French Laundry
Posted by: heringermr
N 38° 24.259 W 122° 21.914
10S E 555424 N 4250866
Currently, a notable restaurant.
Waymark Code: WM1EJB
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 04/21/2007
Views: 29
The French Laundry, a 1600 square foot structure, constructed from river rock and timbers, was built in 1900 by Scottish stonesman Gus Clark for Frenchman Pierre Guillaume. It was built as a saloon, however, a 1906 state law forbidding the sale of alcohol within a mile of the Veterans Home precipitated Guillaume's sale of the building.
After the sale and at times during it history, the building has served as a residence and at one point, a brothel. During the 1920's, it was owned by John B. Lande and his wife, who operated a "French Steam Laundry," the "French," because of the high degree of skill associated with the service.
In 1978, Don Schmitt, a longtime resident and town major, with his wife Sally, renovated the decrepit structure into a one-seating, fixed-menu restaurant. In 1994, Chef Thomas Keller purchased the restaurant.
Street address: 6640 Washington Street Yountville, CA USA
County / Borough / Parish: Napa
Year listed: 1978
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering
Periods of significance: 1900-1924
Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Domestic
Current function: Restaurant
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.