Larkin House in Monterey, California, is a National Historic Landmark and the prototype for Monterey Colonial architecture. Built by Thomas O. Larkin, a successful New England merchant and influential figure in early California politics, the two-story mud adobe brick home showcases a unique blend of New England and Southwestern building techniques. Larkin's innovative design, incorporating adobe and redwood materials, resulted in a style that synthesized elements of Spanish, Mexican, and American cultures.
As one of the first two-story houses in Monterey, the Larkin House marked a turning point in the development of California adobe buildings. Its distinctive features, such as a broad roof overhang, a second-story balcony, and interconnecting first-floor rooms, became the standard for adobe buildings of the period. Widely imitated throughout Monterey and California, the Larkin House represents a cultural middle ground where the blending and adaptation of cultural norms created something entirely new. In addition to his architectural contributions, Thomas O. Larkin played a significant role in the early political history of California as the first and last U.S. Consul to Alta California under Mexico.
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