Spotswood House
Also known as: Newell House
Why it's listed
Built in 1887, this two-story Italianate house on West Road in Potter Valley combines a redwood frame with brick walls, arched windows, a cupola, a solarium and wood cresting along a hipped roof. Joseph Spotswood, who ran the largest and most successful hops-growing operation in the valley, began construction in 1885, with bricks hauled from Ukiah by horse and cart. The house housed his large family and a live-in domestic staff in a separate wing. Its scale and detail were unmatched in the valley. After about 1930 a remodel lowered the roof, removed the cupola, porches, solarium and cresting, and filled in window arches. Rehabilitation beginning in 2002 rebuilt these features from historic photographs and salvaged original brick. The house is recognized locally for its link to the late-19th-century hops industry in southern Mendocino County and to Spotswood, for the years 1887 to 1907. A creamery, a garage and a pool on the lot are noncontributing.
Significance in brief: The house was the center of the largest and most successful hops-growing enterprise in Potter Valley. It is significant at the local level for its association with the late-19th-century hops industry in southern Mendocino County and with prominent farmer and businessman Joseph Spotswood.
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 07000997, listed September 27, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 11820 West Rd., Potter Valley |
|---|---|
| County | Mendocino County |
| Listed | September 27, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000997 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887-1907 |
| Architect / builder | Builder - Miller Bros. Masons from Ukiah |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian / Italianate |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition after reconstruction and rehabilitation completed in 2006; still used as a single dwelling. The property stood vacant from 1993 until 1996. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 39.31875, -123.11364 (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 07000997.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133306715
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.