Plaza Building
Also known as: Center Building
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built between 1909 and 1910 on a circular plot at the center of Patterson, California, this small Mission Revival building anchors a town laid out by Thomas W. Patterson with eight streets radiating from a central circle. Its wood frame sits on a concrete foundation, with stucco walls, a flat roof, small wings at each end, arched windows and two entry porches. Southern California architect Arthur B. Benton designed it, along with the town's first hotel and mercantile building, and local architects supervised construction. Contractor F.W. Maurice finished the work on October 14, 1910. In its early years it held the ranch company offices, the irrigated farm sales offices, a bank and the post office, which operated there from 1910 to 1931. It is the oldest building in Patterson. The city has owned and maintained it since the early 1940s, and it now houses a historical society museum and the Chamber of Commerce.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is architecturally significant as the work of Mission Revival architect Arthur B. Benton of Southern California, hired by town founder Thomas W. Patterson. It is the oldest building in Patterson and the center of the planned town. It also housed the ranch company offices, irrigated farm sales offices, the post office and a bank.
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 03001359, listed January 6, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Plaza #2, Patterson |
|---|---|
| County | Stanislaus County |
| Listed | January 6, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03001359 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910 |
| Architect / builder | Benton, Arthur B. (architect); F.W. Maurice (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Mission Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Patterson since the early 1940s; currently houses the Patterson Township Historical Society Museum and the Chamber of Commerce. A handicapped ramp was added in 1974. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 37.47144, -121.12996 (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.
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 03001359.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133568119
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.