Castle View History
Castle View Elementary School was built in 1967 atop a granite hill in the Canyon Crest neighborhood of Riverside. The name, Castle View, was chosen because Benedict Castle, which is located on Chicago could be seen by standing on the top of the the granite hill next to the B-building. The hilly area surrounding the school were vacant fields teeming with native California flora and fauna. When the school opened in 1967 with an enrollment of 250 students and 8 teachers, there were only four buildings, the A and B Pods, the library and the administration building. The C Pod, Multipurpose Room and the staff parking lot were built ten years later in 1977. Originally the parking lot and the adjoining granite hill (now known as Violation Hill) were supposed to be another building but as luck would have it the granite hill could not be removed. Dynamite was tried but because of the proximity to the B Pod the amount needed could not be used without taking out the hill and the building. Therefore, the hill is still with us.The original student body chose the Dragon as Castle View's Mascot and green and white as the schools colors. Faculty and students still wear these colors every Friday to reflect their school spirit.