Earl, Thomas, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1861 for Thomas Earl, this two-story Italianate house in Napa has lime-and-gravel concrete walls, a shallow hipped roof with scrolled brackets, a full-width front porch and two slanted bay windows flanking the entrance. Horizontal board siding was added in 1878 over the original scored stucco, and a rear addition and the present porch details were in place by 1886. Earl came to California in 1850, opened a saddlery in Napa in 1851 and built the town's first brick building and its first iron-front building north of San Francisco. He served as County Administrator from 1861 to 1865 and later as city marshal, and he backed a woolen mill and an early bank. The house is the only building in Napa with clear ties to him, and it has changed little since his death in 1893. Deterioration of the concrete core is noted as a concern.
Significance in brief: The house is significant in the social history of Napa for its association with Thomas Earl, one of the town's leading citizens for four decades. Earl was active in construction, commerce and government service. It is the only surviving building in Napa clearly tied to him, and it retains enough original design to represent his career from 1861 until his death in 1893.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 92000996, listed August 18, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1221 Seminary St., Napa |
|---|---|
| County | Napa County |
| Listed | August 18, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000996 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1861-1893 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling. The form notes the concrete core is beginning to crumble, causing bowing walls and moisture problems. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.29925, -122.29113 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 92000996.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85809192
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.