Pogue Hotel
Also known as: The Cottonwoods; Montgomery House; Lemon Cove Woman's Clubhous
Why it's listed
Built in 1879 beside the wagon road to Mineral King, this L-shaped redwood hotel in Lemoncove, Tulare County, served travelers, timber teamsters and tourists before becoming a family home and later a clubhouse. Its Late Victorian design shows Eastlake and Stick influences, with arched porches on the ground floor, a bracketed balcony above, and a rare Gothic-style gable on the facade. The building matters chiefly because of James W.C. Pogue, who lived here and introduced lemon growing to Tulare County, moving citrus trees to the grounds in 1879 and winning a first premium for lemons at the 1885 Los Angeles Fair. In 1894 he surveyed the town of Lemon Cove, and the hotel and nearby store became its center. His daughter Nora Pogue Montgomery deeded the building to the Lemon Cove Woman's Club in 1936, and it remains a community gathering place.
Significance in brief: The property is significant under Criterion B for its association with James William Center Pogue (1839-1907), who lived there from 1880 to 1898 and again at the end of his life. Pogue introduced the lemon industry to Tulare County, laid out the townsite of Lemon Cove in 1894, and served two terms as county supervisor. The hotel also became the social and civic center of the community.
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 91000927, listed August 5, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 32792 Sierra Dr. (CA 198), Lemoncove |
|---|---|
| County | Tulare County |
| Listed | August 5, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000927 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1880 - 1898 |
| Architect / builder | Pogue, James William Center |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Gothic, Stick/Eastlake, Swiss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a social clubhouse by the Lemon Cove Woman's Club; it has changed little since its early years apart from remodelings in 1904, about 1915 and 1936. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Big Creek Hydroelectric System Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.38272, -119.02456 (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 91000927.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14683679
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.