Gamble Building and Miner's Bean Kettle
Also known as: Express Office Building; Wells Fargo Building; Raggio Store; Co
Why it's listed
Built between 1848 and 1852 by merchant Alexander Gamble, this large slate stone building on Big Oak Flat's old Main Street holds three commercial suites and a small attached jail room. Brick-lined doorways with iron fire doors, a decorated brick frieze and quoins give it a hint of Italianate design. Beside it stands a wood frame building from about 1870, later known as the Miner's Bean Kettle, which served as a residence, business and restaurant into the 1940s. The stone building housed a general store, an express office used by Wells, Fargo and Company until 1893, and at times a post office, law office, cobbler shop and justice court. It reportedly helped slow the 1863 fire that destroyed much of the town. Few alterations have occurred apart from corrugated metal roofing and siding added around 1900. It is listed for its architecture, its role in early settlement and its place in local commerce. Both buildings are now vacant.
Significance in brief: The stone building is argued to be one of the finest surviving examples of Gold Rush stone commercial architecture, one of only two surviving stone buildings in Big Oak Flat, and one of the oldest in Tuolumne County. It is also significant for its long role in the town's commercial life from the 1850s to the 1930s, including Wells, Fargo and Company's tenancy. The frame building is one of only three pre-1890s wood frame buildings left in town.
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 91000335, listed March 22, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 17544 CA 120, Big Oak Flat |
|---|---|
| County | Tuolumne County |
| Listed | March 22, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000335 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1852 - 1930 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently vacant; used generally as storage for the past 30 years. The form says a historical society plans to turn the Gamble Building into a museum. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.82358, -120.25800 (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 91000335.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85762603
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.