Wood, Walter B., House
Also known as: Crow House
Why it's listed
This two-story wood frame house at 814 12th Street in downtown Modesto was begun in 1877 for Walter B. Wood. It combines Italianate decoration with a Queen Anne form, the result of a three-story hexagonal corner bay and a wrap-around veranda added between 1885 and 1895. Other features include shiplap siding, a side-facing gable roof, slanted bays with segmental arched windows framed by slender colonettes, and a stained glass transom over the entrance. Inside, a unique fireplace, plaster ceiling medallions and an elaborate newel post survive. Wood arrived in California in 1857, farmed, and opened Modesto's first hardware store. He built a grain warehouse and flour mill, helped found the Modesto Bank and the Grange Company, and was a delegate to the 1878 Constitutional Convention. The house is one of only six pre-1900 structures in the city's historic building survey and one of very few formal Victorians left in Modesto. It remains a private residence.
Significance in brief: The house is a good local example of Italianate/Queen Anne residential styling and one of very few formal Victorian houses left in Modesto. It is one of only six pre-1900 structures in the city's historic building survey. It is also tied to Walter B. Wood, an early Modesto merchant and banker who served as a delegate to the 1878 state Constitutional Convention.
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 88000551, listed May 20, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 814 Twelfth St., Modesto |
|---|---|
| County | Stanislaus County |
| Listed | May 20, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000551 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1877-1903 |
| Architectural style | Italianate/Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; condition listed as fair and altered, on its original site. A c. 1925 garage on the lot is non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.64066, -120.99653 (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 88000551.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133554744
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.