555 Larkin Street
1928 Spanish Eclectic
The Antonio Ferrante House was built in 1928. Its design is consistent with the Spanish Eclectic Style found in Monterey during the 1920s. Typical elements include its parapeted flat roof, Mission tiles above the covered porch, decorative metal balconet and stucco wall enclosing the front yard. Behind the residence is a wood-framed Western Style barn dated by the Monterey County Assessor’s Office at c1900. Included in the historic designation, the barn is one of the few remaining examples of early outbuildings in the City.
Historic marker: Antonio Ferrante (c.1872-1947) was associated with the rise of the sardine industry in Monterey Bay. Owner and captain of two Purse Seiner fishing boats, the Sea Queen and the A.A. Ferrante, he employed the property including the detached western style barn (c.1900) in his commercial fishing business. The Antonio Ferrante House is an example of the Spanish Eclectic Architectural style popular in the Sicilian community during the 1920s.
Born in Isla de Femine, Sicily, Antonio Ferrante moved in 1903, with his wife Angela, to Pittsburg, CA to work in the fishing industry. In 1925, the growing family relocated to Monterey and purchased the modest view-lot home on the hill. Antonio continued his work in the sardine industry now as an owner and captain of two Purse Seiner fishing boats, the Sea Queen and the A. A. Ferrante. The property’s barn was utilized in his commercial fishing business.
The property has been passed down to Antonio and Angela’s family members until being sold in 2017 to its current owners. Renovations have been undertaken to protect the structure while maintaining the charm of this lovely home.
Directions to the next house: Continue down Larkin St and turn right (up the hill) on Madison Street. You’ll find the next stop on your right: the George Hudson House (660 Madison Street), #8 on the map below.
