James H. Francis House

The James H. Francis House is a two-story stone residence built in 1886 in Calistoga, featuring Second Empire architecture with a distinctive Mansard roof, decorative eaves, and mixed window styles including arched and circular openings. The building showcases a symmetrical facade with three main sections, a projecting central pavilion, and solid stone walls that remain largely unchanged from its original construction.

The house was built in 1886 for James H. Francis, a wealthy merchant and rancher whose family shaped business and agriculture in Calistoga. In 1918, the private residence became the Calistoga Hospital, where it served medical purposes until 1964, after which it sat vacant and deteriorated for decades.

The house is named after its original owner, a local merchant, and represents the economic prosperity of the Napa Valley in the late 1800s. Its stone construction showcases craftsmanship from stonemasons whose skills were typically reserved for wineries, reflecting the region's wealth and technical expertise.

The house is today accessible as an upscale guest inn with five specialized rooms, allowing visitors to stay overnight in a historic setting. Restoration work from 2017 to 2018 stabilized the structure and returned it to its original condition, making it open for lodging and viewing its architectural features.

It is the only fully stone-constructed residence of this type in Napa County, distinguishing it from the handful of other Second Empire homes in the area. Its restoration required specialized stone repair techniques including mortar repointing and reinforcement with steel rods to preserve its historical integrity.