A collector’s postcards reveal the slow, deliberate development of Seventh Street—now Mission Inn Avenue—from 1906 to 1914, tracing the stories behind the Densmore, Logan, and Lewis homes at the mountain’s base.
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Postcards from the Past: How Four Historic Homes Rose Beneath Mount Rubidoux
A collector’s postcards reveal the slow, deliberate development of Seventh Street—now Mission Inn Avenue—from 1906 to 1914, tracing the stories behind the Densmore, Logan, and Lewis homes at the mountain’s base.
Postcard of View from Mount Rubidoux looking down on Seventh Street with no houses along the street. (Author’s Collection)
Recently, while preparing a talk on the history surrounding Mount Rubidoux, I came across once more four postcards in my collection showing the development of houses below Mount Rubidoux along Seventh Street (today, Mission Inn Avenue). They show how, from late 1906 until 1914, four historic homes appeared at the mountain's base.
The first postcard is from late 1906. By October 1906, Huntington Drive, the road up and down Mount Rubidoux, was finished enough for limited access. According to several sources, Billy Herbert, Mission Inn doorman and greeter, drove the first automobile up the mountain over the new road. Naturally, Frank A. Miller was one of the passengers. Herbert often chauffeured Miller on his excursions. A similar photograph to my postcard is credited to Billy Herbert’s scrapbook in one collection. Huntington Drive was formally dedicated in a ceremony at Fort Chittenden on Feb. 22, 1907.
Each week, we will introduce a new neighbor. This is not a who's who list. These are regular Riversiders doing exceptional things.
Brock stands under the White Park arch, representing Riverside with pride and purpose as a dedicated advocate and community leader. (Brenda Flowers)
Brock is a proud Riverside resident who brings both heart and hustle to everything he does. By day, he serves in UC Riverside’s Alumni Engagement Office, helping connect Highlander alumni back to campus and supporting student success. But his community impact stretches far beyond his day job. Brock is a passionate advocate for underserved communities, especially LGBTQ+ residents. He currently serves as Chair of the City of Riverside’s Human Relations Commission, Vice President and Advocacy Director for Riverside LGBTQ+ Pride, and a member of the California Department of Education’s LGBTQ+ Statewide Advisory Task Force. Among his many contributions, Brock led Inland Empire efforts for the “Yes on Prop 3” campaign, working to enshrine marriage equality in the state constitution—a milestone he considers his proudest accomplishment.
This week marks a special occasion, a century of nudges designed to spark your imagination and propel you toward unexpected artistic territories. For a bit north of two years, this column has been a space for playful exploration of our creative sides. Procrastination is a regular part of my creative process; having a weekly practice such as this is how I keep what matters front and center in my life.
Reaching this milestone feels like a shared secret unlocked—a hundred unique prompts brought to life through your engagement and open minds. I started this column to explore ways that generative AI (GenAI) can be used in my creative work. To that end, this column allowed me to experiment with this vastly transformative technology and learn how creative people can adapt and thrive in this unprecedented period in human history.
