Aetna Springs History
Aetna Springs Rides
...but
the highlight of the year was the annual trek to Aetna Springs in Pope Valley.
The hardy riders trailered to Calistoga Fairgrounds and left about 9:00 AM on
Saturday and rode over the old Oat Hill Mine Road to the Resort.
The less hardy
would arrive by car in time to greet the riders at the Springs and all would
lunch together in the grand old rustic dining hall
The cost of the weekend was
$12.50, that included Saturday lunch, dinner, dancing,midnight barbecue, overnight accommodations in the old picturesque cabins (with chain toilets),
and Sunday breakfast and lunch.
In June 1962, the price was raised to $14.50
for the weekend. Your horse was stabled, too.
I think that the last trek was in
1971, an end to many great memories.
Dorothy
Soderholm – Charter Member
In 1956 the Napa Valley Horsemen's Association had 100 horses at the Calistoga Fairgrounds for the annual ride to Aetna Springs Resort... Napa Register June 11, 1981
Aetna Springs Resort was a major supporter of NVHA for many years, purchasing the ad space on the inside cover of all our horse show programs from 1950 to 1970. There have been many ups and downs for the resort over the years and below is a little history of those ups and downs.
The Oat Hill Mine Road is still accessible, so if you are in Cailstoga and want to either walk or ride your horse to Aetna Springs Resort you can download the brochure from the Napa Regional Park which contains a trail map and tips on using the trail.
The Story
Aetna Springs Resort became a destination offering horseback riding from their own stable of horses, a 9 hole golf course, tennis courts for both day and night time play, children’s playground, swimming pole, and motion pictures in the evening. Aetna Springs Resort is on the National Register of Historic Places and the original golf course built in 1890 was 4 holes and is thought to be the oldest golf course in California.
Several historic structures near the Springs are in 
the Arts-and-Crafts style, and the architect Bernard Maybeck is believed to have designed at least one of the buildings. For decades, the resort attracted visitors from around the region, as well as Hollywood celebrities and other notables. In 1966, Ronald Reagan chose Aetna Springs Resort as the site where he announced his candidacy for governor.
By
the mid 1970s the resort had fallen into disrepair and was sold to the Unification
Church, commonly called Moonies, after its founder Sun Myung Moon.The lack of community
enthusiasm for the new owners pushed the resort into further decay and in1997 Bryant
Morris purchased the property and began restorations on a number of the
buildings including the Social Hall, Dining Hall and many of the smaller
cabins.
Aetna Springs Presently
Aetna Springs Resort was sold to developers Criswell and Radovan who restored the golf course and built a new clubhouse as well as selling home sites to the public. In 2006 Aetna Springs had a grand opening of the golf course and clubhouse. Things were looking good for the old resort.
On June 13, 2009 the resort closed after the Napa County Board of Supervisors reject a proposal for an 18 hole championship golf course around Lake Luciana part of Aetna Springs Resort 's 672 acre parcel. The Board of Supervisors stated that recreational use on agricultural land is inconsistent with the General Plan and zoning.
“The current board doesn’t seem to want to comply with the General Plan and their own zoning ordinances,” Radovan said. “(Investors) simply don’t have the stomach to go through that again.”
Fortunately for Napa, Criswell and
Radovan did not give up on Aetna Springs Resort and the original golf course is still
a beautiful addition to our community. There is a move to change the restrictions on the Springs and allow for development and restoration of the old buildings. To just restore the buildings without any economic expansion cannot attract investors and so this part of Napa's history could be lost forever.
UPDATE - January 19, 2011
Napa County Planning Commission approved the restoration of Aetna Springs Resort by Robert Radovan. At long last there is hope that this great resort will be restored so a new generation can enjoy the beauty of the Pope Valley.
Read the full story at the Napa Valley Register
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