Once again, the public will have free access and tours of Riverside’s most iconic historic buildings. Doors Open was inspired by a French event that has swept Europe. This will be the third year for Doors Open Riverside.
Once a year Riverside celebrates it’s beautiful historic architecture with the Doors Open event. It’s an alluring evening for those who love history, architecture, mystery and all things beautiful. The doors to Riverside’s most iconic buildings are opened to the public with free tours that are gateways to Riverside’s illustrious past. Few today know that Riverside was once the wealthiest city per capita in the United States and that statesman, land developers and a who’s who of the gilded age flocked to Riverside for business, respite and entertainment.
The architecture of Riverside is eclectic and much of it was created by illustrious and famous architects. There are buildings that were designed by Myron Hunt, Julia Morgan, Arthur Benton, G. Stanley Wilson, Peter Weber and many others.
I love volunteering for this event. It’s a fast paced, fun and exciting night. It’s usually in the middle of the week, after work and school. Even though it’s at a very busy time, people come from far and wide to experience the beauty of old Riverside. It’s starts at six in the evening when the tours begin. The tours are usually short in duration and present the historical and architectural highlights of the building. There are approximately 20 buildings to see, so it’s a race to see how many you can actually tour within the allotted four hours the buildings are open.
The best part is meeting the people that have journied to see these fabled buildings. I’ve met so many wonderful and interesting people from all walks of life that love history just as much as I do and are fascinated by architecture. Many of the guests recount personal stories that took place in the buildings. Stories that have been passed down through generations in their families. People also come to see the buildings they have passed by for years and wondered what was in it and who created it; coming to satisfy their curiosity.
The grand dame of the night is The Mission Inn Hotel, created by Frank Miller in 1903 and finished in 1931. A magical wonderland of architectural styles from all over the world. Frank Miller loved the people of the world and devoted his life to promoting peace and building a beautiful community. His legacy is the Mission Inn and speaks for itself. During Doors Open a mini tour is provided that gives a good overview of Frank Miller’s vision and a primer of the varied architectural styles gleaned from around the world. It’s a teaser for a 75 minute tour that is presented seven days a week by the dedicated Mission Inn Foundation for a nominal fee.
The Doors Open event, held every May, is just one of the wonderful events held annually in the Inland Empire and makes the I.E. such a fantastic place to live.