Sargent, B. V., House
Also known as: Sargent House
Why it's listed
Built in 1896-97 at 154 Central Avenue in Salinas, this two-story redwood frame house was designed by architect William H. Weeks and constructed by contractor L.U. Grant for about $7,500. It was built for Bradley V. Sargent Jr., then District Attorney for Monterey County. The house has a cross gable roof, a Norman tower at the southwest corner, recessed verandahs and balconies, and shingle and horizontal siding that wraps the walls like a smooth skin. Weeks called the style "modified colonial." It was listed because it marks a clear break from the Queen Anne and other Victorian revival houses that dominated Salinas at the time, and it may have encouraged colonial detailing among local builders. The nomination also treats it as the fullest expression of Weeks's early work, which echoed designs by H.H. Richardson and McKim, Mead & White. Later changes include an infilled verandah bay, replaced stairs and a 1977 paint scheme, but the house keeps its design, location and setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of changing architectural tastes at the turn of the twentieth century in rural California. It is described as the most fully realized expression of Weeks's early "modified colonial" style. It departed sharply from local Queen Anne and Victorian-revival building and may have prompted wider local use of colonial decoration. It also represents the work of a minor master architect.
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 80000824, listed October 20, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 154 Central Ave., Salinas |
|---|---|
| County | Monterey County |
| Listed | October 20, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000824 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896-97 |
| Architect / builder | L.U. Grant/William H Weeks |
| Architectural style | "Modified colonial" (the architect's description), with Queen Anne and Shingle style treatment noted in the reviewer comments |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and undergoing rehabilitation, with planned adaptive use as a professional office building. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 36.67645, -121.66047 (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 80000824.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14681561
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.