San Gregorio House
Also known as: Palmer Hotel; Bell Hotel
Why it's listed
San Gregorio House is a country hotel on Old Stage Road in San Gregorio, San Mateo County. George Washington Tully Carter bought five acres near San Gregorio Creek in 1865 and built a two-story gable-roofed hotel of redwood, which opened in 1866 and became the core of a small village. John R. Evans bought it in 1875 and enlarged it by seven bays to the north, adding a veranda with a balcony across the front. Later owners kept it running into the twentieth century. It served as a stage station for coaches between San Mateo, Redwood City and Pescadero, and as a retreat for sportsmen and summer visitors. Surviving outbuildings include a carriage shed, laundry house, granary, barns, a dance hall and a smokehouse. A former saloon later became a gas station. The nomination argues the hotel is the area's only remaining country hotel and one of few early California hotel complexes linked to stage travel, still largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the only remaining country hotel in the area and one of the few surviving hotel complexes from early California tied mainly to stage transportation. Its nearly complete set of related buildings, which served varied economic functions, is still intact.
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 77000341, listed May 6, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Old Stage Rd., San Gregorio |
|---|---|
| County | San Mateo County |
| Listed | May 6, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000341 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 and 1900 |
| Architect / builder | George Washington Tully Carter |
| Architectural style | Described as having a feeling of Greek Revival, though the form says it is hard to identify with a single style |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked good and unaltered; the form lists present use as a private residence, with a former gas station and outbuildings also noted. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 37.32621, -122.38696 (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 77000341.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q35768130
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.