This fine old adobe sheltered Robert Louis Stevenson during his visit to Monterey in 1879 to be near his lady love, Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne, whom he eventually married. While in Monterey, he wrote The Old Capitol. Map.
First owned by Don Rafael Gonzalez, and reportedly built in the 1830s, the two-story adobe originally comprised the sala and one large room upstairs. A Swiss businessman, Girardin, purchased it and added on the Houston Street section. Over the years it served many business purposes, and for a time was known as “The French Hotel.”
In 1937 the historic adobe was purchased by the late Edith C. van Antwerp and Mrs. C. Tobin Clark to save it from destruction. They in turn presented it to the State California as a memorial, and it is now a unit of Monterey State Historic Park A repository of Robert Louis Stevenson memorabilia, including many articles of furniture, books of first edition, manuscripts, keepsakes and personal belongings of the beloved writer, given by members of his family.
Location: 530 Houston Street