First Church of Christ, Scientist
Los Angeles architect Arthur B. Benton had a keen interest in the California Missions and promoted the Mission Revival style of architecture. He was commissioned to design the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Riverside in 1900. Newspaper accounts indicate that people from many parts of the Inland Empire attended the first regularly scheduled service in 1901. It has been called “the church that introduced Christian Science to Southern California.” The design caught the eye of local hotel owner Frank Miller who retained Benton to design and build the nearby Mission Inn. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a City of Riverside Cultural Heritage Landmark.
Riverside, Riverside County
Images by Al Russell