First Congregational Church of Pescadero
Also known as: Community Congretional Church
Why it's listed
This small redwood-frame church on San Gregorio Street in Pescadero, San Mateo County, was begun in May 1867 and dedicated that December. It measures 34 by 54 feet. Of its $1,170 construction cost, $1,100 came from anonymous donors in San Francisco. It was the first building in town put up solely for worship. Its design is mainly Classical Revival: a temple-like roofline, a broken pediment, round-arched windows and board siding scored to look like stone. A 40-foot Gothic-style spire, drawn by local contractor Charles F. Wilson, was added in 1890. A fire in 1940 led to a social hall being built at the rear. The nomination describes it as the oldest surviving wooden church on its original site, in continuous use and without major renovations, in the San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley region. It also reflects the New England roots of many early residents in a largely Catholic, coast-bound community.
Significance in brief: It was the first building in Pescadero constructed solely for religious purposes. The nomination calls it the oldest surviving wooden church on its original site, in continuous church use and without major renovations, in the San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley region. Its Classical Revival design, with board siding scored to imitate stone, reflects the tastes of an isolated coastside community.
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 80000856, listed October 31, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | San Gregorio St., Pescadero |
|---|---|
| County | San Mateo County |
| Listed | October 31, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000856 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Builder/architect unknown; spire by Chas. F. Wilson |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival with a Victorian Gothic Revival spire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent to good condition, and in religious use; the form says it is on its original site. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 37.25426, -122.38337 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 80000856.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452858
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.