Whittier Mansion
Also known as: California Historical Society Building
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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
Perched on a site with views of the Bay and Golden Gate, this red sandstone mansion at 2090 Jackson Street in San Francisco was built in 1894-1896 as the home of widower William Franklin Whittier and his children. Architect Edward R. Swain designed it with three stories plus an attic, steel framing, round corner towers and an Ionic portico. The design blends Richardsonian and Queen Anne massing with a more formal, symmetrical Classical facade and details drawn from Roman, Renaissance and Baroque sources. Inside, fine woods and marbles were used. Later chapters add interest: in 1941 the German government bought the house for a consulate, which closed after about two months when consulates were ordered shut. From 1952 to 1956 it was leased to the Institute of Philosophical Research, and the California Historical Society bought it in 1956. It has seen few radical renovations and remains a museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as a well-preserved example of late Nineteenth Century architectural grandeur, mixing Richardsonian, Queen Anne, Renaissance and Classical details with fine materials and craftsmanship. It also has historical associations: it served briefly as the German consulate in 1941 and later housed the Institute of Philosophical Research. The form evaluates its significance at the state level.
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 76000524, listed April 26, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2090 Jackson St., San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | April 26, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000524 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Edward R. Swain, architect |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque and Second Renaissance Revival elements; also described as Renaissance in feeling with Queen Anne and Classical details |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the California Historical Society and used as a museum and headquarters; condition listed as good, with the exterior unaltered and the interior altered. The sandstone exterior shows weathering. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.79296, -122.42934 (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 76000524.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q21016342
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.