McCrea House
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Why it's listed
Set on the Holy Names College campus in the Oakland Hills, this one-story wood-frame house, with a two-story kitchen and bedroom wing, was completed in 1913 as the private home of architect George McCrea. He built it around a cluster of earlier structures raised by the Peralta family in the first half of the nineteenth century, including an adobe chapel whose wall survives, plastered, inside the dining room. Much of the original building material was kept, and McCrea added bay windows, French doors, new siding and pergolas. His landscaping kept exotic plants introduced by Mexican-era settlers and paths that once led to a nearby Native American site, which was destroyed in the 1960s. The house is regarded as a well-preserved example of Bay Tradition architecture, notable for its honest wood framing and for the way it answers to its historic and natural setting. Holy Names College acquired the 1.7-acre parcel in 1962. Only minor alterations have occurred since McCrea's time.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a well-preserved early twentieth-century architect-built home that shows the better characteristics of Bay Tradition architecture, with individual design, honest use of wood framing and careful adaptation to its natural and historical setting. McCrea deliberately built the house around a Peralta-era adobe chapel and other structures from the first half of the nineteenth century, preserving much of the original material.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82002165, listed February 11, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3500 Mountain Blvd., Oakland |
|---|---|
| County | Alameda County |
| Listed | February 11, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002165 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1913) |
| Architect / builder | George McCrea |
| Architectural style | Bay Tradition |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, occupied, unaltered since 1913 apart from minor changes; the form lists educational use and the landscaping as largely intact but needing careful tending. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 37.80180, -122.18618 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82002165.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133253477
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.