Architects

Hamden McIntyre, 1834-1909

Hamden was a pioneering Napa Valley winery designer born in Randolph, Vermont. Initially a piano maker and civil engineer, he later trained in winemaking under French champagne expert Jules Masson. In the 1880s, he became renowned for designing innovative gravity-flow wineries, including Inglenook, Greystone, and Far Niente. Known for his use of native stone, McIntyre was considered the foremost authority on wine cellar construction in California. He later returned to Vermont, where he remained active in civic affairs until his death.

William Corlett, 1856-1937

Corlett and his brother Robert operated the family wood mill started by his father in the Valley in 1882. The mill was one of the largest in Napa County. William trained as an architect and also served on the Napa City Council. The Corlett Brothers designed the Richie Block in St. Helena. Other buildings include the Napa County Hall of Records, Migliavacca Mansion, and the Noyes Mansion. His son and grandson also became architects in the region.

Luther Turton, 1862-1925

Turton was born in Nebraska and became Napa’s leading architect at the turn of the 20th century. His extensive body of work spans the ornate revival styles of the late 1800s and the classical approaches that emerged in the 1900s. Over his career, Turton’s designs remained current with contemporary styles ranging from the Victorian-era to Arts & Crafts. Many Turton designs survive to this day, including the Goodman Library, St. Helena High School, Noyes Mansion and the Winship commercial building.

Robert M. Keenan, 1930-2000

Raised in Southern California, Keenan met and followed his wife Mary to Napa. At first, he worked for PG&E as a draftsman and taught himself architecture. His designs met with success and Keenan went out on his own specializing in homes and small businesses. He favored sleek Modern and Southwestern designs. In the 1980s, when California law required architects to be licensed, Governor Jerry Brown grandfathered special licenses to two architects, one being Napa’s Robert Keenan.

Howard Backen, 1936-2024

Referred to as the “Frank Lloyd Wright of Napa Valley,” Backen was raised in Montana and Oregon, graduating from the University of Oregon in 1962. In 1966, he founded a prolific firm in San Francisco and moved to St. Helena in 1996 to open Backen & Gillam Architects. Backen was a key figure in developing the aesthetic feel of Napa wineries in the 21st century. Tapping into the region’s agricultural roots, he designed buildings that responded to and highlighted the history of the land.