El Molino Viejo

The backside of the El Molino Viejo (the Old Mill) is a fascinating study in textures - wood, glass, stucco, brick are all contained in a this shot. The Old Mill was the first commercial structure in Southern California according to the history on display in the two-story building. Completed in 1816 as a grist mill for Mission San Gabriel, the mill has been utilized in a variety of ways, including a residence, golf course club house, and for wine storage, before being restored to its original form by Frederick H. Ruppel, a contractor who had restored the Mission San Juan Capistrano.