Left: John T. Jarvis completed the 12th Street home originally designed for Emil Rosenthal, who left Riverside after his failed attempt to build a resort hotel at the foot of Mount Rubidoux. Right: John T. Jarvis.

John T Jarvis

John T. Jarvis came to Riverside in the footsteps of his brother, Dr. Joseph Jarvis who arrived with George Chaffey in 1877.
Arriving in 1887, John went into the real estate business. He was a partner with Emil Rosenthal and together they bought 10 acres of land at the foot of Mount Rubidoux at the height of the 1884-1887 boom years. They subdivided the property and Rosenthal commissioned Boggs to build a house on a portion. The balance of the property was to be a 240-room grand hotel, called The Rubidoux, overlooking the balance of the subdivision. When the economy crashed, Rosenthal sold his house plans and seven lots to Jarvis and left Riverside. Jarvis completed the house, although he ran out of money and ended up paying the builder, Charles T. Rice, with some lots from land he owned in the Castleman Tract. Today it can be seen near Evergreen at 4492 12th Street.