Williams, Roger Y., House
Also known as: Swanner House
Why it's listed
This 1923 ranch property on Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano consists of a two-story Craftsman style house, a 35-foot tank house and a garage, all built at the same time. The house has a wood frame, redwood siding laid in a pattern of two narrow boards and one wide, decorative rafter tails, knee brackets and original fir built-ins and oak floors inside. The tank house still holds its original water tank. Orange groves surround the property on two sides, and part of the grove is to be preserved to maintain the setting. The property is recognized as one of the few intact ranch houses left in a town once dominated by walnut and later citrus farming. Only three such ranch houses remain in their original settings, and this one keeps every original feature, including the water tower that a comparable house lacks. It is significant locally for its architecture, with a period of significance from 1923 to 1956.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property is one of the few remaining intact ranch houses in San Juan Capistrano, a once common property type reflecting the area's late nineteenth and early twentieth century agricultural history. It is significant at the local level under Criterion C for architecture. It is described as one of the best examples of its type, with all original features intact and a high degree of integrity.
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 06001237, listed January 10, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 29991 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | January 10, 2007 |
| Reference number | 06001237 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923-1956 |
| Architectural style | Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as not in use; the property is owned by the City of San Juan Capistrano and designated a "Building of Distinction." The buildings appear virtually unaltered from 1923, with re-roofing in 2003, gutters added in 2005 and repainting in 2005. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.52863, -117.67288 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 06001237.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85797685
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.