Updated: July 20, 2007

iles are made from clay. The entire process includes several steps. Once the tiles are formed, they are dried – often “air dried.” A glaze is then applied. The tiles are fired in brick lined ovens called kilns. The temperatures often exceed 2,000 degrees. The glaze gives the tile the hard, glass-like finish.

Throughout the Mission Inn are many styles and types of tile. There are coats of arms, including the United Kingdom’s symbol, found in guest rooms and on the walls of the International Rotunda. Other tiles serve as decorative features on stairways, on the walls of the Spanish Patio, fireplaces, floors, and even roofs.

There were over 250 companies in the United States making art tile during the late 19 th century and first half of the 20 th century, including approximately 30 in California. The Mission Revival and Arts and Crafts movements inspired the companies of Catalina Pottery, Batchelder Tile Co., Gladding, McBean & Co., and the other Southern California companies. The Corona Tile Co. operated in Riverside in 1925 and made mission tiles.

Adamson House
www.adamsonhouse.org

Friends of Terra Cotta
www.preserve.org/fotc

Gladding, McBean
http://gladdingmcbean.paccoast.com

Tile Council of American
http://www.tileusa.com

Tile Heritage Foundation
www.tileheritage.org

Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum
http://www.homesteadmuseum.org/

• Herbers, Jill. (1996). Tile. New York: Artisan.

• Karlson, Norman. (1998). American Art Tile 1876 – 1941. New York: Pizzoli International Publications, Inc.

• Moore, Barbara. (Ed.). (1998).  Historic Mission Inn.  Riverside:  Friends of the Mission Inn.

• Riley, Noel. (1997). Tile Art: A History of Decorative Ceramic Tile. London: Quintet Publishing, Ltd.

• Rindge, Ronald and Thomas Doyle. (1998). Ceramic Art of the Malibu Potteries, 1926-1932. Malibu, California: Malibu Lagoon Museum.