Krough House
Why it's listed
Built around 1900, this Queen Anne house at 146 Central Avenue in Salinas is a wood-frame residence made of rough-cut redwood with shiplapped redwood siding. Its irregular outline, intersecting gables, central hip roof and flat widow's walk are typical of the style, and bay windows, dormers and a small cellar add to its character. Central Avenue was once the street where Salinas's leading families chose to live, lined with Queen Anne houses, but only four remain. As the Salinas Valley's agriculture grew, professionals moved to town and created demand for such housing. Pharmacist Peter Krough Jr. had the house built for his wife and daughter Olga, who later married lumber and savings-and-loan founder Michael Tynan. She recalled playing there with a young John Steinbeck. After years of decline under later owners, the house was fully renovated in 1978-79, with the entrance porch reconstructed from surviving footings and railing notches. It was listed for its architecture and local importance.
Significance in brief: The house is one of only four remaining Queen Anne homes on Central Avenue, once the most desirable residential street in Salinas. It reflects the housing demand created by professionals who arrived as the agricultural economy of the Salinas Valley grew. It is also tied to the Krough family, and to Olga Krough, who later married lumber and savings-and-loan founder Michael Tynan and, by her account, played with John Steinbeck as a child.
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 82002209, listed January 18, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 146 Central Ave., Salinas |
|---|---|
| County | Monterey County |
| Listed | January 18, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002209 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Renovated from 1978 to February 1979 by its owners, who are architects, after a series of owners and a period of deterioration. The form lists it as occupied, in good condition, on its original site, and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 36.67644, -121.66013 (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 82002209.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q116603051
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.