McCullagh-Jones House
Why it's listed
This two-story stucco house at 18000 Overlook Road in Los Gatos began as a farmhouse bought by Frank and Mary McCullagh. In 1901 architect Willis Polk redesigned it, reportedly cutting the old house in half and building a broad open loggia between the two parts. The walls were finished in rough white stucco meant to resemble adobe, beneath red terra-cotta tile roofs, with details drawn from California's Spanish missions. The nomination calls it one of the most sensitive Mission Revival interpretations and a rare example of Polk working in that mode. House and Garden featured it in 1902 as the first West Coast building in the magazine. It is one of three intact Polk works in Santa Clara County. The McCullagh family lived here from 1901 to 1938, followed by Dr. Horace Jones and his family from 1939 to 1961. The nomination also notes that development plans threatened the property.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a sensitive and rare interpretation of Mission Revival by the noted Bay Area architect Willis Polk, capturing the spirit of early Spanish buildings without copying them. It was the first West Coast building featured in House and Garden magazine in 1902. It is also one of only three Polk-designed structures remaining intact in Santa Clara County, and it housed two prominent local families.
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 74000558, listed October 29, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 18000 Overlook Rd., Los Gatos |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | October 29, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000558 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Willis Polk (Willis Jefferson Polk) |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in fair condition and privately owned as a residence; the form says the owner wished to develop the land, which threatened the house. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 37.22689, -121.99435 (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 74000558.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55757586
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.