National Register of Historic Places

Southern Hotel

Perris, Riverside County, California
Listed
October 14, 1992
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
92001384

About this property

Southern Hotel in Perris, California was built in 1886. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. It is located at 445 S. D Street in the center of the city. Along with the Perris Depot, this is one of the two significant 19th century buildings still standing in the city. Southern Hotel is the oldest surviving commercial building in Perris, built by Swiss immigrant couple, Bernardo and Marcellina Bernasconi. Bernardo Bernasconi was a rancher, and the family had six children. It was used as a hotel serving the San Jacinto - Perris stage line until approximately 1919, when it was converted into Bernasconi family residence. Matilda Bernasconi, the oldest child of the original builders, lived in the building until her death, after which the structure fell into a state of disrepair. In 1987, there were two arson fires, and the building was close to being demolished. In 1990, it was bought by the Motte brothers, restored, and converted into a museum (Motte Historical Museum). Before 1885, the area was known as Pinacate, now in the southern part of the city of Perris. Perris received a railway station in 1886 and soon after the Southern Hotel became one of the first buildings in the area. The hotel is a Victorian Era style building, two-storey wooden and rectangular. It bears a number of Italianate features and decorative elements. Proviously, the building was adjacent to other commercial structures, but currently it stands alone. The front of the building faces west (S. D Street) and is made in horizontal sidings. It features a door, two windows with decorative crowns, and an open wooden porch with four support posts.

Location

445 S. D St.
Perris, Riverside County, California
33.78198, -117.22855

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATIONEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Southern Hotel

This page lists Southern Hotel. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Southern Hotel report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Perris Depot
Industrial
0.6 mi
California Theatre, The
Industrial
5.8 mi
March Field Historic District
Listed
8.4 mi
Armory Hall
Industrial
9.5 mi
Crescent Bathhouse
Industrial
9.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Southern Hotel listed on the National Register?

Southern Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1992.

What type of historic resource is Southern Hotel?

Southern Hotel is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Southern Hotel?

The period of significance for Southern Hotel is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Southern Hotel?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Southern Hotel will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Riverside County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Riverside County.

Explore RiversideCounty ›

More historic places in California

Browse all historic places in California.

View Californiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

California history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Californiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Southern Hotel will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report