Forbes Mill Annex
Why it's listed
Forbes Mill, as it is commonly called, is actually a two-story stone annex added in November 1880 to a larger flour mill in Los Gatos, California. James Alexander Forbes built the original four-story "Santa Rosa" mill in 1852-54, using the waters of Los Gatos Creek for power. W.H. Rogers and Dr. W.S. McMurtry, with his son George, built the annex from locally quarried green quartzitic sandstone, and its south wall incorporates part of the old mill's north wall. The mill itself was torn down between 1915 and 1929, leaving the annex as the only physical remnant. The mill and annex formed the core around which Los Gatos grew, and the town was first called Forbes Mill. Over time the annex served as ice storage, a power company substation, a short-lived naval museum and a youth center. It is valued as the last rough-hewn stone building of its kind in town and as the only link to the community's beginnings.
Significance in brief: The annex is the only tangible remains of the original Forbes Mill, which became the nucleus of the town of Los Gatos. It is the last rough-hewn local quartzitic sandstone block structure in Los Gatos and the last 19th century stone flour mill building in Santa Clara County. The form also stresses its industrial role and its association with the area's development.
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 78000776, listed July 31, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | CA 17, Los Gatos |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | July 31, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000776 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | W.H. Rogers, W.S. McMurty (McMurtry), and George McMurtry (annex, 1880); original mill by James Alexander Forbes |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied and deteriorated; much of the interior wood construction has been destroyed through lack of surveillance, on secluded vacant land. |
| Acreage | 3.1 |
| Coordinates | 37.22191, -121.98067 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 78000776.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5467259
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.