San Juan Bautista Third Street Historic District

Third Street is the historic commercial core of San Juan Bautista, a small agricultural town southwest of its Spanish mission. The four-block district holds buildings dating from about 1834 to 1938, most with one or two storefronts and side walls that abut their neighbors. Wood and adobe are the main materials, and four sandstone buildings were added between 1867 and 1871. Styles include Spanish Colonial adobe, Monterey, Carpenter Italianate and, most commonly, the Western False Front. The oldest building, the Casa de Anza Adobe, was built under Mexican rule and became a cantina in 1870. Commercial development began in 1849, when the Gold Rush brought visitors and American rule reshaped the town. Third Street stayed the town's commercial center through the early twentieth century, despite being bypassed by the railroad and later by Highway 101 development. Little new construction occurred between 1938 and the late 1950s, so the streetscape remains largely intact. The district was listed for local significance in commerce and architecture.