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Palo Alto Historic Buildings Inventory

The detailed information found on the Search by Street Name link was adapted from the Palo Alto Historic Resources Inventory sheets. Where appropriate, additions or corrections have been made by PAST along with comments pertinent to the particular property. The other link, List of Structures, is an alphabetical list indicating category and district, if applicable.

Structures on the Historic Building Inventory are selected for their contribution in one of the following areas: 

Architecture, Arts & Leisure, Economic/Industrial, Exploration/Settlement, Government, Military, Religion, or Social/Education and are placed in one of the four categories described below.

Category 1:  An "Exceptional Building" of pre-eminent national or state importance. These buildings are meritorious works of the best architects, outstanding examples of a specific architectural style, or illustrate stylistic development of architecture in the United States. These buildings have had either now exterior modifications or such minor ones that the overall appearance of the building is in its original character.

Category 2:  A "Major Building" of regional importance. These buildings are meritorious works of the best architects, outstanding examples of a specific architectural style, or illustrate stylistic development of architecture in the State or region. A major building may have some exterior modifications, but the original character is retained.

Category 3 or 4:  A "Contributing Building" which is a good local example of an architectural style and relates to the character of a neighborhood grouping in scale, materials, proportion or other factors. A contributing building may have had extensive or permanent changes made to the original design, such as inappropriate additions, extensive removal of architectural details, or wooden facades resurfaced in asbestos or stucco.

In addition to being listed in the City's inventory, a building could also be listed on the California Register of Historical Resources or the National Register of Historic Places.


The City of Palo Alto also defines the concept of Historic and Architectural districts. These are areas possessing a distinct set of architectural and/or historic characteristics which are of value to the community. Two such areas ann two Eichler neighborhoods have been designated: The Ramona Street Architectural District, a commercial area, Professorville Historic District, a residential area, and the Greenmeadow and Green Gables Eichler developments. Properties in each of these districts are indicated in the list below.

Many of the homes on the inventory are in Professorville. Some of the listed buildings have been demolished. Click on thumbnails to see a larger image or to read more about the listing. An asterisk (*) indicates that the owner displays a centennial plaque, which is offered to buildings during their century year. Houses in Professorville that are not officially on the Historic Inventory are listed by address, but without a date or category.

In recent years many Professorville homes have been replaced. This has caused concern for the integrity of the district, and a committee was formed to create design guidelines for Professorville.

For a listing of noted architects and builders that includes architects A.B. Clark, Birge Clark, Pedro deLemos, Charles Hodges, Bernard Maybeck, Julia Morgan, A.W. Smith (Oakland), Charles K. Sumner, H.W. Weeks, William Wilson Wurster, and builders E.A. Hettinger, Gustav Laumeister, John Madsen, George W. Mosher, E.J. Schmaling, and Marcus Stedman and many others, click here. Works by Julia Morgan and Bernard Maybeck, while few in number, are especially notable for their significant contributions to the Palo Alto streetscape.

Examples and descriptions of the major architectural styles represented on the buildings listed below are found at this link as well as listings of streets where you can find examples of mid-Century modern homes.

We need your help. If you have information or corrections on any property please contact the Webmaster.

The information found on the Search by Street Name link was adapted from the Palo Alto Historic Resources Inventory sheets. Where appropriate, additions or corrections have been made by PAST along with comments pertinent to the particular property. The other link, List of Structures, is an alphabetical list indicating category and district, if applicable.


Note:  The National Trust for Historic Preservation has some pointers for greening your historic home. At the top of the list is

KEEP ORIGINAL WINDOWS INTACT. Studies show that older windows can perform as well as vinyl replacements. Weatherstrip them so that they seal tightly, caulk the exterior trim, and repair cracked glazing or putty around glass panels. You'll reduce landfill waste and the demand for vinyl, a non-biodegradable material that gives off toxic byproducts when it's made.

For more suggestions, follow the green link! And remember, the greenest house is the one that is already built!


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