Southern Hotel
Why it's listed
Built in 1886 on D Street in Perris, the Southern Hotel is a two-story wood-frame building with a symmetrical Italianate false front, bay windows flanking the entrance and a second-floor balcony. Bernardo and Marcellina Bernasconi designed and built it one block from the railroad depot, and it served as the stop for the San Jacinto-Perris stage line. Marcellina Bernasconi, a Swiss-born immigrant, ran the business, and the family moved into the hotel in 1891. Travelers and local businessmen used its parlor for social gatherings and deals. The hotel ceased operating around 1919 and remained a residence. Two fires in 1987 badly damaged it, and a detailed rehabilitation completed in 1990 rebuilt the porch, brackets and bay window from early photographs and a 1984 study. It is one of the few remaining 19th-century buildings in Perris and a rare surviving small hotel from the 1880s boom in Riverside County. Today it houses offices.
Significance in brief: The hotel was one of the first commercial buildings in the new town of Perris and served as a stage stop, lodging and social gathering place. It is tied to Marcellina Bernasconi, an immigrant businesswoman who ran it. It is also one of the few surviving 19th-century buildings in Perris and a rare small hotel of its era in Riverside County, with Italianate features.
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 92001384, listed October 15, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 445 S. D St., Perris |
|---|---|
| County | Riverside County |
| Listed | October 15, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001384 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1886-1919 |
| Architect / builder | Built by Bernardo and Marcellina Bernasconi, who designed and built it |
| Architectural style | Italianate; Victorian era vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Badly damaged by two fires in 1987, then rehabilitated (completed 2/18/1990) and now used as offices; the second floor holds seven offices, a kitchenette and a bathroom. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.78198, -117.22855 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 92001384.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7570005
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.