A Look Inside San Bernardino's Heritage House

San Bernardino has a historical site that dates back to 1891: the Heritage House, located on 796 North D Street in San Bernardino. The old-fashioned Queen Anne-style home is owned by the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society after the Santa Fe Federal Savings and Loan Association donated it to the organization in December 1978. Every Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society holds free tours throughout the house. Board member Lyn Killian knows all there is to know about the history behind the house and the role it played throughout San Bernardino’s history as a community. She explained that the house wasn’t originally built on the corner of D Street. Its original address was located on 772 D Street; however, it was moved to 796 D Street in 1983, which is where it stands now. Before entering from the backdoor, a big steel-looking box can be seen on the side. The box is San Bernardino’s very first jail, originally located where the courthouse now stands. The back door leads right into the bathroom, built as an add-on later, Killian shared. “Back in 1891, they didn’t have a bathroom. They used outhouses,” she said. The two bedrooms are located in the same hallway the bathroom is. Each bedroom is filled with miscellaneous historical artifacts like dolls, gowns, mirrors, a sewing machine from 1890, and even a helmet from World War I. The historical home even houses its own paranormal legends - the last bedroom before hitting the dining room seems to be the one most visitors and even board members are afraid of, according to Killian. “Many people that come in here have said they have felt a weird presence… We’ve had paranormal people out here and they agree too,” she added. An old wedding gown, found in the same room, was hung up near the closet. A little note was attached to the gown that read, “Wedding gown circa 1890. Gift from Mary Arizo – her mother’s gown – her name was Guadalupe Mund and she married Romero Arizo.” “Many of the artifacts here are donated by various community members and families that have a history in San Bernardino,” Killian said. The house had a vast number of owners throughout its long history. The first owner was Judge George E. Otis and his family in 1891. Since then, there have been about 20 different owners with the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society being the current owner for over 30 years.