Shaw, Isaac E., Building
Also known as: Scandia Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1875 for merchant Isaac E. Shaw, this small redwood-sided commercial building at 219 North Cloverdale Boulevard measures 24 by 52 feet. It has a gable roof and an Italianate false front with a bracketed cornice and molded frieze. Shaw arrived in Cloverdale in 1872, after the railroad reached the town, and became its postmaster, treasurer and first banker. The building served as the post office and express office until 1880. After Shaw moved to larger quarters, it became the first home of the Reveille, the town's long-running weekly newspaper. Later tenants included several jewelers, and the Weston family lived upstairs and in part of the ground floor from 1902 into the 1930s. The storefront was altered over the years, notably when the building became a restaurant in 1941. A 1990 restoration reestablished several features seen in an 1880 photograph. It is the second oldest commercial building surviving in Cloverdale.
Significance in brief: The building is the second oldest surviving commercial building in Cloverdale and one of only four historic commercial buildings still standing there. It is significant under Criterion A for its role in the town's commercial development, as an early post office and express office and as the first home of the Reveille newspaper. It is significant under Criterion B for its association with Isaac Shaw, a major figure in the community's development.
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 90002155, listed January 25, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 219 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale |
|---|---|
| County | Sonoma County |
| Listed | January 25, 1991 |
| Reference number | 90002155 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1875 - 1903 |
| Architect / builder | Architect/builder unknown; first owner Isaac E. Shaw |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century; Other: Italianate False Front |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Communications |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed current function is vacant; the building underwent a rehabilitation/restoration in 1990, and a rear storage shed is in deteriorated condition. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 38.80666, -123.01954 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 90002155.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q111018829
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.