Anza House
Why it's listed
Anza House is a small adobe dwelling at the corner of Franklin and Third Streets in San Juan Bautista, California. Built sometime between about 1820 and 1840, it is made of poles and mud bricks, which limited both its height and the number of its openings. A covered verandah protected the water-soluble adobe walls. The low, dimly lit building has an entrance near the western end of its north facade, opening into a single room. Later changes include a frame addition on the south side, a redwood-shingled roof, six- and twelve-pane windows, and double doors on the north side. Whitewashed plaster covers the walls but has chipped away in places, exposing the adobe shell. The house was recognized as an excellent example of a small, one-storey California adobe from the Mexican period, and it can be compared with the nearby Castro adobe, which shows the freer Monterey-colonial style. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an excellent example of a small, one-storey California adobe from the Mexican period. It shows the limits of Mexican adobe construction, in contrast to the freer Monterey-colonial style of the nearby Castro adobe. A later frame addition at the rear reflects American influence.
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 70000140, listed April 15, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3rd and Franklin Sts., San Juan Bautista |
|---|---|
| County | San Benito County |
| Listed | April 15, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000140 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Juan de Anza |
| Architectural style | Mexican period adobe |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated April 15, 1970 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good; the form lists present use as private residence, and notes whitewashed plaster chipped away in places, especially at the western end. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.84357, -121.53567 (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 70000140.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2518629
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.