Rancho Cucamonga still has old vines hiding in Central Park

Rancho Cucamonga is often seen through freeways, warehouses, foothill homes, and Route 66. Central Park adds an older layer: grapevines. Rancho Cucamonga and Historic Galleano Winery have been working to save old vines at the park and plant more nearby.

The old vines are not simple decoration. The healthiest ones are being marked in historic blocks, so people can see what remains of the valley’s wine past. New plantings are planned, too, using older vine-training methods. Cucamonga Valley was once one of California’s important grape-growing areas, so the vines give the park a real local memory.

The roots go back to 1839. That year, Don Tiburcio Tapia received a large Mexican-era land grant in the area. A small vineyard was later planted with twelve rows of forty-seven vines, likely Mission grapes. An adobe winery followed. The site tied to that story is California State Landmark No. 490 near Foothill Boulevard and Vineyard Avenue.

Rancho Cucamonga takes on a different shape when you know that. It is a modern Inland Empire city with mountain views, but it also carries an old farm and wine story. That story reaches back before subdivisions, logistics parks, and even Route 66.