Art Nouveau Cast Iron Railing

Napa's Williams Smith house preserved and restored

Partially concealed from view by two large late-1800s magnolia trees is Napa’s stately and elegant 1870s Williams Smith house.

This classic Second Empire style residence and National Register of Historic Places property was lovingly returned to its former glory by the caring hand and meticulous eye of the late Doris Dawson.

Today, this First street residence stands as grandly as it did when new. However, most passers-by are unaware of all that went into rehabilitating this 3,500-square-foot house.

Its renaissance began in 1977 when Doris Dawson ended her search for a Victorian at its curbside. “My heart skipped a beat when we drove up to the house. It was so beautiful,” she said during a 1995 Napa Valley Register interview.

Before buying the house for $115,000 in 1978, her husband Elbert, “Bert,” placed a condition upon purchasing it: that he would not be asked to work on the house. She agreed, being unaware of the magnitude of the rehabilitation.

Dawson admitted she was a “babe in the woods” and so “innocent,” she told the Register later. She was slow to start the daunting and immense project. First, she educated herself by reading everything she could and then began to network to find knowledgeable and dedicated preservation experts.

The work needing to be done included: returning the building to a single-family residence; upgrading the electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems; repairing and/or replacing the damaged and/or missing exterior and interior architectural features, and so much more.

The property was a treasure trove of its original architectural elements. The basement, for instance, held the main staircase’s mahogany newelpost while the yard contained a fence picket that were reproduced for the side and back fences.

The results of Dawson’s labor and endeavors include the fully restored exterior, painted with a period appropriate color palette and replica wrought iron front fence and gate that complement the original curbside hitching post and a restored, classically inspired Second Empire front porch portico. Another interesting exterior feature are the streetside palm trees. They were planted in 1895 as part of an effort Smith and 11 neighbors spearheaded to rename First Street Palm Drive.

Just inside, the Smith house front doors reveals even more of what Dawson accomplished with her three decades of toil. The first vision is the sweeping front staircase with its rebuilt and original newelpost, banister and balustrades. The grand parlor to the east of the entry hall has been returned to its original size and richly appointed with its original Carrera marble fireplace and cast iron grate, rounded bay window with an Art Nouveau inset and inlaid wood floor. The ceiling moldings, medallion, chandeliers and Bradbury & Bradbury wallpaper were added by Dawson.

The historic Williams Smith House :: Wrought Iron News

REBECCA YERGER

The historic Williams Smith House on First Street, an example of a classic Second Empire Style, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places after extensive restoration by the late Doris Dawson. Sasha Paulsen/Register

Partially concealed from view by two large late-1800s magnolia trees is Napa’s stately and elegant 1870s Williams Smith house. This classic Second Empire style residence and National Register of Historic Places property was lovingly returned to its former glory by the caring hand and meticulous eye of the late Doris Dawson.

Today, this First street residence stands as grandly as it did when new. However, most passers-by are unaware of all that went into rehabilitating this 3,500-square-foot house.

Its renaissance began in 1977 when Doris Dawson ended her search for a Victorian at its curbside. “My heart skipped a beat when we drove up to the house. It was so beautiful,” she said during a 1995 Napa Valley Register interview.

Before buying the house for $115,000 in 1978, her husband Elbert, “Bert,” placed a condition upon purchasing it: that he would not be asked to work on the house. She agreed, being unaware of the magnitude of the rehabilitation. First, she educated herself by reading everything she could and then began to network to find knowledgeable and dedicated preservation experts.

The work needing to be done included: returning the building to a single-family residence; upgrading the electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems; repairing and/or replacing the damaged and/or missing exterior and interior architectural features, and so much more.

The property was a treasure trove of its original architectural elements. The basement, for instance, held the main staircase’s mahogany newelpost while the yard contained a fence picket that were reproduced for the side and back fences.

The results of Dawson’s labor and endeavors include the fully restored exterior, painted with a period appropriate color palette and replica wrought iron front fence and gate that complement the original curbside hitching post and a restored, classically inspired Second Empire front porch portico. Another interesting exterior feature are the streetside palm trees. They were planted in 1895 as part of an effort Smith and 11 neighbors spearheaded to rename First Street Palm Drive.

Just inside, the Smith house front doors reveals even more of what Dawson accomplished with her three decades of toil. The first vision is the sweeping front staircase with its rebuilt and original newelpost, banister and balustrades. The grand parlor to the east of the entry hall has been returned to its original size and richly appointed with its original Carrera marble fireplace and cast iron grate, rounded bay window with an Art Nouveau inset and inlaid wood floor. The ceiling moldings, medallion, chandeliers and Bradbury & Bradbury wallpaper were added by Dawson.

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