City of Riverside Latino Historic Context Statement

Howell-Ardila, Debi

From the introduction: "Riverside is home to one of the oldest, most cohesive Latino communities in California. Across generations, this community was built by pioneering immigrants, migrant workers and families, community organizers and civil rights leaders, teachers and artists, business owners and volunteers. For well over a century, the Latino community in Riverside has made vital, immeasurable contribution to the City's growth and prosperity. In this way, the history of Riverside's Latino community is the history of Riverside itself. From the era of Spanish-language settlements at Agua Mansa and La Placita, to the influx of settlers who helped build the transcontinental railroad and citrus industry, fought for their country in two World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam, to those who raised families in an era of segregation and discrimination, Latinos in Riverside built a community that has endured over a century. Although the history of Riverside's ethnic communities 'runs as deep as the urban fabric of the City itself', few context-driven studies have been completed that help broaden our knowledge of Latino heritage and history. Several historic surveys have occurred in neighborhoods with long-time Latino communities. To date, however, no citywide survey has focused solely on Latino history. This document provides a key tool for doing so in the future. Applying this framework in evaluations will help ensure that the potential significance of Latino-related resources is adequately considered. This document provides not only a history of Riverside's Latino community but also a comprehensive, proactive method for identifying Latino-related historic resources as well as a means for helping the City to meet its obligations under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Since Riverside County designated the 1863 Trujillo Adobe in 1969 (one of the last remnants of the City's original Spanish-era settlement), few landmarks significant to the Latino community have been identified or designated. (The Trujillo Adobe was since designated a City landmark in 2015 and was included on Hispanic Access's Top 10 Latino sites in the US in 2017.) One recent designation occurred in December 2017, when the Community Settlement House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its association with ethnic heritage and Riverside's Latino community. As development pressures increase throughout the City, resources with potential significance to the Latino community are not always apparent. This study represents an important step toward ensuring that the 'jewels of the city' significant to Riverside's Latino community are identified, recognized, and preserved." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the California Office of Historic Preservation, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, Department of the Interior (grant number P17AF00014).

City of Riverside Latino Historic Context Statement

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