Temescal Valley Times

Frank Augustus Miller

Mission Inn Founder Had Links to Temescal Valley

Frank Miller had links to Temescal Valley. Image courtesy Mission Inn. Frank Augustus Miller was born in 1857 in Wisconsin to Christopher Columbus and Mary Clark Miller. He died in 1935.

Christopher Miller (Frank's father) moved his family to Riverside, California in 1874. At the time, Riverside was made up of about 50 families. He acquired land in the center of town which was deeded to him by the city as payment for his services as civil engineer. He then started building a home. That 12-room adobe building was converted to a hotel called The Glenwood Tavern around 1876.

In 1880 Frank was 22. He purchased the adobe & surrounding property from his father for $5,000. A token made of tin from the Cajalco Tin Mine (also known as Temescal Tin Mine) was minted around that time using the new property name Hotel Glenwood. This was the predecessor of the historic Mission Inn which opened in 1903.

Pure Tin Token From the Cajalco Tin Mine in the Temescal Tin Mining District

Front text reads: SAMPLE PURE TIN FROM TEMESCAL MINE. COMPLIMENTS HOTEL GLENWOOD RIVERSIDE, CAL. * FRANK A. MILLER, PROP. Back text reads: TIN MINE 12 MILES FROM RIVERSIDE THE GREATEST ORANGE GROWING DISTRICT IN THE WORLD.

Front text reads: SAMPLE PURE TIN FROM TEMESCAL MINE. COMPLIMENTS HOTEL GLENWOOD RIVERSIDE, CAL. * FRANK A. MILLER, PROP.

Back text reads: TIN MINE 12 MILES FROM RIVERSIDE THE GREATEST ORANGE GROWING DISTRICT IN THE WORLD.

The Standard Catalog of United States Tokens 1700-1900 dates this token in 1880.

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Watch experimental film showcasing the historic Mission Inn district | Purchase merchandise displaying pictures of this token

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