Comparing the Past and Future in Eastside Riverside

Eastside Riverside has always been known as a tight-knit and multi-racial community, especially during the 1900s in the citrus industry. For instance, Eastside Riverside was a multiracial community with waves of migrants who provided the labor needed for Riverside's fabled citrus industry to grow" (Live from the Frontline). Different races such as Mexicans/Latinos, African Americans, Japanese, Koreans, White's, Other, over time migrated or segregated from Eastside Riverside. This leaves the audience questioning WHY? What factors contributed to these individuals that were once the heart of the citrus industry to leave? This Story Map will aim to cover the answer behind this question.

Many factors such as Poverty levels, Pollution, Warehouses, Crime, Low-funding, etc., contribute to individuals leaving cities, but Eastside Riverside in particular represents a city that got affected by poverty levels, pollution and warehouses.

ACS Poverty Status in Eastside Riverside

To the right, I provided a Pollution Map of Eastside Riverside with other important filters I believe should be highlighted. The evolution of warehouses and freeways in/by this city affect the pollution levels and the majority group dealing with it are Hispanics. Minority groups such as African Americans, White, and Asian-Americans are also part of the population who are affected by the pollution Ozone, Diesel PM Pctl, PM2.5 Pctl, and Asthma Pctl in Eastside Riverside. The existing warehouses from 2000/2024 are important because it shows the predominant evolution of warehouses that contribute to the pollution. The 215 and 91 Freeway being close to this community also contribute to the polluted air that are filled with toxic fumes from different cars + warehouses in the area.

I found it interesting as you keep going down the map on the Eastside of Riverside, you can see a shift in color on the map (tan, yellow, green) to present the pollution--> this are is majorly populated by White individuals while Hispanics, African Americans, Asian-Americans, and Others are also represented

When it comes to the existing warehouses during the 2000s and 2024, on the map you can see 2 on main Eastside Riverside off Commerce St where "farm machinery manufacturing, packinghouses, and neighborhoods that supplied the labor for the citrus industry sprung up together around the railroad tracks that went through the Eastside" (Live from the Frontline). All near Commerce St, the majority of population during the 1900s and to this day are Hispanics, despite it being a multi-racial community. During the 1900s, as previously mentioned, Hispanics migrated to Eastside Riverside to help contribute to the citrus industry and soon enough become the heart and soul in the fields and packinghouses. I would assume this majority of group stayed in Eastside Riverside because this has been their home for many years despite all the segregation that has occurred.

Most of the warehouses are off Main St down to 3rd St and this full area is badly polluted and highlighted (red) on the map, once again Hispanics are highly populated in this area, but this time Asaian-Americans and Whites are too which is interesting because you see other races show up as they continue to migrate towards Highgrove or down towards Boxsprings where it is highlighted (yellow)

During the 1910s, there were less Hispanics/Mexicans in the IE, specifically in Eastside Riverside, there were some but not as heavily populated considering it was not until the 1940s that Eastside Riverside became a multiracial community with different groups of migrants that would eventually contribute to the citrus industry (Live from the Frontline).

In the Eastside, the total population in 1910 was 2076 and 250 people (12.0%) identified as Mexican, which is still a small percentage. White Non-Hispanic individuals made up the most population (65.39%), Asian (19.99%), Hispanic (12.10%), and Black (2.32%) which is interesting to compare to 2020 Eastside Riverside population because Hispanics made up the majority of the total population at 5,436 (77.9%) out of 6978 individuals, which is almost a (62%) difference from the 1910s to 2020 which was 110 year difference

There is a huge chunk on the Eastside off of Chicago Ave down to Martin Luther King during the 1910s where the population was 808 and only 4 people (0.5%) identified as Mexicans, while Non-White Hispanics (95.79%) made up majority of this section. If I'm correct, this is where segregation occurred as "the more segregated neighborhoods of Riverside were just across the railroad tracks and north of University" (Live from the Frontline). Then we can see that Mexican population picks up again all the way from Jurupa Valley to where UCR is at and the total population at the time was 1950 while 399 (20.5%) identified as Mexicans, but White Non-Hispanic individuals still made up majority of the race by (73.10) while Hispanics (20.60%), and Asians (5.68%).

By exploring the map, the audience can see White Non-Hispanics making up majority of the population all over Eastside Riverside during the 1910s, but there is a huge shift as mentioned during the 1920-1940s specifically Eastside Riverside turns into a multi-racial community, but I am more curious as to why no White individuals as far as I've read contributed to the citrus community--> that is because I would assume they associated the citrus industry with immigrants migrating to Eastside Riverside to settle and be labored

Eastside Riverside did become segregated throughout the years as seen above during the 1930s and 2020. For instance, "Eastside's tight-knit community was part of the labor force that did picking, sorting, and packing of citrus...the Eastside neighborhood was where Black, Mexican, and Japanese families settled. The more segregated white neighborhoods of Riverside were just across the railroad tracks and north of University" (Live from the Frontline).

During the 1930s, Non-White Hispanics continued to make up a majority of the population in Eastside Riverside, there was a small chunk off University Ave down to Martin Luther King Blvd where 876 (53.5%) out of 1639 population during the 1930s that individuals identified as Mexicans while Non-White Hispanics made up (28.85%). Another neighborhood off University Ave down to Victoria Club Golf Course shows that 814 people (44.9%) identified as Mexicans while the population during the 1930s was 1813. Non-White Hispanics made up (35.11%), Black (14.75), and Asian (4.38%). Other races were still low, but they were also starting to migrate lowly to Eastside Riverside despite Non-White Hispanics and Hispanics (somewhat) making up majority of the population.

Now, fast-forward to 2020, 90 years later, you can see Hispanics contributing majority of the population throughout all the IE. Specifically looking at Eastside Riverside, the total population during 2020 was 6978 and 5,436 (77.9%) identified as Mexican while Non-White Hispanics represented (10.65) in this area. This is a prime example of the segregation that occurred during Eastside Riverside. The Black population has picked up during 2020, but their percentages are still low, despite them "settling on the Eastside during the 1920s to build homes and businesses" (Live from the Frontline).

Exploring the map, the audience can see White Non-Hispanic individuals migrate towards downtown, or the more gentrified areas of Riverside on the opposite side of the freeway where a lot of Hispanics also migrated. For example, Fairmount Park all the way down to Tequesquito Arroyo, the total population in 2020 was 4,944 and 2,167 people identified as Hispanic (43.8) and looking at percentages through race, 46.1% identified as Hispanics and 44.41 % identified as Non-White Hispanics which shows both migrations to the opposite side of the freeway and both races coming close to each other

Despite all the segregation and migration, Eastside Riverside was and will always be "people powered". I say this because of all the settlements with different races that helped contribute to the citrus industry. Even after, different community members providing shops (e.g., Zacatecas Restuarant) during 1963, "a cafe without color lines" (Live from the Frontline), was a resource to the Eastside community that individuals were able to enjoy themselves at to gossip and enjoy yummy food. Lincoln Park was the heart of the community where individuals were able to enjoy themselves at and took advantage of the resources given to them

Eastside Riverside holds a lot of history, and the past does continue to influence the future if looked at within