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Mountain View, California
Historic Homes Walking Tour 2

This is a walking tour of the historic Mountain View district now known as Shoreline West. The entire walking tour, round trip, is 2.1 miles long and should take about forty-five minutes, not including time spent to stop and look.
Click here for a map showing the route of the entire tour with the letters on the map corresponding to those on this page.
Start the tour at ...


A.  1209 Villa Street near Villa and Shoreline map it Built: c. 1900
Features:
  • restored
  • has been split in half and expanded, but style retained
  • peaked roof
  • bay window
  • square pillars
  • horizontal siding at bottom, shingles on top
Originally owned by: J.J. Malone, agent for the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Next: Walk west to Palo Alto and turn left to reach ...

B.  296 Palo Alto Avenue near Palo Alto and Dana map it Built: 1915
Style: American Craftsman Bungalow
Features:
  • curved eyebrow roofline
  • four pillars, two of them faux
Next: Continue south on Palo Alto to reach ...

C.  329 Palo Alto Avenue near Palo Alto and Mercy map it Built: c. 1925
Style: Mission Revival
Features:
  • arched entries
  • low relief designs
  • flanged sides
Next: Continue south on Palo Alto to reach ...

D.  337 Palo Alto Avenue Palo Alto between Mercy and California map it Built: c. 1925
Style: Mission Revival
Features:
  • arched entries
  • low relief designs
Next: Continue south on Palo Alto to reach ...

E.  340 Palo Alto Avenue Palo Alto between Mercy and California map it Built: c. 1900
Style: Vernacular Eclectic
Features:
  • steeply pitched roof
  • several bay windows
  • large, sheltered porch
  • balustrade
  • historically one of the largest in the neighborhood
Originally owned by: Reverend Hampton W. Cottrell, president of the Pacific Press and early Seventh Day Adventist leader.
Next: Continue south on Palo Alto to reach ...

F.  390 Palo Alto Avenue near Palo Alto and California map it Built: 1930 (newest on the tour)
Style: English Country Cottage combined with Mission Revival
Features:
  • stucco
  • low relief
  • shaped window
  • sheared off gables
  • outdoor chimney
Next: Turn left and continue east on California to Shoreline. Then turn right and walk south to reach ...

G.  472 South Shoreline Boulevard Shoreline between Mercy and California map it Built: 1910
Style:
Features:
  • simple
  • varied roofline
  • narrow windows
  • decorative Eastlake porch post brackets

H.  1390 Latham Street near Latham and Palo Alto Ave map it Built: 1912
Style: American Craftsman Bungalow
Features:
  • steeply-pitched roof
  • multi-pane windows
  • second floor balcony
Originally owned by: Mayor James Cochran, who was also part of the Pacific Press and First National Bank
Next: Continue walking south on Shoreline, turn right on Latham and walk one and a half blocks to reach ...

I.  604 Pettis Avenue near Pettis and Latham map it Built: c. 1880
Style: Classic Revival
Features:
  • simple
  • porch
  • narrow windows
  • narrow doors
  • one of the oldest homes in Mountain View
Next: Walk north on Pettis to reach ...

J.  572 - 508 Pettis Avenue Pettis between and Latham and California map it Built: c. 1920
Style: Colonial Revival
Features:
  • All of these simple homes are similarly sized and styled, and date from the same year, but each has its own special appearance.
Next: Continue walking north on Pettis, turn left on Mercy, continue for one block and turn left to reach ...

K.  500 Mariposa Avenue near Mariposa and Mercy map it Built: 1920
Style: American Craftsman
Features:
  • large
  • typical exposed rafters
  • multi-paned windows
  • structural symmetry
Next: Turn around and head north on Mariposa to reach ...

L.  496 Mariposa Avenue near Mariposa and Mercy map it Built: 1920
Style: American Craftsman
Features:
  • large
  • large veranda
  • typical exposed rafters
Originally owned by: Herbert Childs, who was connected with the Pacific Press and Seventh Day Adventist church
Next: Carefully cross California on the west side to reach ...

M.  1610 California Street near California and Mariposa map it Built: 1900 (one of the oldest on the tour)
Style: Queen Anne
Features:
  • one of the largest homes of its time still standing
  • two levels of bay windows
Next: Cross Mariposa to reach ...

N.  1560 California Street near California and Mariposa map it Built: 1900 (one of the oldest on the tour)
Style: Transitional Pyramid (American Foursquare) with Queen Anne elements
Features:
  • one of the largest homes of its time
  • later home to Community School of Music and Arts
  • two levels of bay windows
Next: Return to Mariposa and turning right, walk north to reach ...

O.  336 Mariposa Avenue near Mariposa and Mercy map it Built: c. 1900
Style: American Craftsman
Features:
  • large
  • ornate
  • steep roof
  • many windows
  • rafters
  • one of the first built in this part of town
Originally owned by: Wilbur Lee Camp who first passed through Mountain View on the way to serving in the Spanish-American War. He built this in 1908 for himself and his new bride. He also founded the Farmers and Merchants Bank (still standing at 201 Castro, at the time of this writing the Red Rock Coffee House).
Next: Continue north to reach ...

P.  201 Mariposa Avenue near Mariposa and Mercy map it Built: c. 1920
Style: American Craftsman
Features:
  • large row of columns
  • three doorways
Originally owned by: Pierre Klein, winemaker. A nearby school was named for Victorine Klein. Klein Park is also named for the family.
Next: Continue north to Villa and turn left to reach ...

Q.  1609, 1643 - 1655 Villa Street Villa between Mariposa and Chiquita map it Built: 1915
Style: American Craftsman Bungalow Cottage
Features:
  • All of these simple homes are similarly sized and styled, and date from the same year, but each has its own special appearance.
Next: Walk west to Chiquita and turn left to reach ...

R.  251 Chiquita Avenue near Villa and Chiquita map it Built: 1915
Style: American Craftsman Cottage
Features:
  • well-proportioned
  • many original features still intact
Next: Walk south on Chiquita to reach ...

S.  300 Chiquita Avenue near Villa and Chiquita map it Built: c. 1910
Style: Queen Anne
Features:
  • historically one of largest in the neighborhood
  • slanted bay window
  • porch
  • bracketed cornice
Next: Continue walking south to California and turn left to reach ...

T.  1690 California Street near Chiquita and California map it Built: 1920
Style:
Features:
  • small
  • elements normally found in larger, more elaborate buildings
Next: Turn around and walk west on California to Escuela. Turn right and walk one block to Villa. Turn right to reach ...

V.  1852 Villa Street Villa between Higdon and Escuela map it Built: c. 1890
Style: Classic Revival
Features:
  • rustic appearance
  • oldest still standing in the area

This is the end of the tour. To get back to the start, go east a few blocks (along Villa) to Shoreline.
If you enjoyed this tour, you may also like to try the original Mountain View, California Historic Homes Walking Tour and Historic Homes Walking Tour 3.
All photos by ET. Thanks so much, ET!
July 13, 2009

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