National Register #05000251
Charles W. Merrill House
407 Camino Sobrante
Orinda
Built 1938

The Charles W. Merrill House is significant for its association with the life of metallurgical engineer and San Francisco businessman Charles W. Merrill and as an example of the residential architecture of regionally prominent architect Walter H. Ratcliff.

Ratcliff's design combines elements of Spanish Colonial Revival style and the Monterey style with interior elements reminiscent of the English Colonial Revival style. The house represents the mature phase of Ratcliff's career and is one of a limited number of projects he undertook in the 1930s. Its design illustrates Ratcliff's distinctive blend of academic eclecticism and keen awareness of regional topography, climate, and setting.

We drove past the Merrill House on 8 September 2012. Although it is situated near the road, it is obscured by foliage and difficult to appreciate. Unless you are a Ratcliff connoisseur, the trip is probably not worth the effort.