Watkins, Commodore James, House
Also known as: Watkins-Cartan House
Why it's listed
Built in 1866 on a 19-acre estate called Fair Oaks, this Gothic Revival house in Atherton, California, was home to Commodore James T. Watkins and his wife. Watkins captained ships for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and commanded the Colorado, the first vessel on its regular mail service across the Pacific to China. He died in 1867 after a fall aboard ship near Nagasaki. Ship carpenters built the house, which has steeply pitched intersecting gables, eave brackets, Tudor-style flattened porch arches, and hood moldings over doors and windows. It was moved about six blocks in 1903 and survived the 1906 earthquake with damage only to its plaster ceilings. It was moved again in 1998 to Alejandra Avenue. The listing recognizes it as an outstanding California example of the style and as the only remaining home of the early country residents who settled the Peninsula after the railroad arrived.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture as interpreted in California in the 1860s. It is described as the only remaining house of the San Francisco country squires who first settled the Peninsula as railroad commuters. It is also tied to Watkins, a leading Pacific Mail Steamship Company captain who commanded the first ship on the regular trans-Pacific mail service to China.
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 78000768, listed July 22, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 98 Alejandra Ave., Atherton |
|---|---|
| County | San Mateo County |
| Listed | July 22, 2008 |
| Reference number | 78000768 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1866 |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by ship carpenters |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described in 1977 as in excellent condition, slightly altered, moved, and used as a private residence. It was moved again on October 19, 1998, to 98 Alejandra Avenue. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 37.45541, -122.19815 (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 78000768.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.