The James Johnston House

Nice place to view the coast, but it has become a doggie park. So many dogs running around many owners don’t pick up after their dogs, think about it before going in the grass.
Can’t enjoy lunch at the benchens without having 3 or 4 dogs sniffing you around. I’ve seen dogs steal food. If a dog steals a chocolate it’s the ownsers fault, there is a dog park across the highway parallel to the house…

This review is for their Holiday Boutique. It takes place the first two weekends in November each year. In 2012, the dates are November 3, 4, 10, and 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
We went to the Holiday Boutique last Sunday. The James Johnston House is located on a hillside on Higgins Canyon Road. It is not too far from downtown Half Moon Bay. It is a historic house painted «white», so you cannot miss it when driving on Hwy 1.
Free parking is at the bottom of the hill or alongside the road. A shuttle bus can drive you up the hill to the house or you can walk.
When you arrive, one of the volunteers will hand you a paper bag for shopping. From there, you walk from room to room or go upstairs to the bedrooms to view the various merchandise laid out everywhere — Made in California, Made in Half Moon Bay or Made in America. There are holiday wreaths, treats (chocolates, jams), handcrafted jewelry, ornaments, clothing, and many other arts and crafts. (Items are limited, so if you know you like something, then hold onto it because more than likely, it will not be there when you check back again.) You pay at one convenient location when you are dong shopping. They accept cash or credit card.
If you are looking for unique gifts, then stop by the Holiday Boutique this year. You will enjoy this unique shopping experience. We loved it and we will return next year.

The James Johnston House, located on a rolling Half Moon Bay hillside overlooking the Pacific, is an architectural gem hidden in plain sight. It is also one of the rarest historic houses on the California coast, a «Yankee-​style» white saltbox building constructed by Johnston for his wife, Petra Maria de Jara, between 1853 – 55. After languishing in a state of poor repair for years, local conservationists formed a foundation in 1971 to preserve this amazing structure, which is open the third Saturday a month from 11 AM — 3 PM for guided tours. There is also an annual holiday boutique two weekends in November where the rooms are all decorated and local vendors sell arts and crafts. If you are lucky enough to be in the area when the house is open, you will be treated to a fascinating glimpse into Bay area history during the decades that followed the California gold rush.
Most people will drive by on Highway 1 without ever noticing this famous «white house of Half Moon Bay.» We only stumbled across it while shopping one Saturday on Main Street and followed a few signs directing us to the parking lot on Higgins-​Purissima Road (close to the HMB fire station). The rooms inside this gleaming white, green-​shuttered homestead are furnished with some original items donated by the family as well as contemporary pieces from the late 19^th century. Stop and admire the rose garden, the mother-in-law’s personal chapel, the Victorian parlor, the kitchen and pantry, and the upstairs bedrooms. There is also a short video to watch and photos from the renovation process. The surrounding fields are still being farmed, making this place seem like living history. The tour guides, many of whom dress in period costume, are incredibly nice to visitors and staff a small gift shop that helps to raise money to support the on-​going restorations. The foundation’s web site provides all the relevant details for planning your visit and gives additional insight into the history of the Johnston family and the renovation process.
Another historical property from the 1850s is just down the road: the Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park (
), which has a unique 2-​story dairy barn that makes for a pleasant short hike when the weather is right.