Napa, the world famous wine growing region, is one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth. The entire valley spans approximately 30 miles and through six towns — each one unique: Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Calistoga. (At the southern entrance to the Napa Valley is American Canyon.) Napa's soil, rich from the volcanic era and inland sea, has been proven to be ideal for vineyards, and for beer hops as well. Mount St. Helena, at the northern end of the valley, is a stunning reminder of the volcanoes. At it's peak, the mountain measures 4,344 feet and is the source of the valley's geysers and mineral waters. Kana' Mota was its Wappo Indian name, meaning “Human Mountain.”

The Wappo Indians were the first to inhabit the Napa area. The women were primarily basket makers and the men lived apart from their families most of the time, housed in communal lodges which were ceremonial sweat houses. They were hunters and gatherers, living on fish, game, roots and berries. Using mortar and pestle, the Wappos would grind acorns which served as the main ingredient in their bread. During the colder months, they lived in thatched huts and when the weather was warmer, they lived in outdoor camps near the waters. The name Napa has three possible origins: It has been said that it is Wappo for “fish” or “grizzly bear” or “bountiful place.”

The Napa Valley Museum, located in Yountville, has an ongoing exhibit entitled “The Land and People of the Napa Valley.” The exhibit focuses on the unique environment and fascinating history of the Napa region.

Between the ten year span of 1850 and 1860, Napa County's population grew from 400 to just under 5,000. Jack London made his home in Sonoma County's town of Glen Ellen and Robert Louis Stevenson fell in love with Napa, calling the wine “bottled poetry.”

It was common at that time for wine to be sold in bulk and from barrels in stores and saloons, with the customers most often bringing their own containers. Gustave Niebaum of Inglenook was one of the first in the area to bottle his own wine and to promote "Napa Valley" on his labels.

In the 1870s, the wine industry survived The Depression as well as the spread of phylloxera—a deadly infestation of the wine roots by microscopic-sized aphids. By 1889, the industry was indeed flourishing and Napa wines gained fame at the World's Fair in France.

Beginning in 1920, prohibition had an extremely negative impact on the industry. Most wineries closed and by the time it was repealed, the Great Depression closed in and the industry would have to rebuild. Then, with the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930's, the world began to focus on America for wine and the area began to prosper. By the 1970s, a small tourist industry began forming and the rest is history.

A great turning point came in the summer of 1976 at the infamous blind tasting in Paris. French wine experts, for the first time, chose several California classic wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. Six of the 11 highest rated wines were from California and almost all from Napa.

The Napa Valley is now host to thousands of visitors each year, coming to experience not only the wineries, but the beauty and richness of the land. Locals and visitors alike can find quiet rest and relaxation—or a myriad of activity—all in a near perfect climate.

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