Hackett House, Napa

Nestled on 1st Street in Napa, the Hackett House is a striking example of Queen Anne/Eastlake architecture, designed by prominent local architect Luther M. Turton and built in 1889 by carpenter J.W. Hoover. Its charming one-and-a-half-story frame, raised cut stone foundation, and detailed channel siding make it a well-preserved and elegant representative of its era.

While its architectural beauty is undeniable, the house’s history is just as compelling. It was originally built for Dwight L. Hackett, the publisher and editor of the Napa County Reporter, a Democratic-leaning newspaper in the politically charged press landscape of the late 19th century. Hackett’s editorial battles with G.M. Francis, publisher of the rival (Republican-leaning) Napa Register, were a defining feature of Napa’s media scene at the time.

However, 1889, the same year the house was completed, marked a dramatic downturn for Hackett. Facing severe financial collapse, he mysteriously disappeared, only to be found later in Saint Louis in a disoriented state. He was institutionalized for a time before eventually returning to Napa, but his newspaper did not survive. By 1890, the Napa County Reporter had closed, later replaced by the Napa Daily Journal, which ran for about three decades before folding.

In 1901, the house was sold to Arthur H. Shepard, Napa’s assistant postmaster, beginning a new chapter for the property. Decades later, in 1979, a rehabilitation project expanded the kitchen to the rear while carefully preserving the home’s historic character.

Recognized for its architectural significance and rich historical ties, the Hackett House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Today, it stands as both an exquisite architectural landmark and a silent witness to the rise and fall of one of Napa’s most enigmatic newspaper figures.