The Magic Kingdom put the city of Anaheim on the map and made it the dream vacation destination for millions of American families. Who could have predicted that the 160 acres of walnut and orange orchards developed into an amusement park by Walt Disney in 1954, would have been visited by more than 515 million guests since it opened in 1955. In addition to Disneyland, the city boasts a major convention center, vast assortment of motels and restaurants and sports teams. The City was founded by fifty German families in 1857 and incorporated on February 10, 1870. It quickly developed into an industrial center, producing electronics, aircraft parts, and canned fruit.
The City of Anaheim occupies 50.5 square miles with a population of 342,410. The City's largest employer is Disneyland and its major industry tourism related to Disneyland and the convention center which is home to many national conferences. The city is one of the safest cities of its size in the nation with relatively low crime rates and its Anaheim Hills district the richest in the county with a median income of over $120,000 per year. Anaheim is accessed by the Santa Ana, I-5, the Orange, CA-57, Riverside, CA-91 and Costa Mesa, CA-55 Freeways and the Eastern Transportation Corridor, CA-241. Two major railroads connect there, the Union Pacific and BNSF, along with Amtrak and Metrolink rail service which hosts a regional station in the Angel Stadium parking lot. Metro and OCTA bus systems also serve the area. Anaheim is served by eight public school districts including one high school and one community college district.