Colton was founded in 1875 and incorporated in 1887 but before its establishment , it was inhabited by the Serrano , Guachama , and San Gorgonio Indians . During the Mission Era the Mission San Gabriel established a Spanish settlement Politana in 1810 , just northeast of what is now Colton . By 1840 , Colton was part of two private ranchos , Jurupa and San Bernardino Rancho . From southwest area of modern-day Colton was known as " Agua Mansa " ( Gentle Waters ) . It had been settled by New Mexico pioneers in 1842 . What is currently known as Cooley Ranch was known as Indian Knolls for nearly 100 years . This is because the Indians living in what is now the San Bernardino Valley found refuge on the knolls of the property during the flood of 1862 . The original owner of the property was George Cooley of Kent , England who had moved to Colton in 1853 and who purchased 200 acres at $ 3.50 an acre along the Santa Ana River the next year . Cooley was chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in San Bernardino County . By 1873 , the property had mushroomed into a 400-acre property . Eventually , when property taxes had increased , the property was sold to Villelli Enterprises of La Habra . The city was named after David Douty Colton , who had been a Brigadier General of the California State Militia in 1855 , prior to the Civil War . He was later the Vice President of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company
flood of 1862
Great Flood of 1862
Colton, California