builder filesfile 05 of 57built c. 1914–1950sboyenga team at compass

Henry Gutterson homes

Henry Gutterson trained at UC Berkeley and the École des Beaux-Arts and served as St. Francis Wood’s supervising architect from 1914 until his death in 1954, reviewing house plans across the tract. He designed dozens of its houses himself, mostly English and Norman period revivals with warm wood inside. Here’s where they are, how to spot one and what they sell for.

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builder file 05henry gutterson
architect
Henry H. Gutterson (1884–1954)
trained
UC Berkeley, under John Galen Howard; École des Beaux-Arts, Paris
St. Francis Wood
supervising architect, 1914–1954
office
Berkeley
archive
UC Berkeley’s Environmental Design Archives
district
St. Francis Wood, National Register 2022
listings say
“Henry Gutterson design”
  • sales on record · live…
  • median $/sq ft, last 2 yrs…
  • for sale now · live…
  • St. Francis Wood houses he designed, depending on the source75–91

where they are

Where his houses are

From the 2022 National Register nomination for St. Francis Wood, UC Berkeley’s archive, SF Planning and local writing. Unconfirmed credits are marked.

workcityyearshomesnotes
St. Francis Wood housesSan Francisco1914–1950s75–91He reviewed every house plan as supervising architect and designed between 75 (per UC Berkeley’s archive) and 91 (per the National Register nomination) houses himself.
San Benito CourtSan Francisco19142Two of three early houses grouped around one shared garden, among the tract’s first homes, per the nomination.
St. Francis Wood terminal fountain and plazaSan Francisco1916–1917landscapeThe terraced fountain at the top of St. Francis Blvd, designed with input from the Olmsted Brothers.
St. Francis Gardens stock-plan housesSan Franciscoc. 1919–1924severalSmaller Tudor and Colonial Revival houses on San Pablo and Santa Paula Aves built from stock plans by Gutterson and others, per the nomination.
Digby’s CastleSan Francisco19211 compoundA storybook, medieval-style studio home in Pacific Heights built around courtyards with metalworker Digby Brooks, per The New Fillmore.
Alice Burr studioSan Francisco19161A small artist’s studio in Pacific Heights, per The New Fillmore.
Los Altos Hills houseLos Altos Hills1920 (reported)1A 2024 local news report credited him with this house; we couldn’t find it in his archives.

Most of his other documented work is in Berkeley and the East Bay, plus a house in Carmel, outside our area. In San Francisco he also designed the Camp Fire Girls building in the Inner Richmond, a city landmark.

how to spot one

How to spot a Gutterson house

From the National Register nomination, SF Planning and UC Berkeley’s archive.

  • styles

    Northern European revivals

    He favored Tudor, English Cottage and Norman Revival styles for the foggy west side, per the National Register nomination.

  • inside

    Warm wood inside

    The nomination describes his houses as small in scale and sheathed in redwood inside and out.

  • gardens

    Gardens as rooms

    SF Planning notes his gift for treating gardens as an extension of the house, and San Benito Court shares one garden among its houses.

  • district

    The whole tract

    As supervising architect he reviewed the plans for nearly every house built in St. Francis Wood for 40 years, so houses by others carry his influence too.

  • myth check

    Not every St. Francis Wood house

    Other architects designed many of the tract’s houses, so confirm the architect on the original plans or in the archive.

the sales ledger

Every recorded Gutterson sale

Each dot is a sale whose listing names Henry Gutterson, mostly in St. Francis Wood. Hover a dot for the address, date and price.

Loading sales from the MLS…

  • sales on record…
  • median price…
  • median $ per sq ft…
  • latest sale…

one recorded salemedian for the yearprice per sq ft = sale price ÷ listed living area

soldaddressprice$/sq ftbd / basq ft

Many of his houses sell without his name in the listing, so the ledger undercounts them. Sales come from the MLS records available to us and include every sold listing whose description names the builder, so a few homes may be labeled by the listing agent rather than confirmed from tract records. Sold data is shown with the listing brokerage. Price per square foot uses the living area in the listing. Ask us for a full comparable-sales report on any address.

on the market

For sale now

Active listings whose description names Henry Gutterson.

Checking active listings…

owning one today

Owning one today

  • St. Francis Wood rulesThe homes association reviews exterior and landscape changes under CC&Rs updated in 2021 and its architectural guidelines. Get the current documents before planning work.
  • National Register districtSt. Francis Wood was listed in 2022, and most Gutterson houses there are contributors, so changes can get historic review from SF Planning. Check the Property Information Map first.
  • Original drawingsUC Berkeley’s Environmental Design Archives holds the tract’s original plans, indexed by address.
  • Mills ActContributing houses may qualify for Mills Act property-tax contracts, subject to the city’s value limits.
  • Homes of this agePlan for foundation, seismic, sewer-lateral, electrical and plumbing checks. Our Inspection Decoder covers what to order.
  • Old deed languageDeeds from this era sometimes carry discriminatory covenants. They’re void, and California lets owners record a modification that strikes the language.

the nerd check

Buying or selling one

What we check when you buy

  • Confirm the architectWe check the archive plans or permits, since other architects designed many St. Francis Wood houses.
  • Permits and historyWe check the permit history for additions and conversions before you plan a remodel.
  • InspectionsRoof, foundation and systems matched to the home’s age. Our Inspection Decoder covers what to order.
  • The right comparablesWe compare against similar homes in the same neighborhood first.

How we market one when you sell

  • Tell the storyA documented Gutterson design is part of the value; we gather the archive plans that prove it.
  • Photograph the detailsWood paneling, leaded windows and the garden, shot to show what’s original.
  • Prep with a planOur Prep Lab budgets repairs and refresh before you list.
  • Price from real salesWe price from recent sales of similar homes nearby.
What’s my home worth?Help me buy one

questions

Questions we hear

Who was Henry Gutterson?

An architect (1884–1954) who trained at UC Berkeley under John Galen Howard and at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He was supervising architect of San Francisco’s St. Francis Wood from 1914 until his death and designed dozens of its houses. UC Berkeley’s Environmental Design Archives holds his papers.

How many St. Francis Wood homes did he design?

Between about 75 and 91, depending on the source: UC Berkeley’s archive says 75 and the 2022 National Register nomination counts 91. He also reviewed the plans for nearly every other house built there during his 40 years as supervising architect.

Are there design rules in St. Francis Wood?

Yes. The homes association reviews changes under CC&Rs updated in 2021 and its architectural guidelines, and the neighborhood was listed on the National Register in 2022. Check with the association and SF Planning before planning exterior work.

Did Gutterson design homes in Silicon Valley?

His documented work is in San Francisco, Berkeley and the East Bay. A 2024 news report credited him with a 1920 house in Los Altos Hills, but we haven’t found it in his archives.

sources

Sources

The National Register, SF Planning, UC Berkeley’s archive and local writing, checked October 2026.

builder files

Every builder file, by era

Bars show the years each builder was building here. See all builders or the home styles field guide.

  1. Fernando Nelson1880–1920s
  2. Ernest Coxhead1890–1930s
  3. Willis Polk1890s–1920s
  4. Frank Delos Wolfe1892–1926
  5. Henry Gutterson1914–1954
  6. Gellert (Sunstream)1922–1972
  7. Birge Clark1922–1970s
  8. Stoneson1920s–1960s
  9. Doelger1927–1960s
  10. McKeon1927–early 1970s
  11. Gardner Dailey1930s–1960s
  12. William Wurster1930s–1960s
  13. Rousseau1931–1933
  14. Bohannon1936–1955
  15. Cliff May1950s
  16. Stern & Price1951–1953
  17. Mackay Homes1950s
  18. Goodwin Steinberg1950s–1980s
  19. Mardell1955–1959
  20. Hayman Homes1960s–1970s
  21. Ditz-Crane1962–1984
  22. Brown & Kauffmann1960s–1981
  23. Bahl1968–1986
  24. Ponderosa Homes1970s–1990s
  25. Shapell1971–2000s
  26. Anshen & Allen1940s–1960
  27. Jones & Emmons1951–1970s
  28. Claude Oakland1950s–1970s
  29. Owen Signature Homes1970–today
  30. Swatt | Miers1975–today
  31. SummerHill Homes1976–today
  32. Pinn Brothers1976–today
  33. Citation Homeslate 1970s–2010s
  34. Robson Homes1989–today
  35. Pacific Peninsula Group1989–today
  36. Barry Swenson Builder1990s–2010s
  37. Classic Communities1990s–2010s
  38. Warmington1990s–2020s
  39. Kelly Gordon2000s–2010s
  40. Feldman Architecture2003–today
  41. DeNova Homes2000s–today
  42. City Ventures2011–today
  43. Trumark Homes2012–today
  44. Davidon Homes2010s
  45. The New Home Company2014–2018
  46. Dividend Homes2010s–today
  47. KB Home1980s–today
  48. Brookfield1990s–today
  49. Pulte Homes2000s–today
  50. Shea Homes2000s–2010s
  51. Lennar2000s–today
  52. Toll Brothers2000s–today
  53. Taylor Morrison2007–today
  54. D.R. Horton2010s
  55. Tri Pointe Homes2012–today
  56. K. Hovnanian2014–2018
  57. Meritage Homes2010s

talk to a property nerd

Own a Gutterson house?

We can help document the design, check the district and association rules and value it against recent sales nearby. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.

Book a strategy callCall (408) 373-1660Call (650) 383-8606
Questions about a Gutterson house? Send us a note.
Eric & Janelle Boyenga

Eric & Janelle Boyenga

+1(408) 373-1660

Agent DRE01254724 / 01254725

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