Postcard of an early aerial view of Fairmount Park showing Fairmount Lake and the Plunge. (Courtesy Glenn Wenzel)
Sunday Gazette: October 6, 2024
Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday!
One of my favorite things about living in Riverside is its history—from the indigenous peoples who cultivated this area to the settlers whose names are on our hills and street signs and to the leaders of the last century who built this city. Like Ken, later this morning, I will be at the Riverside Historical Society's 4th Annual Book Fair and Lecture for Dr. Vince Moses's lecture on the history of Fairmount Park.
But my favorite thing about living in Riverside is that we get to participate in building its future. Each of us is shaping the Riverside of 2025 and beyond with our work, our service, and our relationships. What is your dream for this city? Please reply; I would love to hear it.
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Thank you to the Subscribers who became paid supporters this week: Robert L Duncanson, David Glidden, and Audrey Turnet. Your ongoing financial support is vital to our success in serving Riverside with the news it deserves!
George N. Reynolds - Early Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Reynolds shaped Riverside’s downtown and parks with his businesses and generous contributions.
Postcard of Reynolds Hotel (Author's Collection)
Many early Riversiders moved to the new city and played an essential role in the history and development of our city. One such person was George N. Reynolds.
George Reynolds was born in Canada on November 24, 1860, and came to Riverside in 1880. After working on a ranch for five years, George invested his savings in a small mercantile store in the Dyer Block on the northeast corner of Ninth and Main.
On November 29, 1888, George married Laura Tirrell Low, daughter of Jeremiah Low and sister of Charles Low. The ceremony occurred at the bride's father's home at 471 Palm Avenue (later 6943 Palm) just north of Arlington. George and Laura moved into this home on Palm Avenue. The Low family owned two homes (Jeremiah's and Charles's) and orange groves at this location. They also owned land across the street from the homes, part of which they donated and became Low Park on Magnolia Avenue near Arlington Avenue.
Each week, we will introduce a new neighbor. This is not a who's who list. These are regular Riversiders doing exceptional things.
(Courtesy of Brenda Flowers)
Kevin Martis is a dedicated and compassionate individual. With a strong background in education and ministry, Kevin brings years of experience supporting individuals through life's challenges. Before joining Rebirth Homes, he spent 20 years as a teacher, nurturing young minds and helping students navigate their formative years. His passion for helping others led him to serve as a Care Minister at various local organizations, providing guidance and support to those in need.
At Rebirth Homes, Kevin's work focuses on providing survivors of sex trafficking with the tools they need to rebuild their lives. This includes housing, job training, and trauma-informed care designed to help individuals heal and regain control over their futures. Kevin's deep empathy and commitment to making a difference are evident in his every action, as he seeks to foster a safe and supportive environment for all who come through the doors of Rebirth Homes.
Outside of his professional work, Kevin is driven by a love for people and a desire to improve his community, one act of kindness at a time. Having lived in Riverside for many years, he has developed strong ties to the city, where he resides with his wife and daughter. For Kevin, Riverside is not just a place to live—it's a community where he strives to make a positive daily impact.
A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.
Hello again, fellow creatives! Last week, we set down our drinks and raised a toast to the ever-ready drink coaster. Did you string up a vibrant coaster mosaic or perhaps pen a poignant tale of woe inspired by a fading coffee stain? Maybe you even embarked on a barefoot sensory journey across a coaster-paved path, rediscovering the power of touch and balance in your day. No matter the result, I hope the act of transforming drink coasters from prophylactics against humidity into promoters of personal artistic expression was a pleasurable part of your day.
This week, we're sharpening our creative focus and poking around our creative edges with an object found in most kitchen drawers but never at the dentist's office: a toothpick. These slender swizzle sticks, instrumental to such culinary structures as the club sandwich or homemade fried taquitos, today will hold together several minutes of creative play and whatever we can make with that time.
