How many cities can claim to be the home of the "World's Largest Paper Cup"? Among Riverside's other attractions, it is the home of a former Dixie Corporations manufacturing facility. Although the plant is no longer there, the three story high (68 foot) concrete Dixie Cup remains as a landmark. The city was founded in the early 1870s beside the Santa Ana River by John W. North, a staunch temperance-minded abolitionist from Tennessee. The first navel orange tree was brought in from Brazil by some of the City's first settlers shortly after in 1873. The California Citrus State Historic Park celebrates the areas once abundant citrus industry and the growth of citrus orchards throughout Southern California. The city is also home to the three surviving Parent Navel Orange Trees. Another botanical achievement is the University of California, Riverside's Botanic Gardens with 40 acres of unusual plants connected by four miles of walking trails.
According to the US Census Bureau, the City of Riverside covers an area of approximately 78.4 square miles divided into 28 individual neighborhoods with the City Council proposing the annexation of several adjacent unincorporated areas which would dramatically increase the City land area and population. The current population as of the most recent census in 2005 was 294,059. Access to the City is by three major freeways, I-215 and State Routes 60 and 91, in addition to two commuter rail systems, local bus service and the Riverside Municipal Airport. The City of Riverside is the home of many private, public and specialty educational institutions including three Universities, University of California at Riverside, California Baptist University, La Sierra University, two special private schools for grades 7-12, California School for the Deaf, for hearing impaired students and Sherman Indian School for Native American tribal members and seven public and five private high schools. The Riverside Unified School district is proud of the performance of their elementary schools, five of which have API?s scores over 800 and the others with scores in the 700 range and improving. Several famous sports figures hail from Riverside including baseball greats, Barry Bonds and Dusty Baker, NASCAR driver David Gilliland, NBA stars Reggie Miller and Ed Grey and NFL tight end Bubba Franks.