Bloss Mansion
Also known as: Bloss Home
Why it's listed
Bloss Mansion is a two-story concrete house at 1020 Cedar Avenue in Atwater, California, completed in 1914 for cattle rancher George Bloss and his wife Christine. Bedesen & Cowell of Merced designed it and Wilcox & Groom built it. The house combines several architectural trends: a hipped tile roof and stucco walls reflect Mission Revival influence, broad eaves and three-part windows show Prairie Style influence, and an entrance portico and large side porch with Tuscan columns and balustrades add a Classical look. The nomination considers it the finest residential design in Atwater. It is also tied to a family that shaped the area; George Bloss became the city's first Mayor after helping incorporate it in 1922, and the family gave the community a library, hospital, school and park. Left to the city, the house now holds local organizations' offices, offers public tours and sits beside the former grounds, now Bloss Park.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant architecturally and for its association with the prominent, community-minded Bloss family. It calls the house the finest example of residential architecture in Atwater and the most important early 20th century design statement in the community. George Bloss served as Atwater's first Mayor.
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 81000162, listed September 3, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1020 Cedar Ave., Atwater |
|---|---|
| County | Merced County |
| Listed | September 3, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000162 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914 |
| Architect / builder | Bedesen & Cowell (architects); Wilcox & Groom (builders) |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival with Prairie Style influences and Classical elements |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Atwater and open to the public; houses offices of the Atwater Chamber of Commerce and Atwater Historical Society, with tours and events held there. Condition rated good and unaltered apart from a later elevator tower. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 37.34736, -120.60632 (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 81000162.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14681618
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.