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Moreno Valley / Riverside
Moreno Valley
I have clients from the Moreno Valley area that come into my office on a regular basis for service. It is not a far drive, maybe about 20 minutes. To many people, it is worth the drive to find a reliable tax preparer who is also honest and friendly. Of course, although bookkeeping is mostly done remotely in today's environment, clients are welcome to make an appointment to come visit my office in person.
The area was first inhabited by a sect of Shoshone Indians. In 1850, California became a state. The legendary Overland Mail Company had a route from Tucson to San Francisco. The route ran through San Diego and Los Angeles, opened up the Temescal approach to Los Angeles and passed through what is now Perris Valley. It continued through what is now Moreno Valley, through Reche Canyon and into Redlands.
In 1883, Frank E Brown formed the Bear Valley Land & Water Company to supply water to the communities of Moreno and Alessandro. Yes, the community of Moreno was named after him, with moreno meaning "Brown" in the then-spoken Spanish language. A lawsuit from the City of Redlands and a drought caused the business to fail. Most families left the area, several moved to Riverside.
The surrounding communities started to grow again after March Field was constructed in 1918. Sunnymead Boulevard was first paved in 1936. The communities of Sunnymead, Edgemont & Moreno eventually formed the City of Moreno Valley on December 3, 1984. Sunnymead Boulevard was once Highway 60. Between 1983-1989, the Moreno Valley Plaza was built. It is a 16-building shopping center, with a McDonald's built from the ground up in 2014.
Like many cities in California, Moreno Valley has several parks. Gateway Park, about a 10-minute drive just north of Moreno Valley Plaza, is undergoing a construction project that will add a dog park to the location. If you visit this location once it re-opens, you might even see the wild burros that have been known
to roam the area from time to time. There is also a herd of wild burros that I have seen roaming the streets in Riverside (off Palmyrita - shown in pic), and I wonder if it is the same herd. I have no way to tell. The travel between these two locations can easily be accomplished by these animals over several days.
If you like to hike, there is the famous Moreno Valley "M". It was originally placed by the Moreno Valley High School students in 1966 (located in the town of Sunnymead at the time) to signify civic unity and pride. The hike up Box Springs Mountain to get to the "M" is considered "strenuous"; a word of warning though: there are no restroom facilities along the route! The hike is about 5 miles round-trip. But I think the real treat is between dusk and midnight - the city will light up the "M" for certain local events and state / federal holidays. The city's website has a schedule of the dates it will be lit and the color scheme. It is even possible for someone to request a lighting for a specific event.
Riverside
Riverside County, indeed California, would not be what it is today without having had what has been called a "second goldrush" - the California orange industry. Between the late 1800s and the early 1900s, groves spread across Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura counties. In the mid-to-late 1800s, what is known today as downtown Los Angeles harvested lemon, lime and orange trees. In 1873, Eliza Tibbets obtained two young Washington navel orange trees (one of them still grows at the intersection of Arlington and Magnolia, known as the Parent tree). These Brazilian-native oranges (aka "Bahia") are sweeter, more flavorful, have no seeds and have a thicker skin that makes them easier to peel. Nearly ALL of the Washington navel orange trees that are grown in California are descendents from these two trees. The CA Citrus Park commemorates the heritage of California oranges. I once attended a wedding reception at the event center located on site. They allow picnics, hiking, use of their barbecue grill and will hold special events. Visiting the park itself comes with a $7.00 admittance fee per vehicle (after all, it is a State park). There is also a museum that you'll want to visit.
About 20 minutes from the Citrus Park is the March Field Air Museum. It is adjacent to the March Field ARB. Parking is free, admission is not unless you are a member. The facility originally opened to the public in November 1980 with only 3 aircraft. You can learn about over three-dozen aircraft and missiles, apparel and land vehicles (including a Snow Goose).
From the Air Museum, you can make your way up the 215 Freeway to Iowa & Palmyrita. At Citrus St, (off Iowa) you will find Riverside's own "World's Largest" item - a Paper Cup! It is a 68-foot tall statue of a paper cup (made of concrete as a paper-type material would obviously not survive the elements). Originally, it was built to promote the Sweetheart brand of paper cups, which were manufactured in the factory behind the wall from 1958-1997. Now it is just a remnant of Riverside history, and a cool place for a photo-op. At one time there was no fence around the site and you could get a close-up picture with it. But, thanks to miscreants, you can't get very close to it anymore.
A short 7-minute trip from the Cup can take you to the Trujillo Adobe. What I find most fascinating about this structure is that it pre-dates the City of Riverside's establistment. It is one of the oldest buildings in the San Bernardino Valley. Having been built around 1862, it is the last standing structure of the historic San Salvador settlement (Agua Mansa - La Placita). It is now a registered landmark.
As you head to downtown Riverside, you may come upon the Mission Inn. This is now a Hotel & Spa resort. It began as a little adobe boarding house in 1876. It became a full-service hotel in 1903 with over 200 guest rooms. It features architecture from more than 20 different CA missions. It houses valuable items from around the globe, including artwork, furniture & religious relics (including the oldest bell in Christendom dating back to 1247). A little jaunt from there is the Riverside Fox Theater. Opening its doors in 1929, it made its mark in Hollywood history in 1939 when it held the very first public screening of Gone With the Wind. Many celebrity giants of the old Hollywood era visited the theater, including Bing Crosby, Jimmy Stewart and Judy Garland.
Nowadays, the historic theater is known as the Fox Performing Arts Center. I actually saw Weird Al Yankovic in concert there one time. Several artists have played a concert there.
A stop in Riverside would not be complete without visiting Castle Park. My favorite thing to do there is night-time miniature golf (although admittedly I'm not very good at it - its more about the ambiance and being with friends). Aside from the golfing, there are several rides (21 to be exact) and a video arcade and a water play area. Of course, you can play games of skill to win prizes for your loved ones. The Big Top is a facility that hosts private parties.
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The facility has changed ownership several times since it opened in 1976. Currently, it is owned by Lucky Strike Entertainment (no affiliation with the cigarette brand), which owns several bowling alleys and amusement parks.
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