Green Hotel
Also known as: Hitchcock Hotel; Shafter Hotel
Why it's listed
Green Hotel, also called the Hitchcock Hotel or Shafter Hotel, is a two-story wood frame building at 530 James Street in Shafter, California. The Kern County Land Company built it in 1913 to accommodate prospective buyers and to act as a center for its colonization of the new townsite. Early residents recalled it as one of the first buildings in the community. The rectangular building has a gable roof with wide overhanging eaves and exposed rafter tails, a front porch with tapered posts, clapboard siding on the first story, shingles above, and Palladian attic vents. Its style is described as vernacular, with classical and Craftsman influences. In 1938 the hotel was rotated 90 degrees on its corner lot to face another street, and part of the porch was enclosed as a small office. Despite these changes, the form describes the building as retaining a high level of integrity, with a symmetrical plan and largely original interior finishes.
Significance in brief: The hotel was built by the Kern County Land Company to house prospective land buyers and serve as a center for colonizing the new town of Shafter. It was one of the first buildings in the community. The form also notes its vernacular Craftsman and classical design and its high level of integrity.
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 89000204, listed March 16, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 530 James St., Shafter |
|---|---|
| County | Kern County |
| Listed | March 16, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000204 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Kern County Land Company (builder) |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman; vernacular with classical and craftsman influences |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as work in progress (rehabilitation planned); the building is described as neglected but structurally sound, with a fence added recently for security. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 35.50162, -119.28603 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 89000204.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14682069
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.