Napa County CA Archives History - Books .....Villa Miravalle 1891
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Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of Northern California

VILLA MIRAVALLE.—One of the most picturesque and attractive spots in the
vicinity of St. Helena is the Villa Miravalle, the delightful country-seat of
Tibureio Parrott, Esq., the well-known viticulturist. Located in a sheltered
cone or glen in the Myacamas range of mountains which skirt the western border
of the Napa Valley, with full view of the town and only a mile distant from its
center, it is led up to by a winding and romantic road and avenue. The residence
is situated at some distance from the county road on an eminence that displays
its fine architectural proportions to great advantage. A rough description may
not he out of place. Including verandas, which are broad and-ample, running
quite around the house and covered with the finest specimens of sub-tropical
plants, the residence has a frontage of eighty feet, by a depth of forty-five
feet. It is of two stories, with central tower rising to a height of seventy
feet above the ground. The lower story is of the beautiful white liparite,
quarried in the vicinity, and the upper of brick, the whole house finished in
hard wood and of a pleasing mediaeval architecture. From the tower a magnificent
view, panoramic almost in scope and variety, is presented, including the whole
of St. Helena and all the adjacent portions of the Napa Valley, while the
eastern horizon is cut by the green folds of hill and mountain that form the
eastern littoral of the valley. Immediately beneath the eye are the orchards and
vineyards of the estate, and beyond these the miles of grapevines, for which the
section is noted. The estate is of 800 acres, and reaches from the valley to the
crest of the first range of hills, looking down on the further side upon the
famous White Sulphur Springs. The hillsides, when not cleared and planted to
vines, is covered with a thick growth of forest trees,—pines, firs, oaks,
manzanita, madron, buckeye, etc., proving a fine bed,—fields we should rather
say,—of roses, chrysanthemums and other flowers, for which the Villa Miravalle
has won a name. Mr. Parrott is doing a work of more than individual benefit upon
his place. He was the first to make a serious attempt to raise olives at St.
Helena, He has a fine appearing plantation of 5,000 trees, now between six and
seven years old, and some loaded with fruit when seen. They seem to prove the
perfect adaptation of the valley for olive culture and present a timely
alternative to the vine-growers of the section, wearied out as they are by
depression and ruinous prices. Mr. Farrott has 125 acres of vineyard, all of the
better foreign varieties, such as the Cabernet Sauvignon, from which is made the
Chateau-Margaux and Chateau Lafite wines, so dear to connoisseurs. The vineyard
is all mountain-hill land, thus receiving perfect drainage, and the best
results. So far, the wine cellar is the cellar of the house, and a visit to it
and a sampling of its contents shows the value of the vineyard as well as the
knowledge and experience of its master. The wines were perfect, each in its
kind. A cellar of a larger size is now being constructed, tunnels being run into
the hillside to afford finer storage. A small plot ot'-vigorous and healthy
tobacco plants, of seed brought from Havana, was seen, which will probably prove
still another resource of this very fertile section. Amidst the other trees and
plants were noticed specimens of palms, palmettos, banana, persimmons, guavas,
oranges, lemons, almonds, walnuts and other sub-tropical growths, all thrifty
and luxuriant at time of visit (December) and showing that the villa is in the
thermal belt and above the frosts. Water in abundance is piped direct from
springs on the mountain side to house and grounds. This beautiful place is the
outcome of only five years' work upon its improvement, being begun only in
January, 1885. Its beauty and the wholesome luxuriance of every plant and tree
are better than many volumes to prove the possibility of the section. The Villa
Miravalle justly ranks as one of the finest residences in the Napa Valley.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.


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