This small Queen Anne residence was built in 1895 for John Anderson, a tinsmith, and was originally located up the street on the southwest corner of Third and Mariposa streets. It was moved to its current location at the corner of Fourth and Mariposa in 1968 to make room for a new branch of the Bank of America. This building is one of the very few “fully realized” Victorian revival styles left in San Juan Bautista and is in remarkably good condition with most of its original character-defining features.

Anderson had a tinsmith shop in the McMahon Merchandise store at the northeast corner of Third and Polk streets. He bequeathed that property to the IOOF, and the Lodge moved the 1868 schoolhouse there from First Street.

The residence originally had two chimneys that have been removed. The character defining features this Queen Anne style residence retains are its steeply pitched hipped roof, front gable at the facade with bay windows below, fish scale shingles, spindle work frieze and supports at the porch, and double-hung windows with wood sashes and sills.

When the house was moved down Mariposa Street in 1968 it was restored and the attic space was converted to a bedroom. In 1974 the Mariposa House restaurant was moved into the building, and the back rooms were remodeled to accommodate the restaurant kitchen. The Mariposa House restaurant changed hands and remained in the building until 2002, when the building was then used solely as a residence. The Mariposa House Restaurant and Tea Room was operated in the building from 2006-2011. The last business operated in the Mariposa House was Aggie’s Porch, a home decor and antique store. Today the building is used as a private residence.

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