Post, Joseph W., House
Also known as: Post Homestead; Post Ranch
Why it's listed
Four miles south of Big Sur on State Highway 1, the Post Homestead is a redwood house that grew over several generations of one pioneer family. William Brainard Post, who came to California from Connecticut, built the first one-room, one-storey section in 1867 on a crown of what became known as Post Grade, at the end of the old trail from Monterey. In 1877 his son Joseph added a two-storey wing in the form of a traditional New England Saltbox, meant to recall the family's Connecticut roots. The house also served the region: it held Big Sur's first continuously operating post office and, from 1889 to 1905, the first Big Sur School. Joseph Post later built the wagon road and hauled rock for the Point Sur Lighthouse in 1888. The exterior remains largely intact, though the interior was altered by later occupants. Today the house sits beside the entrance to the Ventana Inn.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the homestead is significant for its link to the Post family, one of the first American families to settle the Big Sur coast, and to local developments such as the Point Sur Lighthouse road (1888), the first continuously operating post office (1889), and the first Big Sur School. It also holds that the 1877 Saltbox wing is architecturally notable as a New England form placed on the California coast, and it cites the house's high integrity and setting.
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 85002196, listed September 12, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | CA 1, Big Sur |
|---|---|
| County | Monterey County |
| Listed | September 12, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002196 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | W.B. & Joseph Post/none |
| Architectural style | Traditional New England Saltbox (two-storey wing) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked occupied and in good condition. The property is owned by Ventana Inn, Inc. and used by employees, and rehabilitation is planned. The interior has been altered over time. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.22890, -121.76418 (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 85002196.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q124516346
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.