Hackett House
Why it's listed
Built in 1889 at 2109 First Street in Napa, this one and one-half story frame cottage combines Queen Anne and Eastlake styling. Architect Luther M. Turton, a prolific Napa designer, drew the plans, and local carpenter-builder J. W. Hoover built it for newspaper publisher and editor Dwight L. Hackett and his wife Mollie. The cottage keeps its cut stone foundation, channel siding, shingled gable, wraparound porch with sunburst brackets, and an etched glass transom bearing its original address. Inside, redwood cabinetry, wainscoting and moldings were restored in a 1979 rehabilitation, and the kitchen was expanded into the back porch. Hackett led the Democratic Napa County Reporter until financial troubles and a 1889 disappearance preceded the paper's closure around 1890. The house was sold in 1901 to Arthur H. Shepard, whose family kept it until 1954. It is valued as a well-preserved small Turton design on a street of varied architectural styles.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an excellent, well-preserved local example of 19th century residential design and a strong contributor to First Street's architecturally significant streetscape. It also shows a lesser-known side of architect Luther M. Turton's career, his small cottage designs. It is tied historically to Dwight L. Hackett, publisher and editor of the Napa County Reporter.
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 84000913, listed April 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2109 1st St., Napa |
|---|---|
| County | Napa County |
| Listed | April 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000913 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1889 |
| Architect / builder | J. W. Hoover/Luther M. Turton |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne/Eastlake |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; rehabilitated in 1979, with the kitchen expanded into the original back porch. Condition is listed as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 38.29712, -122.29641 (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 84000913.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85765440
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.