132 Central Avenue

This beautiful Victorian was built by merchant J. J. Conner in 1897, and sold at the turn of the century to John Ernst and Olive Hamilton Steinbeck. On February 27,1902 John Steinbeck was born in what is now the reception room. He remained a resident of the house until he left for Stanford University at age 17, returning home at various times. He wrote his first short stories and the novels "The Red Pony" and "Tortilla Flat" from behind the upstairs front window.

John Steinbeck was honored with the Pulitzer Prize in fiction for the "Grapes of Wrath" in 1940, and the Nobel prize in literature in 1962.

In 1973 the Valley Guild, a group of prominate women, purchased the house to preserve this literary landmark.

Marker can be reached from Central Avenue near Stone Street.

Courtesy hmdb.org

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