Atherton House
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Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1881 at 1990 California Street in San Francisco, this Victorian house combines Queen Anne and Stick-Eastlake styles in an eclectic, asymmetrical but balanced design. A round corner tower with a conical roof sits opposite a projecting two-story gable, and carved foliate moldings, consoles, a columned porch with Corinthian capitals and a carved wooden urn add ornament. It was built for Mrs. Dominga de Goni Atherton, widow of Faxon Dean Atherton, a Massachusetts-born trader who played a notable role in early California commerce. She lived here until 1890 and cared for the children of her daughter-in-law, the author Gertrude Atherton. Later owners included banker Edgar Mills and insurance man George Chauncey Boardman, whose household hosted early Junior League meetings. Architect Charles J. Rousseau bought it in 1923 and divided it into thirteen units. It is a designated San Francisco landmark and was rated Five in the 1976 city architectural survey.
Significance in brief: The house is considered architecturally significant as an unusual example of Queen Anne and Stick/Eastlake style, notable for its massing of diverse spaces, balanced asymmetrical facade and eclectic roof forms. It is historically significant as the home of the widow of early California pioneer Faxon Dean Atherton, where she raised the children of her daughter-in-law, author Gertrude Atherton. It is also San Francisco Landmark Number 70.
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 79000527, listed January 31, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1990 California St., San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | January 31, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000527 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1881 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne and Stick-Eastlake |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Divided into thirteen dwelling units in 1923 and still used as a rooming house/apartments at the time of nomination; condition is marked unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 37.78988, -122.42709 (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 79000527.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q38251970
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.