Eastvale

Before 1954 - 
The Eastvale region was part of the homeland of the indigenous Tongva people for about 8,000 years.

Recorded history of land in the far western side of present-day Riverside County and north of the Santa Ana River begins in 1838, when Mexican Governor Juan Alvarado, of the Alta California territory, granted Rancho Jurupa (some 48 square miles) to Juan Bandini. The city of Eastvale now occupies approximately the westernmost one-quarter of former Rancho Jurupa land grant. The Mexican–American War between the United States and Mexico ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, by which Mexico ceded Alta California and much other Southwestern land to the US. Two years later, on September 9, 1850, California became a U.S. state.

For 65 years, between 1889 and 1954, the Fuller family owned about 6 square miles of ranch land on the north side of the Santa Ana River. Almost half of present-day Eastvale, between Schleisman Road and the river, was included within the Fuller ranch’s boundaries.

Eastvale, often spelled with two words as "East Vale" in early days, was an elementary school district in Riverside County for more than 50 years, from County formation in 1893 until 1947 when the district was merged with Corona and Norco schools.

Recent history -
Once a rural area, Eastvale was predominantly dairy farms and agricultural until the late 1990s. At that time, the area started to suburbanize to accommodate the influx of people coming from Orange and Los Angeles counties seeking more affordable housing. Eastvale was particularly hit hard by the United States housing bubble that burst in the late 2000s. A large portion of the communities' homes were sold during the early and mid-2000s at highly inflated prices fueled by the subprime mortgage industry. In June 2006, the median home in Eastvale was valued at $601,000 and had drastically fallen to $304,000 by June 2009 according to Zillow, representing a 50% decrease in home values over a span of three years.

Incorporation effort - 
Eastvale was one of several unincorporated areas of Riverside County that had strong community support for city incorporation. The passage of AB 1602 in the mid-2000s, a state bill that adds funds from vehicle license fees, made it easier for unincorporated areas to attain cityhood. In 2008, the communities of Menifee, Sun City and Quail Valley merged and incorporated as the City of Menifee. The law also brought renewed interest in incorporation efforts for Mira Loma and Jurupa Valley (Mira Loma, Pedley, Glen Avon, Sunnyslope, and Rubidoux).

The community of Eastvale actively attempted to incorporate from the mid-2000s through 2010. The incorporation effort was being led by the Eastvale Incorporation Committee. Other groups were also proponents of Eastvale cityhood, such as the Yes on Eastvale Cityhood Committee.

The incorporation effort was opposed by the Not NOW Eastvale group that was co-chaired by one of the 18 City Council candidates as well as other groups. These groups feared that the city had not developed a strong enough tax base to sustain itself as a city and all the responsibilities that come along with incorporation largely due to the dependence on state Vehicle License Fees (VLFs) for more than one third of the then proposed city's revenue. Others contested that the services provided by Riverside County, such as police and fire, were sufficient and another layer of government was not needed. Many were not opposed to incorporation but rather to the timing of the incorporation effort.

The Eastvale Incorporation Committee successfully gathered enough signatures to qualify for the June 8, 2010. "Measure A" was placed on the ballot deciding incorporation. “Measure B” would decide how the city council would be elected: at large, by district, or from district. Measure A passed with 65.8% of voters approving incorporation. Eastvale officially incorporated on October 1, 2010. Voters also decided that the city council would be elected at large. Eastvale's first city council members were Ike Bootsma, Jeff DeGrandpre, Kelly Howell, Adam Rush, and Ric Welch. The council selected Adam Rush as Eastvale's first mayor.