First Church of Christ, Scientist
Also known as: Cultural Heritage Board Landmark No. 7,City of Riverside
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Sixth and Lemon Streets in downtown Riverside, this church was built in 1900-01 to designs by Arthur Burnett Benton and dedicated in February 1901. It is a Mission Revival building with classical touches, including a front portico of five Ionic columns flanked by two bell towers, a cloister-like arcade with a metal tile roof along one side, and a large central dome with stained glass windows. The auditorium seats about 350, with a gallery above. The exterior has changed very little; roof tiles replaced in 1991 were cast from the original molds. The interior has been modified, including 1950s coverings over exposed wood in the dome and changes behind the rostrum. A 1955-56 Sunday school next door does not contribute to the property. The church is considered the oldest surviving Mission Revival building in Riverside and was Benton's first Riverside commission. It became City Landmark No. 7 in 1969.
Significance in brief: The church is significant locally under Criterion C as a representative of Mission Revival architecture in Riverside and as the earliest surviving example of its type in the city. It was Arthur Benton's first design in Riverside, and Benton was an early, major exponent of the style. The exterior is virtually unaltered since 1901.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 92001250, listed September 22, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3606 Lemon St., Riverside |
|---|---|
| County | Riverside County |
| Listed | September 22, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001250 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901 |
| Architect / builder | Benton, Arthur Burnett; Spaulding, F. L. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th century revivals: Mission |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned and used by an active religious congregation; exterior in excellent condition and virtually unaltered, interior somewhat altered. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 33.98249, -117.37048 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 92001250.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452705
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.