The Simpkins family ancestors arrived in Napa in 1884.

"My great-grandfather came from England and bought 200 acres from the Coombs family," said Clifford Simpkins. "What started as a family farm, my father eventually ran as a dairy. Simpkins Dairy was around from 1945 to 1972."

Simpkins knew from an early age that the dairy business wasn't for him. He studied engineering became an architect.

The close-knit Simpkins family recently worked together on a project, a big project -- building a house.

Simpkins' "Uncle Rune," Eric R. Johnson, owned two acres on Wild Horse Valley Road, purchased in 1961. When his wife passed away, he sold the site with his house and retained the other lot.

Last year, Simpkins bought the steep lot and set about designing a house that would fit snugly into the hill and take advantage of the wooded creek view.

The resulting three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath, 3,200-square-foot home was recently completed. Simpkins' son, Reggie Simpkins, did tile work throughout the house and his other son, Brad, has listed the house for sale.

"It's a three-generation project showcasing the design talents of my father, a lifetime Napan," said Brad, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Brokers of the Valley. "The primary builder was Sax & Roscoe, the wood floors were done by another old-time Napa family, Blackney & Marsh, and the painting was by Horvath Painting."

The home is a traditional design with a craftsman look. The site has filtered views of Mt. George and Stags Leap, seen through the floor to ceiling windows in the living room, from the wraparound deck and from the private balcony off the master bedroom. Reggie Simpkins' master tiling skill is evident in the kitchen's stainless steel tile backsplashes, the herringbone pattern of tile in the powder room and the use of custom glass tiles throughout the bathrooms.

There's a large bonus room downstairs that opens to a meandering trail down to the creek. The property is on the market for $1,950,000.

The house took a year to build. "That's about average when you're not working on a flat lot. You have to allow time to dig out and to install the septic system," said Simpkins. "There's 150 yards of concrete in the foundation. In case of an earthquake, this house is not precarious. Earthquakes are the reason that construction is so expensive in California."

Things were different in Eric Rune Johnson's day. "He was a builder, and something I always admire about him is that he worked hard for what he had," said Simpkins of his uncle. "He's a World War II vet, was a nose gunner in a B-26 in France and Germany."

Johnson is a modest man. "We had a house in Monticello Park. When we sold it, we built the house next door to this one with the money from the sale," said Johnson. "We finished the house in 1961. I've never had a house payment of over $100, which allows you to do a lot of other things."

What does he think of the house designed by his nephew? "It's amazing. It's a lot bigger and better than when I was working on houses. Of course, it costs a lot more, too. I miss living here, but when my wife passed away I decided to leave." He now lives in the Springs of Napa.

Realtor Brad is confident the home will sell quickly. "It's a rare product in a great neighborhood," he said. "There's little turnover here and because it's a dead-end road, we don't have much traffic. Water's not an issue, either."

His father is pleased with the outcome of the family project and happy for his part in it. "I've been an architect for 30 years and residential work is my passion," said Simpkins. "It's a good profession. I knew from first-grade that I wanted to be an architect. Recently, I thought long and hard about why I knew from such an early age. It finally came to me that when I was growing up our neighbor was a naval engineer. He had a sports car and I guess I thought if I had the same profession, I could have a sports car, too."

With the help of his family, Simpkins now has much more than a sports car. He has a legacy.