Hennessey House B&B is a wonderful place to relax. Reconnect with your love, with the beauty that surrounds you, with your inner peace. Indulge in the pleasures of wine, food, art and natural beauty. Stroll to restaurants, shops, theaters, the Wine Train, and the Opera House. Vineyards and wineries are just a short drive away.
Design of House
The Queen Anne Style is informal, irregular and asymmetric. Known for picturesque details and intricate gables, it gained popularity in the 1880's.
A Brief History
Dr. Edwin Hennessey built Hennessey House in 1889. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Hennessey family migrated to Napa from Illinois via Indiana. Dr. Hennessey was a successful physician noted for pioneering the use of x-rays in the State of California. In addition he served on the board of the Napa Valley Veterans' Home and the Napa State  Hospital. Dr. Hennessey also served as mayor of Napa for one term. The Hennessey's original mortgage can be seen on the living room wall.
The house changed ownership only a few times. It remained a private residence throughout most of the 1900's. In 1985, Robert E. Pitner converted Hennessey House to a bed and breakfast. He also owned the historic Joseph Matthew's Winery next door. Later, that magnificent stone building was converted to a music conservatory.
Hennessey House B&B closed in 1987. Two young ladies, fugitives from Wall Street, reopened it in 1991. They redecorated and painted this Napa Valley home which attained "painted lady" status. In 2004, Kevin and Lorri Walsh escaped from Silicon Valley and purchased Hennessey House. Kevin is an ex-computer executive with a passion for wine and Victorian architecture. He loves to share the beauty of their Napa bed and breakfast inn as well as his knowledge of Napa Valley wines with guests. Lorri is an ex-sales representative who loves meeting new people and truly enjoys employing her design skills in the Hennessey House gardens. |
