Steinbeck, John, House
Why it's listed
This ranch-style house sits on a steep, wooded 1.6-acre lot in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Built in 1936 for writer John Steinbeck and his wife Carol, it has board-and-batten walls, a shake roof, knotty pine interiors and a vaulted living room with a copper-hooded fireplace. A matching guest house was added that fall. Landscape features made by Steinbeck remain, including a grapestake fence, brick paths and the carved "Arroyo del Ajo" gate sign. Steinbeck lived here from 1936 to 1938. In this period he completed Of Mice and Men, published The Long Valley, and wrote The Grapes of Wrath in a small workroom, which remains unaltered. The novel drew attention to the plight of California migrant farm workers and was followed by state and federal action. Additions made in 1971 and 1980 copied the original materials and proportions. The site has never been subdivided and is still used as a private home.
Significance in brief: The property is significant under Criterion B for its association with author John Steinbeck, who lived and wrote here from 1936 to 1938. During that time he finished Of Mice and Men, published The Long Valley, and wrote The Grapes of Wrath. That novel drew national attention to California migrant farm workers and led to state and federal remedial action. The form argues the house retains better integrity than his other California residences.
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 89002117, listed December 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 16250 Greenwood Ln., Monte Sereno |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | December 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89002117 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1936-38 |
| Architect / builder | Builder/contractor Lawrence Case; designed by Carol Steinbeck (Steinbeck, John Ernst and Steinbeck, Carol Henning listed under significant persons) |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Ranch Style (described as Minimal Traditional with some Ranch Style elements) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Literature, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In continuous use as a private single-family residence; 1971 and 1980 additions and alterations were made to match the original, and the workroom has been left untouched. |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 37.23235, -121.99981 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 89002117.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14682528
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.