Merritt, Josiah, Adobe
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Why it's listed
Built before 1852 on Pacific Street in Monterey, this small adobe combines a traditional Mexican California building with a Greek temple front. After Juana de Castro, wife of Josiah Merritt, bought the property at a sheriff's sale in 1852, the one or one-and-one-half story structure was enlarged to two stories. A three-pillared, pedimented facade was added to the east end, while the traditional exterior staircase on the north wall was kept for access to the upper rooms. The building measures about 20 by 32 feet on each floor, which helps explain the use of three pillars rather than four or six. A rear addition was made before 1948. The nomination argues that no other California adobe is known to use the Greek temple form this way. Merritt, a New York lawyer who reached Monterey in 1850, helped organize Monterey County in 1851 and served as its first County Judge until 1854. The building is still used for business and professional purposes.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent, and perhaps the only, example of Greek Revival temple form applied to the adobe construction of Mexican California. It also reflects the quick imposition of American architectural forms on traditional Mexican California buildings. It is associated with Josiah Merritt, the first Monterey County Judge (1851-1854).
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 77000311, listed November 22, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 386 Pacific St., Monterey |
|---|---|
| County | Monterey County |
| Listed | November 22, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000311 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Prior to 1852 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival temple form applied to Mexican California adobe |
| Areas of significance | Law, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as still in active use as a business and professional building; the Southern Historic District realignment excluded it from its earlier protection. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 36.60116, -121.89555 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 77000311.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14682535
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.