Gould-Shaw House
Also known as: Gould,Thomas J.,House; Shaw,Thomas A.,Homestead; Shaw,Isaac E.
Why it's listed
Built in 1862 by blacksmith Thomas J. Gould, this one-story brick house on North Cloverdale Boulevard is the oldest known dwelling in Cloverdale. It is a front-gabled Gothic Revival building with locally made brick walls laid in common bond, flat-roofed bays flanking the entry porch, and sculptured vergeboard, brackets and frieze. Alterations are minor: a new chimney after the 1906 earthquake, a replaced rear addition in 1940, and new roofing in 1991. The nomination notes that few Gothic Revival buildings, and very few of brick, have been identified in Sonoma County surveys. The house is also tied to Isaac E. Shaw, who lived there from 1875 until 1905 and became Cloverdale's most important businessman, serving as postmaster and city treasurer. An 1877 county atlas named his home among the town's best residences, and it is the only one of those still standing. Today it houses the Cloverdale Museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the oldest known dwelling in Cloverdale and a rare, little-altered example of Gothic Revival design in Sonoma County. It is also linked to Isaac E. Shaw, a leading merchant and banker who lived there from 1875 until his death in 1905.
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 92001244, listed September 10, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 215 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale |
|---|---|
| County | Sonoma County |
| Listed | September 10, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001244 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1862-1905 |
| Architect / builder | Gould, Thomas J. |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century, Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition with very little alteration since 1862; now used as a museum, with the rear addition rented as an apartment. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 38.80680, -123.01862 (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 92001244.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q56613047
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.