{"nrhp_refnum":"82002210","name":"Nesbitt, Sheriff William Joseph, House","other_names":["66 Capitol Street"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"66 Capitol St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Salinas","county":"Monterey County","state":"CA","lat":36.67690369200005,"lon":-121.66090583099998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1982-02-19","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Law","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story wood-frame vernacular residence at 66 Capitol Street in Salinas, Monterey County, California, in existence by 1881 and shown on the 1886 Sanborn Map. Builder and exact construction date are unknown.","why_significant":"The nomination argues it is an excellent surviving example of a mid-to-late 19th century vernacular house type built during California's settlement, based on the Greek Revival farmhouse. It is also the home of Sheriff William J. Nesbitt (1853-1933), a long-serving Monterey County lawman who never killed a man in the line of duty and who is mentioned in John Steinbeck's East of Eden.","narrative":"Set on a small lot at 66 Capitol Street in Salinas, this two-story wood-frame house with a single-story north wing reflects the plain vernacular homes built as California was settled in the mid to late 19th century. It has redwood drop siding, a gable roof, a slight false front with a wooden balustrade, and two-over-two double-hung windows. A rear ell was added shortly after 1900. The house was standing by 1881 and appears on the 1886 Sanborn Map. It was the home of William Joseph Nesbitt, who moved in with his wife at their marriage in 1881 and lived there until his death in 1933. Nesbitt served as town marshal, constable, deputy and, from 1903 to 1923, Monterey County sheriff, and was known for never taking a life on duty. John Steinbeck, born nearby, later wrote of the sheriff's office in East of Eden. The house is valued both as a rare architectural type and for its link to local law enforcement.","period_of_significance":"Prior to 1881","architect_builder":"Unknown","architectural_style":"Vernacular residential, based on the Greek Revival farmhouse","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as occupied, in good condition and altered, on its original site; used as a private residence and commercial space. A rear carriage house or garage is in fair condition.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:31.863557-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/82002210.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82002210/c8793ff292-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82002210/c8793ff292-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"McGhiever","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sheriff_William_Joseph_Nesbitt_House.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">McGhiever</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sheriff_William_Joseph_Nesbitt_House.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123859942","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff_William_Joseph_Nesbitt_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q116547053"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/monterey-county/nesbitt-sheriff-william-joseph-house-82002210/"}