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The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa facts for kids
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Mission Inn
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Mission Inn, Riverside, California
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3649 Mission Inn Ave, Riverside, California |
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| Built | 1902–1932 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| Restored | 1985–1992 |
| Restored by | Duane & Kelly Roberts |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000173 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 14, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | May 5, 1977 |
The Mission Inn, also known as The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, is a super cool historic hotel in downtown Riverside, California. It's famous for being the biggest building in the Mission Revival Style in the whole United States. Imagine a building that looks like a mix of old Spanish missions and grand castles!
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa is part of Historic Hotels of America. This special group recognizes hotels that are important parts of history. Today, Duane and Kelly Roberts own the hotel. Kelly Roberts helps manage it as a top leader.
Contents
The Mission Inn's Story: How It Began
The Mission Inn started as a small boarding house called Glenwood Cottage. This was back in 1876. Christopher Columbus Miller, an engineer, built it. His family welcomed their first paying guest on November 22, 1876.
A few years later, in 1880, Miller's son, Frank Augustus Miller, bought the property. He had big dreams for the place! In the early 1900s, California was booming with citrus farms and warm weather. This brought many rich travelers and investors to the area.
In 1902, Frank Miller changed the name to the "Glenwood Mission Inn." He then started building and adding to it. He kept building in many different styles until he passed away in 1935.
Frank Miller wanted the hotel to look like a mix of many historical styles. These included Spanish Gothic architecture, Mission Revival, Moorish Revival architecture, and Spanish Colonial. He also added touches of Renaissance Revival architecture and Mediterranean Revival Style architecture.
The result is a truly unique and complex building. It has narrow hallways, outdoor walkways, and a medieval-style clock. You can find a five-story rotunda, many patios, and even castle towers. There are also minarets, a Cloister Wing with an underground walk, and flying buttresses. Mediterranean domes and a pedestrian sky bridge add to its amazing look.
Special Features Inside the Inn
The St. Francis Chapel is a beautiful part of the inn. It has eight amazing stained-glass windows. These windows were made by Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1906. They were saved from an old church in New York City. The chapel was built just to hold them!
Another incredible feature is the "Rayas Altar." It is 25 feet tall and 16 feet wide. This altar is carved from cedar wood and covered completely in shiny gold leaf. It looks truly royal!
Frank Miller also loved bells. He collected over 800 bells for his "Garden of Bells." One of these bells is from the year 1247. It is known as the "oldest bell in Christendom."
In 1932, Frank Miller opened the St. Francis Atrio. Later, his son-in-law, DeWitt Hutchings, added the "Famous Fliers' Wall." This wall honors important aviators, like Amelia Earhart. On March 20, 1942, World War I hero Eddie Rickenbacker was honored there. Today, 151 fliers have their signatures etched onto copper wings on this wall.
Saving the Mission Inn
Frank Miller passed away in 1935. His daughter, Allis, and her husband, DeWitt Hutchings, managed the inn next. After they passed away in 1956, the inn had several different owners. Some of its older rooms were even used as apartments or dorms for college students.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the Mission Inn faced tough times. It started to fall apart, and people even talked about tearing it down. But a group called the Friends of the Mission Inn stepped in. They helped get the inn recognized as a National Historic Landmark on May 5, 1977. This helped protect it.
A company called Carley Capital Group started to restore the inn in 1985. They spent a lot of money, but the project stopped in 1988. A bank took over the property because of money problems.
In 1992, Duane Roberts bought the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa. He and his wife, Kelly, worked hard to bring it back to life. They restored many of its beautiful Spanish Mission-style features. They also updated the hotel's facilities.
The Roberts family hosts fun annual events like the Festival of Lights. They also have Feste dell’Amore and the Pumpkin Stroll. In August 2024, Kelly and Duane Roberts received a special award. It was for their amazing work in preserving this historic hotel.
In November 2022, a small fire happened on the roof during the Festival of Lights. It started after a fireworks show, but thankfully, it was put out quickly.
The Inn's Unique Architecture
The Mission Inn has many different styles because several architects helped design it. Frank Miller first chose Arthur Burnett Benton for the original building. Later, Miller picked Myron Hunt to design the Spanish Wing. This part was added to the back of the main building.
He then hired G. Stanley Wilson to design the beautiful St. Francis Chapel. Wilson also added a rotunda, which is a round building. It features circular staircases and a dome at the top.
Famous Visitors at the Mission Inn
For over 120 years, the Mission Inn has been a very important place in Riverside. Many famous people have stayed or visited here. This includes U.S. Presidents, movie stars, and other important leaders.
Presidents and First Ladies
Several U.S. Presidents have visited the Mission Inn. Pat and Richard Nixon even got married in what is now the Presidential Lounge! Nancy and Ronald Reagan spent their honeymoon there.
Eight other U.S. presidents have also visited: Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Herbert Hoover, John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, and George W. Bush.
Leaders and Thinkers
Many important social leaders have also stopped at the Mission Inn. These include Susan B. Anthony, who fought for women's rights. Henry Ford, who created the Ford car company, also visited. Other guests were Andrew Carnegie, a famous businessman, and Albert Einstein, a brilliant scientist.
Other notable visitors included Helen Keller, who overcame many challenges, and John Muir, a famous naturalist.
Stars and Entertainers
The list of entertainers who have visited the inn is very long! Early visitors included Lillian Russell, a famous actress, and Harry Houdini, the escape artist.
Many movie stars have also stayed there. These include Ethel Barrymore, Mary Pickford, Ginger Rogers, and Bette Davis. Bette Davis even got married at the inn in 1945! Other stars like Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Barbra Streisand, and Drew Barrymore have also been guests.
See also
- Mount Rubidoux – a city park in Riverside that was created from land donated by the Miller family.