San Bernardino [key], city (1990 pop. 164,164), seat of San Bernardino co., S Calif., at the foot of the San Bernardino Mts.; inc. 1854. It is the center of a thriving metropolitan area that includes the cities of Ontario and Riverside. San Bernadino grew significantly in the late 20th cent. Among the many manufactures are steel, iron, and related products; aerospace, electronic, and electrical goods; and food items. The area was visited (1772), named (1810), and first settled by Spanish explorers. A colony of Mormons arrived in the early 1850s and plotted the present city. It is the seat of California State Univ. San Bernardino. The city is also the headquarters of the San Bernardino National Forest, which lies to the northeast. Resort and recreational areas are nearby.
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