Mormon settlers came to Southern California in 1851 because they saw the region as a valuable source of food for Salt Lake City. One of the most prominent settlers was Jefferson Hunt, a former member of the Mormon Battalion and brigadier general in the California State Militia.
In 1852, Hunt was elected to the California state Assembly representing Los Angeles County. At the time, San Bernardino County didn’t exist. Assemblyman Hunt introduced a bill to create San Bernardino County.
Settlers sought greater control over transportation routes between Southern California and Salt Lake City, which influenced the county’s large geographical footprint. During this time, Utah and Nevada had not officially become states yet, and many Americans didn’t realize the desert contained valuable minerals beneath its surface. The area that would become San Bernardino County covered a large territory, which gave settlers room to manage travel routes to Salt Lake City.
Assemblyman Hunt’s service in the Mexican-American War and his popularity among fellow legislators helped the bill pass with little opposition. On April 26, 1853, San Bernardino County was created from portions of Los Angeles, San Diego and Mariposa counties. The original size of the county also included a significant portion of what is now called Riverside County.
Today, at 20,105 square miles, San Bernardino County is the largest county in the United States. It is larger than nine states and 70 countries.
The information in this historical feature was originally part of a video series produced by the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk’s office.
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