Cohn House
Why it's listed
Overlooking the town and valley from a hill in Folsom, this large Queen Anne house was built in the mid-1890s by merchant Simon Cohn and was part of the town's "Nob Hill" cluster of mansions. Its design came from a published pattern book, a common practice in the West where few houses were designed by architects. The two and a half story building features intersecting gables, a corner tower with a pyramidal roof, a wraparound porch with spindlework, fish scale shingles and fine interior woodwork. Attached to it are a small 1860s house and barn that Cohn built earlier; these modest buildings now serve as kitchen and dining space and are described as rare survivals of working class housing from the city's early years. Cohn's son-in-law Phillip, a businessman, lived here and served in the California State Senate from 1912 to 1920. The home hosted many social gatherings and stayed in the Cohn family until the 1960s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a particularly fine local example of late 19th century residential architecture, with complex forms and varied detail, and that it was built from a published pattern book design. The attached 1860s house and barn are a rare remnant of working class housing from the city's earliest decades. It is also associated with Phillip Cohn, a prominent local businessman who served in the California State Senate from 1912 to 1920.
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 82002228, listed January 21, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 305 Scott St., Folsom |
|---|---|
| County | Sacramento County |
| Listed | January 21, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002228 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (owner-builder Simon Cohn built the original 1860s house; the 1890s house was built from a pattern book design) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, with Stick, Shingle and Classical Revival influences |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Main house in good condition; the original house, barn and outbuilding somewhat deteriorated. Occupied as a residence and rehabilitation was underway at the time of nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 38.67862, -121.17482 (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 82002228.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5141377
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.