#213 Casa Del Desierto
Casa Del Desierto is a Barstow Harvey House built in 1911 by the Atchison, Topeka & Sante Fe Railroad. The famous Fred Harvey Company operated the station as a restaurant & hotel and was an important stop in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Its iconic Spanish Renaissance and Classical Revival architecture stood out as a beacon in the desert. Today, it serves as a museum with the adjacent Western America Railroad Museum & Route 66 'Mother Road' Museum.
#204 Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Founded in 1772, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was the fifth of the California Missions. A successful hunting expedition of grizzly bears to feed the Spanish and Native Americans at the mission in Monterey nearby led to the founding of this mission with the nickname 'Mission in the Valley of the Bears'. Abundant food & water, a mild climate and friendly Native American Chumash allowed the mission to thrive.
#187 Maritime Museum of San Diego
Since 1948, The Maritime Museum of San Diego has preserved and replicated some of the best sea vessels in the United States. Its 'star', the Star of India, is the oldest active ship in the World. The Berkeley was a ferryboat that operated between 1898 and 1958. It served between the San Francisco Bay and Oakland Pier. Yachts, pilots boats and submarines are also part of the collection.
#184 Point Fermin Lighthouse
Built in 1874 from California redwood trees, Point Fermin Lighthouse was the first lighthouse constructed on San Pedro Bay. This Stick Style Victorian Lighthouse was designed by Paul J. Pelz who created six in the same style. Point Fermin constantly guided ships until Pearl Harbor in 1941 where its light was forever dimmed. It served as a Navy lookout tower during World War II before being restored for its Centennial in 1974. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places, it opened to the public in 2003.
#182 Fort Tejon State Historic Park
Fort Tejon State Historic Park was a United States Army military post established in 1854 to control and protect Native Americans in the area as well as control livestock. The Gold Rush brought about great conflict between miners and Natives. Land disputes began and Native Americans were forced to live on reservations. Efforts for the Civil War was needed out East so the army left after only 10 years. Restored exterior and interior buildings recreate the way of life here 150 years ago. Valley Oak Trees up to 400 years old are also part of the park property.
#180 San Diego Model Railroad Museum
At 27,000 square feet, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The museum recreates many California Railroad scenes from cities to mountains and deserts. Model Railroads first became popular at the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park as a way to promote railroad travel during the Great Depression. Model enthusiasts have flocked here every since to create a world class museum.
#178 Catalina Casino
The Catalina Casino has been one of the most iconic landmarks in Avalon on Santa Catalina Island since 1929. Casino in Italian means 'place of gathering' which can be quite confusing in English today as gambling does not exist. The Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival architecture helped to create the look of the city. It continues to serve as the island's movie theater and grand ballroom. The theater can seat 1,154 while the ballroom can accommodate up to 3,000 dancers.
#172 Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was the 18th of the California Missions founded on June 13, 1798. Known as the 'King of the Missions', it was once one of the largest at 950,000 acres in its prime and had a population of almost 3,000. The mission was named after King Louis IX of France for his Holy Land crusades of the 13th century. Life was difficult for the Luiseño Native Americans who lived here because of the new lifestyle and diseases brought over. By the time the Mission system had ended, their population dwindled by almost forty percent.
#171 The Nethercutt Collection
The Nethercutt Collection contains one of the finest sets of automobiles in the World. With more than 130 antique and vintage autos, mechanical music instruments, nickelodeons and the Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ, the collection will keep you entertained with wonder. J.B. Nethercutt and his wife Dorothy created the museum which has been free since its opening in 1971. J.B.'s Aunt founded Merle Norman Cosmetics, whom he went into business with and whose profits helped create this amazing collection.
#168 Orange Empire Railway Museum
The Orange Empire Railway Museum has been a railway paradise in Perris since 1956. With 90 acres of astounding locomotive history and more than 200 cars from Pullman, cable and streetcars, BNSF and the largest collection of Pacific Electric Railway stock in the world, the grounds will have you busy for hours. The museum is named 'Orange Empire' after the famous orange groves that once grew in the Inland Empire.
