San Dimas Hotel, historic hotel building in California, United States
The San Dimas Hotel is a Victorian building completed in 1887 with distinctive Queen Anne features including shingle siding, balconies, and corner towers, designed by noted architect Joseph Cather Newsom. The structure was built from lumber floated down the coast and includes high ceilings, decorative glass windows, fourteen fireplaces, and a rautenförmig shingled roof with a sunburst medallion.
The building was constructed in 1887 along the railroad line connecting Los Angeles and San Bernardino, making it one of the first structures in San Dimas. Though designed as a hotel, it never hosted paying guests; instead, the Walker family purchased it in 1889 and made it their home for nearly 90 years.
The hotel served as a gathering place for local clubs and community groups, even hosting the first school and church services in San Dimas. The Walker family shaped it as a center of community life where people came together, and it later operated as a restaurant that drew visitors seeking an elegant dining experience.
The building now functions as a museum and community space with guided tours available on specific days and displays showcasing life from the 1880s and early 1900s through period furniture, photographs, and artifacts. Its central location in San Dimas makes it easily accessible, and visitors can explore nearby shops and local cafes after their visit.
The building was originally designed as a hotel to serve railroad travelers but never hosted paying guests and instead became a family residence in 1889. This unexpected turn made it a rare survivor from the 1880s and the only remaining hotel from that era in Southern California.
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