Ross House
Why it's listed
Built around 1878, this two-story house at 693 South Second Street in San Jose is a Victorian Italianate residence with a slightly hipped roof, wide clapboard siding, a boxed cornice and bracketed eaves trimmed with dentils. Segmental arch windows and a full-pediment entry porch add to its character. Slanted two-story bays on three elevations are capped by metal-covered mansard roofs, a Second Empire feature that makes the design unusual. The lot also holds a two-story barn and a gazebo that appears to be recent. Lyman and Oscar D. Ross, a father and son who were local fruit dealers, first occupied the house. A local surgeon, William E. Keith, and his wife owned it from 1900 to 1931. It later served as a Volunteers of America hospitality house and then as apartments. It was listed as one of downtown San Jose's best Italianate homes and one of the few intact examples left in its area, at the local level of significance.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of downtown San Jose's best examples of the Italianate style. It combines Italianate and Second Empire elements, notably mansard roofs over its two-story bays. It is also one of the few intact homes remaining in an area once full of such houses. Significance is rated local.
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 82000992, listed October 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 693 S. 2nd St., San Jose |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | October 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82000992 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate, with Second Empire elements (Victorian period) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as being rehabilitated at the time of nomination, to be used as offices and a studio; condition checked as good and unaltered, and the form lists it as occupied. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.32629, -121.88185 (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 82000992.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55757582
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.