Ketchum, Billy, House
Also known as: Larksong
Why it's listed
Set on a small hill above Main Street in Point Arena, this single-story Craftsman house dates to about 1912. One shallow hipped roof covers the building, with open eaves and exposed rafter ends, a hipped dormer on the west side, and a shed-roof dormer. A porch wraps across the front and continues along the side, supported by four-sided piers with raised bases and stepped capitals. Windows are double-hung with wide hooded molding, including a three-part Chicago window at the front and a bay window on the side. The house sits on a basement raised six feet above the ground. Its design is unusually complex for a town of mostly simple, functional homes, and it is regarded as the community's finest residential work from the first two decades of the century. Its prominent siting may reflect the status of its presumed first owner, Billy Ketchum, who managed the Point Arena Hot Springs, the town's main tourist draw for twenty years. The house remains in excellent condition with no apparent exterior alterations.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as Point Arena's finest example of residential architecture from the first two decades of the 20th century. Its design is unusually complex for a town of simple, functional houses, and its detailing is careful. It was presumably built for Billy Ketchum, manager of the Point Arena Hot Springs, the town's leading tourist attraction for two decades.
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 90001358, listed September 13, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 10 Scott Pl., Point Arena |
|---|---|
| County | Mendocino County |
| Listed | September 13, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001358 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912 (estimate) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements: Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition with apparently no exterior alterations; still used as a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.91159, -123.69223 (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 90001358.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q56268586
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.