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Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road, has been completely restored and is now for sale for $1.85 million. It's the oldest house in that part of Napa.
A vintage photo of Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road. It was built in the 1850s by one of the city's earliest pioneers. This photo was taken June 5, 1963. The man in the image may be former owner W.J. Gugillementi.
James Clyman was one of the early settlers in Napa. He built a farmhouse at 2243 Redwood Road that stands today.
The oldest house in north Napa, built for a well-known Western mountain man, has been completely restored and is now for sale.
Known as the James Clyman house, it’s located at 2243 Redwood Road.
Listing agent Tim Hayden of Compass real estate described the property as a “beautifully renovated,” farmhouse that includes four bedrooms, plus a two-bedroom guest house and pool. It’s almost 3,000 square feet inside.
Steven Hasty and Johanna Hasty of Noble House Construction & Development bought the home in March 2020 for $535,000, according to property records. The seller at the time was the Rau Trust.
This renovation “is a great thing for the community,” said Napa preservationist and historian Kara Brunzell. “I’m thrilled that this one has been spared,” from further deterioration.
“I’m glad Steve has done this,” said Napa preservationist and historian Rebecca Yerger. “I think it’s wonderful. It’s past due to receive the care that it needed.”
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For decades, the home suffered from deferred maintenance.
“This was once a grand residence (and) with the right owner, it could be again,” read the 2020 property listing. “The property has great potential."
The Hastys declined to talk about the scope of the project and why they wanted to save the house. However, as seen in photos from the Napa County Historical Society, the inside of the home was dated and run down. The kitchen reportedly dated to the 1960s.
Built in 1857 or 1858, the two-story home currently sits on a third of an acre, but when Clyman was alive, the ranch likely included 100 or more acres, said Yerger.
Back then, Redwood Road would have been unpaved and likely no wider than a lane and a half. The road was used by large wagons hauling big timbers from Mt. Veeder.
“During the winter, it was a muddy canal,” Yerger described. “In the summer, the ruts would dry, and it was dusty. Travel was not easy or comfortable when that house first stood.”
“It’s not like Redwood Road now,” she said. In the 1850s, “there were not a lot of people,” in Napa, period. Most travel was by buggy or wagon and using ox, horse or mule.
Yerger said she is not sure why Clyman chose that location to build his farmhouse.
“It may have been he knew the person who had the property,” she said. “He always loved Napa Valley. Just like George Yount, he wanted to live out his days here.”
Clyman likely had a good nearby water source and fertile soil. And he needed space because he raised cattle and other animals.
Napa pioneer James Clyman (1792–1881) was born in the Blue Ridge area of Virginia on a farm reportedly owned by President George Washington.
Little is known about his formative years and education. However, he did serve in the military which included fighting in the War of 1812.
Following his military career, 31-year-old Clyman became a successful beaver fur trapper and trader.
“James Clyman was one of the most famous of the mountain men,” said Napa historian Kara Brunzell.
While pursuing this career, he became friends with other notable “mountain men,” such as, Jed Smith, Tom Fitzpatrick, Bill Sublette and Jim Bridger.
He worked as a scout during the early wave of settlers going West. It is said that the doomed Donner Party ignored his advice for the best trail to the coast.
Clyman purchased his Redwood Road from William Edgington.
He married Hannah McCombs in 1849.Their wedding was said to be the first celebrated in Napa. Local lore claims that the newlyweds bought all the table crockery to be had in Napa and San Francisco.
In addition to his work on his homestead, Clyman was a writer. His extensive journals, as well as his poetry, have been published.
“His diaries are still considered the references for early western history,” said Napa historian Rebecca Yerger. “He left quite a legacy.”
Clyman died at age 89 and is buried at Tulocay Cemetery.
In the 1850s, there probably wasn’t another house for a mile, noted Brunzell.
Brunzell noted that Napa homes built in the 1850s are rare. The majority of the older homes in downtown Napa were built in the 1870s or later.
Therefore, “it’s very exciting to see something so early,” preserved. “It’s an artifact that reminds me of how fast things have changed here,” said Brunzell.
Should this Napa historic home become a B&B called "Hotel California?"
Of course today the house is surrounded by newer home developments, all built decades later. And Redwood Road is a busy city thoroughfare.
If Clyman and other early pioneers could see Napa now, “I think they’d be stunned if not in shock,” at how much the area has changed, said Yerger. “I think he’d be surprised; that homestead was his pride and joy.”
Noble House development is known for several other Napa projects.
At 967 First St., Noble House purchased a long vacant garage and built what first became a Burger Fi restaurant. In March 2020, Hasty’s company sold the property for $3.7 million.
Noble House also bought the Fagiani Building (in 2007) after it had been shuttered for nearly four decades.
Noble House added a third floor, elevator, and a rooftop patio and implemented a full seismic retrofit. In 2016 that building was sold, also for a reported $3.7 million.
This sketch, from Illustrations of Napa Valley, shows an artists vision of the James Clyman House at 2243 Redwood Road. The house stands today.
Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road, has been completely restored and is now for sale for $1.85 million. It's the oldest house in that part of Napa.
James Clyman was one of the early settlers in Napa. He built a farmhouse at 2243 Redwood Road that stands today.
A vintage photo of Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road.
Vintage photos taken inside the James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road. It's the oldest house in that part of Napa.
Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road, in this undated photo.
Inside Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road. It's the oldest house in that part of Napa.
Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road, in an undated photo.
Napa's James Clyman house, in an undated photo.
Napa's James Clyman house in an undated photo.
A vintage photo of Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road. It was built in the 1850s by one of the city's earliest pioneers. This photo was taken June 5, 1963. The man in the image may be former owner W.J. Gugillementi.
Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road, has been completely restored and is now for sale for $1.85 million. It's the oldest house in that part of Napa.
Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road, has been completely restored and is now for sale for $1.85 million. It's the oldest house in that part of Napa.
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You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com
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Jennifer Huffman is the business editor and a general assignment reporter for the Napa Valley Register. I cover a wide variety of topics for the newspaper. I've been with the Register since 2005.
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Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road, has been completely restored and is now for sale for $1.85 million. It's the oldest house in that part of Napa.
A vintage photo of Napa's James Clyman house, located at 2243 Redwood Road. It was built in the 1850s by one of the city's earliest pioneers. This photo was taken June 5, 1963. The man in the image may be former owner W.J. Gugillementi.
James Clyman was one of the early settlers in Napa. He built a farmhouse at 2243 Redwood Road that stands today.
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