Travel & Experiences

Photos: Think you see a mission? Look again

This building, at 3649 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, began in 1876 as a guesthouse called the Glenwood Inn. Its proprietor renamed it the Mission Inn in 1902 and expanded it many times. Architects included Arthur B. Benton, Myron Hunt and G. Stanley Wilson. More info: www.missioninn.com

This building, at 3649 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, began in 1876 as a guesthouse called the Glenwood Inn. Its proprietor renamed it the Mission Inn in 1902 and expanded it many times. Architects included Arthur B. Benton, Myron Hunt and G. Stanley Wilson. More info: www.missioninn.com  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Share

History books say the friars founded only 21 missions in this state, but Southern California is up to its eyebrows in Mission Revival style. Also Spanish Colonial Revival, Moorish Revival and so on. There’s not one church among these 17 buildings, yet all owe a debt to the missions.

San Gabriel Mission Playhouse (a.k.a. San Gabriel Civic Auditorium)

Built in 1927 for John Steven McGroarty’s immensely popular “Mission Play,” it stands at 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel.   (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Stanford University

The campus, at 450 Serra Mall, Palo Alto, opened in 1891. Designed by the architectural firm of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, with Frederick Law Olmsted designing the landscaping.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

The Anaheim Packing House

Built in 1919 and once used by Sunkist to prepare citrus for shipping, the building is now redone as an international food hall, part of Anaheim’s Packing District. It reopened in May at 440 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, after many years idle.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Pasadena Playhouse

Built in 1925 at 39 El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Designed by Elmer Grey. By 1937, the Pasadena Playhouse had become the only theater in the U.S. to have staged all of Shakespeare’s plays.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Southwest Museum campus

Built in 1914, this was the first museum in Los Angeles, founded by Charles Fletcher Lummis. The architects were Sumner P. Hunt and Silas Burns. Part of the Autry National Center now, the Southwest Museum campus, at 234 Museum Drive, Los Angeles, is open on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Taco Bell location No. 184

In 1964, when Taco Bell was 2 years old, founder Glen Bell decided to mimic missions. Architect Robert McKay came up with a template. Hundreds of buildings went up. The company has shed the old image, but a few originals remain, including one at 699 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.   (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Travel & Experiences

More From the Los Angeles Times