Wasserman House
Also known as: Poulsen House
Why it's listed
Built around 1915 at 930 Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, this two-story shingle style bungaloid was the first house on its part of the John Isaac Parsons Addition. It has a long gabled front roof with a broad dormer of multi-paned casement windows, bracketed eaves, and a side facade with two broad gables, one over a porte-cochere containing a small room. Inside, simple trim, an open stair in the living room, built-in seats and a rear sun porch continue the design. The house keeps its original setting of a Monkey Puzzle tree, Alexander palms, a large cedar and valley oaks. The Monkey Puzzle is the only one in Santa Rosa and is a community landmark. Together, house and grounds express the California Arts and Crafts outlook. Milton Wasserman, who commissioned it, was a leading hops dealer in Santa Rosa from about 1910 to 1930. In 1923 it passed to the Poulsen family, local merchants.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally and historically significant as a fine example of early twentieth-century California Arts and Crafts design, enhanced by its intact original landscaped setting, including a Monkey Puzzle tree unique to Santa Rosa. It is also tied to Milton Wasserman, a prominent hops dealer in an industry important to Sonoma County, and to the later Poulsen family, local merchants.
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 79000562, listed January 31, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 930 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa |
|---|---|
| County | Sonoma County |
| Listed | January 31, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000562 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1915) |
| Architectural style | Shingle style bungaloid; California Arts and Crafts |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, privately owned; plans in the file show restoration of the house for office use. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 38.45048, -122.71746 (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 79000562.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q56567980
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.