Downing, T. B., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1894 at 706 Cowper Street in Palo Alto, this three-story house was the home of T. B. Downing, a member of the city's first council and an early school board member. It was one of the largest and most ornate houses in a town that had been a grain field only a few years earlier, after the founding of Stanford University prompted Palo Alto's growth. The house is described as the most outstanding surviving example of the Queen Anne style in the city. Its decoration includes a round corner tower with finial, brackets, dentil and window molding, varied shingles, repeated gables, decorated bargeboards, and a porch with gingerbread columns, balustrade and spindles. A slanted side bay frames a round window. The exterior was unaltered until a June 1972 fire damaged the third floor and roof. The interior was long ago divided into five apartments, though the original woodwork and fixtures remain.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the most outstanding extant example of the Queen Anne style in Palo Alto. It was one of the largest and most ornate homes in the early town. Its builder, T. B. Downing, served on the first city council and the school board.
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 73000452, listed October 30, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 706 Cowper St., Palo Alto |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | October 30, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000452 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1894) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in fair condition. A June 1972 fire on the third floor caused smoke damage and partly destroyed the roof. The interior was divided into five apartments, and the form lists the use as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.44638, -122.15659 (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 73000452.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18149493
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.