Edwin Markham was born at Oregon City April 23, 1852 and later moved to a cattle ranch near Suisun. Later he and his mother moved to San Jose, and Edwin Markham entered the State Normal School, from which he graduated in 1872. Edwin Markham lived and taught school in many places but made this home his main residence, and it was here that he wrote The Man with the Hoe.

Citation from California Office of Historic Preservation