Historic Monterey

19. Stevenson House

Monterey, CA

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The first owner of this house was Don Rafael Gonzalez, and it was reported to have been built in the 1830s. The original construction of this adobe home had it spread over two stories, including a sala or reception room on the ground floor and a single large room upstairs. During the decades that followed its original construction this two-story adobe structure was the home of many businesses until a Swiss businessman called Girardin, who added the section on Houston Street, purchased the building. It then came to be known as "The French Hotel." Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scottish novelist who later went on to write Treasure Island, stayed in this hotel during his time in Monterey, courting Fanny Osbourne. Stevenson's experiences in Monterey were recorded in a "The Old Pacific Capital" in 1879. Legends have it that during his time in Monterey, Stevenson gathered the material for Treasure Island, whose landscapes resemble the shorelines of the central coast. In order to save it from decay and destruction, Edith C. van Antwerp and Mrs. C. Tobin Clark bought the adobe hotel in 1937, and gifted it to the State of California. It is now part of the Monterey State Historic Park and is a great resource for people interested in Stevenson's life and work. It has a whole collection of Stevenson memorabilia, including first editions of his work, manuscripts, furniture, personal belongings and keepsakes. Local's Tip: If the noise of downtown gets too much, and you'd like a quite place to sit and enjoy some quiet and shade, check out the Stevenson House garden just behind the old hotel. It's a lovely and well-kept garden full of local and imported trees, plants, and flowers. Content Provided By: Historic Monterey