James Johnston, a Scottish-born miner who came from Ohio during the Gold Rush, bought 1,162 acres of Rancho Miramontes in 1853 and built a New England-style saltbox for himself and his wife, Petra Maria de Jara, who came from an early Californio family. Visit Half Moon Bay puts construction between 1853 and 1855. The house blends Spanish and American influences, including a Roman Catholic chapel and an open gallery facing a patio.
It is nicknamed the White House of Half Moon Bay, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and is a museum and event space. Johnston and his brothers are credited with bringing dairy farming to the area.
It stands at the south end of Main Street.
More on this site: history