Best Web Design in Ontario, CA (2026)

Web Design for Ontario, California

An Inland Empire city in San Bernardino County founded in 1882 as the Ontario Model Colony, a carefully planned agricultural community named for the Chaffey brothers' home province in Canada. Once a landscape of citrus groves and vineyards, it has become a major logistics, manufacturing, and aviation hub. It is anchored today by Ontario International Airport and the enormous Ontario Mills outlet mall.

AppWT works with Ontario, CA businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Ontario

Also known as. The Model Colony. Gateway to Southern California. part of the "Inland Empire" (regional name).

History. In 1881-1882 Canadian engineer George Chaffey and his brothers purchased about 6,216 acres plus water rights from San Antonio Creek for $60,000, establishing the Ontario Model Colony. The colony pioneered an innovative irrigation system that distributed water to each farm lot through cement pipes. Its centerpiece was Euclid Avenue, about eight miles long and 200 feet wide, with twin drives separated by a grassy, pepper-tree-lined parkway. Ontario was declared a "model colony" by an act of Congress in 1903. Citrus farming was the leading industry until roughly the 1950s, after which an industrial and manufacturing base took over.

Local economy. Logistics, warehousing, and distribution dominate the modern economy, supported by rail and freeway access. An industrial and manufacturing base replaced the earlier citrus economy. Ontario International Airport is a major Southern California passenger and cargo gateway, ranking among the busiest U.S. airports by cargo carried. Ontario Mills, one of California's largest outlet malls, draws on the order of 28 million visitors a year and is a significant retail employer.

Culture and community. The Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings' American Hockey League affiliate, play at Toyota Arena. Toyota Arena (opened 2008, roughly 11,000 seats) hosts concerts, sports, and cultural and community events. The downtown Ontario Town Square hosts farmers markets, food-truck nights, live music, and cultural festivals. The Graber Olive House, operating since 1894, still cures and cans olives and welcomes visitors to its historic cannery.

What makes Ontario distinct. From the late 1880s to 1895 Ontario ran a "gravity mule car" on Euclid Avenue: mules pulled the trolley uphill, then rode down on a platform as gravity carried the car back to town. Two of the line's mules, Sanky and Moody, were so beloved that they received obituaries in the Ontario Daily Report when they died. The Model Colony was originally a "dry town," with early deeds containing clauses forbidding the manufacture or sale of alcohol. The city is named after the Canadian province of Ontario, the Chaffey brothers' home. The Ontario Motor Speedway (1970-1980) hosted nearly every major form of American motorsport before it was closed and demolished for redevelopment.

Ontario is a logistics and commercial hub in the Inland Empire, founded as a planned Model Colony and now anchored by a major airport and warehouse economy.

Ontario Landmarks and Local Life

• Ontario International Airport - Major passenger and air cargo airport serving the Inland Empire
• Ontario Mills - Largest outlet and value retail mall in California
• Graber Olive House - Historic olive packing house operating since 1894
• Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park - San Bernardino County regional park with two lakes, fishing, and a splash pad
• Euclid Avenue - Historic tree-lined boulevard with a grassy central median and walking path

Ontario at a Glance

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023.

• Median household income: About $82,806
• Adults with a bachelor degree or higher: About 20.7%
• Housing: About 57% of housing units are owner-occupied
• Housing: About 58% of housing is single-family homes