{"nrhp_refnum":"80000868","name":"Judge Lee House","other_names":["Julius Lee Home"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"128 E. Beach St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Watsonville","county":"Santa Cruz County","state":"CA","lat":36.91156696000007,"lon":-121.75458444799995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1980-06-30","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story Queen Anne style house at 128 East Beach Street in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, California, built in 1894 of redwood and designed by architect W. H. Weeks.","why_significant":"The house is an early example of architect William Weeks' individual interpretation of the Queen Anne style and is believed to be the first house he designed in California. It also served as the residence of Julius Lee, a distinguished early Watsonville lawyer and district attorney. Its applied ornament is described as retaining its original delicate lines and sharp edges.","narrative":"Built in 1894 at 128 East Beach Street in Watsonville, this redwood Queen Anne house was designed by architect William H. Weeks and built by J. S. Jennings. It has two stories, a raised stone foundation, horizontal boarding below and shingles above, and a round corner tower with a conical roof and finial. Details include a gabled dormer with a decorated pediment, a second-story balcony with spool and spindle work, and a paneled door with beveled glass. The exterior is reported unchanged since construction. The house is believed to be the first Weeks designed in Watsonville and in California, at the start of a prolific career that included schools, libraries, banks and churches across the state. It was the home of Julius Lee, who lived in Watsonville from 1862 until 1910, served as district attorney and became influential at the local bar. The combination of architectural quality, well-preserved ornament and its association with Lee supported its listing.","period_of_significance":"1894","architect_builder":"Architect W. H. Weeks; Builder J. S. Jennings","architectural_style":"Queen Anne","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in good condition, occupied as a private residence, with no major alterations since construction in 1894.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:31.727579-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/80000868.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80000868/7b5cb79c79-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80000868/7b5cb79c79-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Mrwrite","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Judge_Lee_house.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Mrwrite</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Judge_Lee_house.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123861869","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Lee_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6302589"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/santa-cruz-county/judge-lee-house-80000868/"}