Barbara Nicholson

City of Loma Linda

Loma Linda ("Beautiful Hill"), originally known as "Mound City," has a history of being a health-conscious community. The Seventh-day Adventist Church purchased the Loma Linda Resort hotel from a group of businessmen and physicians from Los Angeles hospitals and converted it into the Loma Linda Sanitarium in 1905. The Sanitarium eventually became a full service medical facility and medical college, the forerunners of the Loma Linda University and Medical Center. Loma Linda has been a national center of health and wellness research for decades. The tradition of promoting food health has continued over the years. In 1993, the Loma Linda became the first "smoke-free" city in San Bernardino County. A prosperous city of 21,000, the city has some of the highest median incomes and highest average home prices in San Bernardino County. Numerous families stroll along the city's tree lined streets, or play in it's numerous parks. In this respect, Loma Linda offers residents an alternative to the intense, often anonymous lifestyle so characteristic of modern life. Loma Linda is home to the world famous Loma Linda University and Medical Center. The Loma Linda University Medical Center and Children's Hospital contain the largest neonatal intensive care unit in California, the Proton Accelerator Cancer treatment Center and the infant heart and multiple organ transplant center. Over 900 physicians are on the University and Medical Center staff. While the LLU Medical Center, and nearby Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center are the backbone of the city economy, Loma Linda is endeavoring to expand. Medical support services, research facilities, hospital supply firms, professional officers and lodging accommodations are logical additions. To date, major developments include General America's 63 acre corporate center, the 85,000 square foot Arbors Business Park, Loma Linda Plaza and Mountain View Plaza.