Leib Carriage House
Why it's listed
Built around 1899 to replace an earlier structure that burned, this carriage house at 60 North Keeble Avenue in San Jose once served the estate of Judge Samuel F. Leib, a lawyer, banker and judge. The wooden building rises one and a half stories under a steep roof, with a T-shaped plan and a sweeping porch overhang. Its walls combine V-grooved siding with redwood shingles, carved decorative bands, multi-paned windows and a sunburst motif on the porch posts. One-story additions date from about 1949. The design recalls the East Coast Shingle Style, which is unusual in California, and shows Queen Anne influence. When new it ranked among the area's most outstanding carriage houses, and it is now one of the few that remain in the city. The listing also covers the surviving garden, a remnant of a larger formal landscape. Leib was a pioneer walnut and prune grower who knew Luther Burbank, and several original plantings remain.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is architecturally exceptional, a rare California example of the East Coast Shingle Style with Queen Anne influence. It was once one of the finest carriage houses in the San Jose area and is now one of the few left. It is also tied to Judge Leib, a prominent jurist, banker and pioneer orchardist, whose surviving garden is included.
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 80000866, listed June 2, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 60 N. Keeble Ave., San Jose |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | June 2, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000866 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | circa 1899 |
| Architectural style | East Coast Shingle Style with Queen Anne influence |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; altered with 1949 additions and later changes. The surrounding area is zoned commercial/professional, and the garden was being cleared of overgrowth for restoration. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.33295, -121.90918 (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 80000866.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16911331
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.