White Mansion
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Why it's listed
Built around 1878, this large redwood-frame house at 604 East 17th Street in Oakland was the home of Asa L. White, a San Francisco lumber dealer. The house is a late example of Italianate design, with a six-foot basement story of false ashlar, heavy quoins, round-headed first-floor windows, segmental-arched second-floor windows, and a deep bracketed cornice. Corinthian columns support the front porch, and a carved grotesque mask forms the keystone. The rear wing was extended about ten years after construction, and a morning room was added around 1910, with the additions matched closely to the original exterior. White bought the lot from the Remillard brick-making family and lived there until 1922. The house is one of few large Italianate homes left in the former Clinton Park suburb, once home to merchants and capitalists. Its architecture and its link to the White family's business both support its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the outstanding Italianate examples in the East Bay, with bold and well-preserved exterior ornament. It is also one of the few large Italianate homes left in the former Clinton Park suburb. Historically, it reflects the early development of Brooklyn and the White family, who came to California and built a lumber business.
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 80000797, listed October 31, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 604 E. 17th St., Oakland |
|---|---|
| County | Alameda County |
| Listed | October 31, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000797 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1878) |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied, private residence; the exterior is described as largely intact, and the interior was divided into apartments in 1944. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 37.79709, -122.25075 (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 80000797.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q60767152
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.