Hamilton, Capt. James A., House
Also known as: Tivoli Art Gallery
Why it's listed
This two-story house on South Bascom Avenue near San Jose was built in 1882 for Captain James A. Hamilton, a whaling ship master who commanded vessels including the Charles W. Morgan. Born in Ohio in 1826, Hamilton went to sea at 18, retired in 1887 after falling ill, and became an enthusiastic horticulturalist on his orchard property in Santa Clara County. The house began as a tall Italianate residence with a hipped roof and bracketed eaves. A later phase added Queen Anne features, including a gabled bay, a lattice-enclosed porch with circular cut-outs, turned posts, leaded colored glass, and patterned shingles. A one-story rear addition was already in place by around 1900. Once surrounded by fruit trees, the house now stands alone amid commercial development along a major road. It was nominated as a rare surviving Queen Anne farmhouse in an urbanized area and for its link to a prominent local figure. It currently operates as an art gallery.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues local architectural and historical significance. It is a fine Queen Anne farmhouse and the only one of its kind left amid modern commercial development. It is also tied to Captain James A. Hamilton, a whaling ship captain, including command of the Charles W. Morgan, who became a noted horticulturalist in Santa Clara County.
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 80000864, listed June 9, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2295 S. Basom Ave., San Jose |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | June 9, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000864 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1882) |
| Architectural style | Italianate with Queen Anne additions; Queen Anne farmhouse |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, occupied, and operating as the Tivoli Art Gallery; the form notes a storage shed that intrudes on the historic character. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.28151, -121.93215 (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 80000864.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55757595
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.