Second Dwellings

Peppertaz

2025-11-03

"Doesn't look like this place is open very often maybe a few times a year according to their website. Cannot say what it looks like inside or if it's even kept up the outside definitely needs some paint and that was only what I could see from afar. Great piece of history though too bad they didn't make it into a museum it's got a great location for that. They have a road but it's gated off with a place to walk around but signs say no trespassing so we opted to just take a pic from the gate. They do have a restroom on the parking lot and it was even open which was unexpected."

Theresa Myers

2025-10-02

"I went to an open house event and it was wonderful, a docent led a personal tour of the house. I recommend a visit."

Tony Liang

2025-05-22

"Set on the foothills on the edge of the City of Halfmoon Bay is the James Johnston House, a registered National Historic Building in the Saltbox style and now a museum that is open every third Saturday of the month. Admission is free. The docents, all in period dress of the 1850s, are knowledgeable and enthusiastic story tellers, making a visit to the house enjoyable and memorable! The house and the family that built and lived there have deep ties to the history of Halfmoon Bay and the history of America's westward expansion. James Johnston was from a Scottish family that settled in Ohio. He fought in the Mexican American War and found his fortune in the California gold rush. It was that fortune that settled him in San Francisco and then to Halfmoon Bay, where, with a dream of becoming a gentleman dairyman, he bought the expansive land 1000 plus acres that surrounded the Johnston House, married Petra Maria de Jara, and started his family."

Taufiq Habib

2023-03-18

"They occasionally have free tours given by ladies in period dresses. Amazing place well worth a visit to see how a family lived in the 1800s"

Mike Kahn

2022-03-19

"Fascinating history! Great free tour to learn about this unique pioneer house and family. Make sure to check the schedule as it's not open very often."

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