The Locke house was built in 1911 as a family residence for William Lovering Locke by architect John Hudson Thomas. Notable are the architect's use of roughcast stucco, which gives the building a massive feel; the repeated patterns and interior windows; the Craftsman light fixtures and the built-in bookshelves and cabinetry.

The Locke House was designed and constructed primarily in the Secessionist style but also incorporated elements from the Craftsman movement, Mission Revival, and Prairie School. The three-story house is based on a detailed rectangular plan with central circulation. It is built somewhat in the style of a California bungalow, although on a grander scale. The interlocking wings of the building are surmounted by a tower, which contains a single room on the third floor. Gables project eighteen inches beyond the roof and adjoining walls. All parapet gables and arch soffits are eighteen inches thick and convey an image of ponderosity.

The Locke house is an example of Thomas' early work, a participant in East Bay’s massive residential expansion after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. Designs produced by George T. Plowman and John Hudson Thomas, who collaborated from 1907 to 1910 to build at least 50 houses, were part of the Craftsman tradition, which combined simple forms and natural materials to create comfortable living environments for their clients. Locke House was built the first year after Plowman left their partnership, which was Thomas's most creative period. He later utilized Period Revival and Mediterranean styles.