By Rebecca
Today, I would like to introduce the first place, Heritage House, where I visited when the first week came in Riverside. It’s a beautiful mistake because I was originally on the way to Riverside Metropolitan Museum. But I didn’t write down the address, I asked the bus driver, and then he took me to this place. It is located at 8193 Magnolia Avenue. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. It opens between Friday 12-3 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 12-3:30 p.m.; otherwise, it closes in July and August as a result of lack of air conditioning. Afterward, I found this building is owned by Riverside Metropolitan Museum now. Whatever I wander, I try to inspect some particular viewpoints presented to Riverside, and it is the target I looked for. After I surrounded the yard together with the front walkway, the following action was knocking the door. The lady dressed clothing with a style of the19th century welcomed and impressed me. It’s amazing to stay here, and I seemed to fall into a hole like Alice experiencing everything from the nineteenth century. The lady expressed the history related to the house along with the owner.
Mrs. Bettner, a wealthy orange-ranching widow, built up this house in 1891 which is a historical landmark of a typical Victorian architecture as well as the City of Riverside. The architecture reflected craftsmanship of the late 19th century and the interior is furnished in period revealing a glimpse of an earlier lifestyle. There were two stories having a variety of functions; the ground floor was mainly hosted guests by Mrs. Better and her son; the second floor was their and the servants' bedrooms. The former included a parlor, a library, a kitchen, a laundry area, and storage space for food and kitchen utensils. They were decorated more luxury texture than the latter, especially in a polar and a library.
It is unique to point out that there is no A.C. to the upper floor of the home and this is the reason why it doesn’t open in summer. However, there was usually a celebration for the late date open before summer; the Heritage House hosted an old fashioned ice cream social that was absolutely FREE to the public. I admired its Victorian sophistication. Looking at them made you image the prosperous era. If you are interested in the Victorian architecture, you should go there. Recently, a traditional Victorian Christmas Celebration will be held on December 13, 2009 (11:00 am - 4:00 pm). There are some connections that you can preview it. Enjoy it!
http://www.inlandarts.com/event/detail/39749/member_reviews/past
http://secondselfvirtualassistance.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/318/
http://www.riversideca.gov/museum/
old fashioned 4th of July Ice Cream Social photo：http://www.resbons.com/HeritageHouse2006/
Hello Rebecca, this is Wataru.
ReplyDeleteYou found good building, Rebecca? I feel your aggressiveness as try to ride on bus. Actually I have no time to ride on the bus because I have no courage to use it; I always walk.
I went Magnolia Street on Veterans’ day. I’m sorry to say that I couldn’t go to the Heritage House since I went there on foot. But I could see the historical district around Magnolia Street and it was pretty landscape which has beautiful garden and decoration. Their garden had really good maintained! I felt residents make efforts to preserve the beautiful view and old-fashioned atmosphere.
By the way, do you know “Riverside Plaza”, which is located on Magnolia Street? There is one of Japanese restraint “OOKA”, which I tried then. It was really good, and Lloyd also said it is good. If you have any opportunity to go their, I recommend you to taste it! You can go there one and a half hours on foot from UCR.