Aetna Springs Resort
{{Short description|Historic resort in California, United States}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| name = Aetna Springs Resort
| nrhp_type =
| image = Aetna Springs Resort, 1600 Aetna Springs Rd., Pope Valley, CA 10-22-2011 4-34-16 PM.JPG
| caption = Main gate of the resort
| location = 1600 Aetna Springs Rd., Pope Valley, California
| coordinates = {{coord|38|39|13|N|122|28|58|W|region:US-CA_type:landmark_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = California
| architect = Farr & Ward (Albert L. Farr, Joseph Francis Ward)
| architecture =
| added = March 9, 1987
| area = {{convert|672|acre|ha}}
| refnum = 87000341{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/87000341.htm |title=Aetna Springs Resort|publisher=National Park Service}}{{dead link|date=June 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
}}
The Aetna Springs Resort is a historic resort located in Pope Valley in the north eastern part of Napa County, California, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Etymology
It was named after a nearby hot spring. The spring was so named by the owner of the Aetna Mines, John Lawley, when he discovered the spring in the 1880s.{{cite book|first=Erwin|last=Gudde|author2=William Bright |title=California Place Names|year=2004|edition=Fourth|publisher=University of California Press|pages=3|isbn=0-520-24217-3}}
History
Aetna springs was founded by Chancellor Hartson in 1877. The resort and spa were originally developed by San Francisco advertising executive Len D. Owens who began development of the resort in 1891 after he purchased the property for $35,000 in the 1870s and quickly became a popular summertime destination for vacationers from San Francisco and Hollywood.{{Cite news |last = Jensen |first = Peter |title = A grand 19th-century resort to be reborn in Pope Valley|newspaper = Napa Valley Register |location = Napa, California |date = February 6, 2012 |url = http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/a-grand-th-century-resort-to-be-reborn-in-pope/article_31be2f26-4fba-11e1-8c95-001871e3ce6c.html|accessdate = February 6, 2012}} Owens was Frances Marion's father. At one time there was a local post office in Napa County called Lidell, California that was named after William H. Lidell, the lessee of Aetna Springs.{{Cite web |title=History of Napa and Lake Counties California Biographical page 3 |url=http://genealogytrails.com/cal/napa/books/bio3.html |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=genealogytrails.com}}{{Cite web |title=Beyond the Hat: Napa County Post Offices, 1850 – 1900 – Napa County Historical Society |url=https://napahistory.org/4565/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=napahistory.org}}
One of the first golf courses west of the Mississippi River was built on the resort's property in 1920.{{Cite news |date=February 27, 1920 |title=News in Brief |work=St. Helena Star |pages=5}} George Heibel, bought the resort from Owens in 1945. In 1966 Ronald Reagan announced his intention to run for the office of Governor of California in the dining hall at the resort.{{Cite journal| last = Jensen| first = Peter| title = Aetna Springs Resort developers seek financing for revival| journal = Napa Valley Register| publisher = Lee Enterprises, Inc.| location = Napa, CA| date = April 19, 2014| url = http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/aetna-springs-resort-developers-seek-financing-for-revival/article_c34655f6-c79d-11e3-9304-0019bb2963f4.html| accessdate = August 29, 2014}} Heibel sold the resort to Environmental Systems in 1972. The resort again sold in 1976 to New Educational Development Systems, a nonprofit corporation associated with the Unification Church.{{Cite news |last = Eberling |first = Barry |title = Napa's famed Aetna Springs still awaits rebirth|newspaper = Napa Valley Register |location = Napa, California |date = January 21, 2023 |url = https://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/napas-famed-aetna-springs-still-awaits-rebirth/article_c414d78a-8244-11ed-a18d-fbaba5637554.html#tracking-source=home-top-story|accessdate = January 22, 2023}}
On June 9, 2009 it was announced that the Aetna Springs Resort would close.{{cite web|title=Aetna Springs to close|work=Napa Valley Register|url=http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2009/06/10/news/local/doc4a2ec8e79083e403232348.txt|date=2009-06-10|accessdate=2009-06-09|last=Jones|first=Jillian| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090612210625/http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2009/06/10/news/local/doc4a2ec8e79083e403232348.txt| archivedate= 12 June 2009 | url-status= live}} Snell Valley lies to the north of Aetna Springs. In early 2012 the Napa County Planning Commission approved plans to renovate existing 28 structures and build a new lodge on the property.{{Cite journal
| last = Jensen
| first = Peter
| authorlink =
| title = Planners approve Aetna Springs project
| journal = Napa Valley Register
| volume =
| issue =
| pages =
| publisher = Lee Enterprises, Inc.
| location = Napa, CA
| date = January 20, 2012
| url = http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/planners-approve-aetna-springs-project/article_4c251044-432d-11e1-ab1b-0019bb2963f4.html
| issn =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = January 20, 2012}} The resort property was sold to Alchemy Resorts in 2018.{{Cite journal
| last = Eberling
| first = Barry
| authorlink =
| title = Napa County's famed Aetna Springs has new owner with resort plans
| journal = Napa Valley Register
| volume =
| issue =
| pages =
| publisher = Lee Enterprises, Inc.
| location = Napa, CA
| date = December 20, 2018
| url = https://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/napa-county-s-famed-aetna-springs-has-new-owner-with/article_e829c28e-85e6-5293-8e84-20bbe91b3688.html#tracking-source=home-top-story
| issn =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = December 21, 2018}} In August 2020, Aetna Springs was evacuated due to the Hennessey Fire, which resulted in the burning of over {{Convert|315,000|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}} in five counties, including in Aetna Springs.{{cite web |title=Hennessey Fire Information |url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/17/hennessey-fire/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818015057/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/17/hennessey-fire/ |archive-date=18 August 2020 |accessdate=17 August 2020 |website=CAL FIRE}} In 2023, it was announced that the resort will be restored as Six Senses Napa Valley, with a reopening set for 2026.{{cite web | url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/travel/hotels/2023/01/25/six-senses-napa-valley-to-open-in-100-year-old-californian-ghost-resort/ | title=Six Senses Napa Valley to open in 100-year-old Californian ghost resort | date=25 January 2023 }}
In literature
Aetna Springs is the locale of Frances Marion's Valley People, a book of short stories published in 1935.Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Powerful Women of Early Hollywood, Cari Beauchamp, University of California Press, 1997.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{National Register of Historic Places}}
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Napa County, California