National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places serves as the Federal government’s official list of those properties deemed worthy of preservation. It is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources. Listing on the National Register is primarily a tool to encourage preservation, recognition, and rehabilitation of our national landmarks. It is a strong reminder that the preservation and re-use of historic properties may also be economically feasible. Please visit the National Park Service's website on the National Register of Historic Places for more information.
Benefits of Listing on the National Register
There are several Federal incentives available for individually listed National Register landmarks and contributing structures of historic districts. These include:
- Eligibility to apply for Federal planning and renovation grants, when funds are available
- Profitable renovation of commercial properties by means of Federal tax credits for approved rehabilitation
- Assurance that the property will not be altered or demolished by federally funded or licensed projects
- Recognition in national publications and listings and display of a bronze National Register plaque
- Generally higher sales value because of listed benefits
Criteria for Listing
The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess integrity (see below) and that meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Criterion A: Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history
- Criterion B: Association with the lives of significant persons in our past
- Criterion C: Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, or represent the work of a master, or possess high artistic values or represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction
- Criterion D: Have yielded or may be likely to yield information important in history or prehistory
Aspects of Integrity
Integrity is the ability of a property to convey its significance. To be listed in the National Register of Historic Places, a property must not only be shown to be significant under the National Register criteria, but it also must have integrity. The evaluation of integrity is sometimes a subjective judgment, but it must always be grounded in an understanding of a property's physical features and how they relate to its significance.
Historic properties either retain integrity (this is, convey their significance) or they do not. Within the concept of integrity, the National Register criteria recognize seven aspects or qualities that, in various combinations, define integrity.
To retain historic integrity a property will always possess several, and usually most, of the aspects. The retention of specific aspects of integrity is paramount for property to convey its significance. Determining which of these aspects are most important to a particular property requires knowing why, where, and when the property is significant. The following sections define the seven aspects and explain how they combine to produce integrity.
- Location
- Design
- Setting
- Materials
- Workmanship
- Feeling
- Association
National Register Properties and Districts in Palo Alto
There are 16 properties individually listed on the National Register and 4 National Historic Districts, with hundreds of contributing properties. Visit our Historic Districts and Surveys page for more information on our districts and click on the nomination button below to read each nomination:
Dunker House
420 Maple St
Built: 1926
Architect: Birge M. Clark
Listed: Feb. 19, 1982
Nomination
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Pettigrew House
1336 Cowper St
Built: 1925
Architect: G. W. Smith
Listed: Nov. 25, 1980
Nomination
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Fraternal Hall
140 University Ave
Built: 1898
Architect: S. Newsom
Listed: February 9, 1990
Nomination
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T. B. Downing House
706 Cowper St
Built: 1894
Builder: W. Matlock Campbell
Listed: October 30, 1973
Nomination
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HP House and Garage
367 Addison Ave
Built: 1905
Architect: Unknown
Listed: April 20, 2007
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Theo. Allen House
601 Melville Ave
Built: 1905
Architect: Alfred W. Smith
Listed: May 20, 1999
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Hostess House
25-27 University Ave
Built: 1918
Architect: Julia Morgan
Listed: July 30, 1976
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U.S. Post Office
380 Hamilton Ave
Built: 1931-1933
Architect: Birge M. Clark
Listed: April 5, 1981
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J. A. Squire House
900 University Ave
Built: 1904-1905
Architect: T. P. Ross
Listed: March 6, 1972
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Wilson House
860 University Ave
Built: 1906
Architect: F. Delos Wolfe
Listed: January 2, 1980
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Kee House
2310 Yale St
Built: 1889
Architect: Unknown
Listed: April 11, 1985
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Woman's Club
475 Homer Ave
Built: 1916
Architect: C. E. Hodges
Listed: January 17, 2015
Nomination
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Norris House
1247 Cowper St
Built: 1928
Architect: Birge M. Clark
Listed: July 24, 1980
Nomination
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Green Gables
Historic District
Period of Significance:
1950
Listed: July 28, 2005
Nomination
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PA Medical Clinic
300 Homer Ave
Built: 1932
Architect: Birge Clark
Listed: June 21, 2010
Nomination
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Greenmeadow
Historic District
Period of Significance:
1945-1955
Listed: July 28, 2005
Nomination
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SPRR Depot
95 University Ave
Built: 1940
Architect: J. H. Christie
Listed: April 18, 1996
Nomination
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Professorville
Historic District
Period of Significance:
1895-1979
Listed: October 3, 1980
Nomination
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de Lemos House
100-110 Waverley Oaks
Built: 1931-1941
Architect: P. de Lemos
Listed: January 10, 1980
Nomination
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Ramona Street
Architectural District
Period of Significance:
1924-1938
Listed: March 27, 1986
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