Roundup: January 14, 2015

Almansor Court – 700 S. Almansor, Alhambra, CA.
Social Hour: 5:00 PM
Dinner: 6:00 PM

Speaker: Jerry Gordon
Subject: Frank A. Miller: Peace, Beliefs, and Culture

Click here to view photos from the event.

Riverside, California and Frank A. Miller cannot be thought of separately. Miller made a significant impact on the area during his lifetime beginning when he was 17 in 1874. His family moved that year to Riverside from Wisconsin. By the time he died in 1935, he had built a destination hotel that still attracts thousands of visitors to Riverside and to his Mission Inn. During his lifetime, he was a businessperson, a promoter, and a community backer who contributed to local churches, schools, hospitals, performance halls and numerous individuals he considered in need of his support.

Perhaps Miller’s most noteworthy contributions were in areas most people were unaware of and form the focus of this presentation. His religious beliefs were far more liberal than people realize. His support, understanding, and acceptance of cultures different from his own were truly refreshing and certainly different and unique for his time. Above all, his advocacy for peace was perhaps his most outstanding achievement that lingers to the present.

This presentation will uncover some of those projects and people who benefitted from his generosity. He expressed his support for his community through his religious or spiritual beliefs, his recognition and acceptance of people much different from himself, and his unrelenting efforts on behalf of world peace. This talk will not trace the history of the Mission Inn or for that matter the history of Riverside but rather will look at Miller as a caring and compassionate individual. Riverside was fortunate to have Frank A. Miller as a resident of its community.