Post-War Development
After World War II, Claremont experienced a boom with rapid growth and urban sprawl with cities practically growing up overnight and small towns becoming suburbs. Pressure for residential development of the land caused the decline of the citrus industry, and many groves above Foothill and below the Village were converted to housing. The completion of the San Bernardino Freeway in 1954 made it possible for people not connected with citrus ranching or the colleges to live in Claremont. In 1924, Claremont appointed its first planning commission. The strength of this commission and the 1944 postwar planning committee not only helped prepare Claremont for the postwar boom but also placed it in a strong position to accept the kind of growth it wanted and to reject the kind of growth that might seriously damage the character of the community.
Photo: Post World War II Housing Development