction of having the largest single citrus grove in the world. Its top-quality brand was known as the Fontana Girl. Beyond agriculture, Miller was also involved in many Fontana ventures, including the Fontana Union Water Company, the Fontana Power Company and Miller Livestock Company.

Miller passed away on April 13, 1941, in Fontana at the age of 62. Eleven years later, on June 25, 1952, the city of Fontana was officially incorporated. Today, Miller’s legacy is honored through landmarks such as Miller Park, Miller Avenue and A.B. Miller High School.

The information in this historical feature was originally part of a video series produced by the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk’s office.

Additional County Update News – December 4