Shoup, Paul, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1910, this large two-story Craftsman house at 500 University Avenue in Los Altos was the family home of Paul Shoup, a Southern Pacific railroad man who became the company's president in 1929. Wood shingles clad the walls, and a double-gable roof ends in bell eaves supported by decorative brackets. Many original wood windows, some with wavy glass, survive, along with interior features such as coffered foyer ceilings, beamed living and dining rooms, and narrow plank floors. Landscape remnants along Adobe Creek include a stone grotto, stone steps and concrete retaining walls. The house was expanded around 1925, altered after the 1990 earthquake and rehabilitated in 2010. It is recognized for its link to Shoup, who helped found and promote Los Altos as a commuter residential community when the area held only ranches and orchards. His family lived here until selling the house in 1945.
Significance in brief: It is significant at the local level under Criterion B for its association with Paul Shoup, a Southern Pacific railroad man who rose to president of the company in 1929. Shoup is credited as the founding father of Los Altos, and the house served as his home base while he promoted and financed the new commuter community. The house is described as best representing what he wanted for the town.
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 11000696, listed September 23, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 500 University Ave., Los Altos |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | September 23, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000696 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Possibly Wolfe & MacKenzie (unconfirmed) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family dwelling; rehabilitated in 2010 after earlier alterations, including repairs following the 1990 Loma Prieta earthquake. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 37.37155, -122.11632 (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 11000696.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7153587
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.