Judge Augustus C. Palmer, Calistoga's first judge, constructed this Second Empire style residence for himself. One of the earliest residences in the formal Second Empire style in Napa County, the Palmer House is the only example of the style in wood in Calistoga and reflects the prominence of its owner-builder.

In 1886, a unique complement to the Palmer House, the Francis House, was built in the Second Empire style in stone. The two residences, the only architect designed houses remaining of this era, are within a few blocks of each other and are indicative of the prosperity of the 1870s and 1880s in Calistoga.

Source: Adapted from the NRHP nomination form.

When we last visited the neighborhood in December 2015, the Palmer House was a private residence.