Things to do / Travel Guide
A wide variety of interesting architectural landmarks can be found spread across the California Desert region. From the mid-century modern style of Palm Springs to the Victorian homes of Redlands, architecture aficionados will be pleased with what they encounter.
Palm Springs Architecture
Some of the most unique and widely-renowned architecture in California can be found in Palm Springs. The city is famous for having the largest concentration of mid-century modern architecture in the United States, and it goes to great lengths to preserve its historic buildings.
Many famed architects came to the city during the post-WWII years, including John Lautner, Rudolf Schindler, and William Cody, to name a few. These artists were schooled in the Bauhaus school of architecture and used this approach as well as modern materials adapted to the desert environment to create an architectural style known as “Desert Modernism.” This style, which can be seen on the city's main drag of Palm Canyon Drive, as well as at other locations throughout the city, has a very broad appeal and is studied by architecture students worldwide. In particular, this architectural style is notable for its use of glass, clean lines, natural and manufactured materials, and indoor/outdoor spaces.
San Bernardino County Architecture
The Heritage House, an enchanting Victorian home built in San Bernardino in 1891, takes visitors back to a slower, simpler time in the California Desert. The house features a mind-blowing array of intricately-detailed floors, ceilings, and doors, all perfectly preserved. Tours of the impressive Victorian mansion are best on the first Saturday of the month, when a special, free “Open House” is held on the grounds. The open house often features music and cultural attractions highlighting the history of the area.
Redlands, another city in San Bernardino County, is home to a number of the most beautiful Victorian homes in the country. The lovely Kimberly Crest is modeled after a French chateau and has been lived in continuously since it was built in 1897. Interestingly, the house served as inspiration for the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California, an almost exact duplicate of this architectural gem. The house can be toured Thursday-Sunday in the afternoons. Not to be outdone, the Morey Mansion has long been considered “America's Favorite Victorian House,” and has been featured in scores of commercials, TV shows, and movies. Built in 1882, the Morey Mansion is a private residence with amazing grounds to tour. If you don't mind the price tag, you can also choose to stay overnight at one of the house's three guest rooms on-site and appreciate the architecture up-close for an extended period of time. If you choose to stay, you'll get breakfast and access to the swimming pool, also on the grounds.
Redlands is also home to the famous San Bernardino Asistencia, a beautifully-restored Spanish mission that was built in 1830 as an outpost to Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. Looted by attacking Indians in 1834, the property passed into private hands soon after, following the secularization of Missions by the Mexican governor. This popular tourist destination also features a wedding chapel, cactus garden, bell tower, wishing well, and a Native American and pioneer museum. The property is open for tours from Wednesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Note to lovebirds: if you fall in love with the site and its charming architecture, its chapel can be rented out to host weddings.
Death Valley Architecture
Few visitors to the region expect to find a grand castle in the middle of the desert, but indeed, tucked into a canyon oasis deep in Death Valley National Park sits Scotty's Castle. The castle is a sprawling, 32,000-square foot compound originally built in 1927 by wealthy Chicago businessman Albert Johnson as a summer vacation ranch. The house resembles a massive Spanish Colonial-style castle, with ramparts and soaring stucco arches located throughout the compound. Since its purchase by the National Park Service in 1970, the house has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Death Valley.
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