Ellis-Martin House
Also known as: Martin House; Ellis, JOhn D., House
Why it's listed
Built in the first decade of the twentieth century, this two-story Craftsman house at 1197 East Washington Street in Petaluma was the retirement home of John Dixon Ellis, a farmer born in Nova Scotia who had lived in Australia before settling in California in 1892. It sat on an 18-acre parcel at the edge of town, marking the shift from city to country. The wood-frame house has shingle siding, a hipped roof with flared eaves, a full-width front porch with pergolas, block modillions, knee braces and distinctive starburst window muntins. Inside, fir wainscoting, leaded glass, coved ceilings and clinker brick fireplaces reflect Arts and Crafts influence. Apart from 1950s enclosures at the rear, the exterior is largely unchanged, and the house retains excellent integrity. A tank house survives nearby. Its listing rests on its quality as a Craftsman design and its link to the development of East Petaluma.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an excellent, highly intact example of a Craftsman home influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, both outside and inside. It also reflects the history of East Petaluma, where Ellis built a semi-rural retirement home on an 18-acre parcel at the city's edge. The text visible does not state the formal criteria or period of significance.
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 06000915, listed October 4, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1197 E. Washington St., Petaluma |
|---|---|
| County | Sonoma County |
| Listed | October 4, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000915 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John Dixon Ellis (builder/original owner, farmer) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements/bungalow/Craftsman |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic single dwelling; current function listed as commerce/professional/architect's office. The rear sleeping balcony and a rear porch were enclosed in the 1950s; the barn and tack house have been removed, but the tank house remains. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.24530, -122.62992 (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 06000915.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q65079224
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.