March 10, 2011---Riverside, CA

Today we drove 22 miles from Corona to Riverside, California. It was a lovely day to wonder the Main Street and sit outdoors and have a very nice lunch at the Mission Inn Restaurant. The weather was perfect--the temperture in the high 70's and no wind with sunny skies. We walked around the block and saw the Mission Inn from all 4 sides.

The Inn began as a 12 room Adobe in 1876 by a Christopher Columbus Miller. His son was the "Master of the Inn" after he bought the Adobe boarding house from his father for 1880 for $5000. By 1900 Riverside was a major tourist attraction for wealthy easterners and Europeans escaping to warm winter weather. Over the years, Frank built and rebuilt the Inn until his death in 1935.

It is a very attractive building with many wings, doorways and halls which fill a city block. In 1992 a new cooperation was formed (The Historic Mission Inn Corporation) and then purchased the run down Inn.
Today the Inn is a creative collection of arcades and gardens, turrets and domes, flying uttresses and spiraling staircases, catacombs and carillon towers. At present it is $190 to stay in the Inn for one night.

Here are some of my pictures-----

Entering downtown Riverside on Mission Street

The Inn has never been a Mission

View of the entrance to the mission



View of upper entrance



TOMORROW WE VISIT SAN PEDRO, CA.

Arched Sidewalk in front of Mission Inn