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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. Areas of interest include: Napa County, geography, geology,
Wappo Native Americans, Mexican Rancho Days, Pioneers and Settlers,
Chinese, Ranching, Farming, Viticulture & more. |
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In the early 1800's, Father Jose Altimira from Mission San Francisco de
Assisi (Mission Dolores) in Yerba Buena, while searching for a new site
for a mission, explored the nearby lands. He and his traveling companion
were the first non-natives to view the Napa Valley. It was July 1, 1823.
The area was further explored and through the leadership of George Yount
and Mariano Vallejo, was eventually settled. Indian uprisings were not
uncommon, as were outbreaks of smallpox, which killed most of the Miwok
Tribe in nearby Sonoma County.
In 1838 mission grapes were planted by Yountville's founder, George C.
Yount, who made his first wines in the early 1840s. In 1850 California
became a state and it was around that time that the wine industry truly
got it's start. Falling in love with the climate and soil, a Hungarian
aristocrat named Agoston Haraszthy started the first winery in Sonoma:
Buena Vista, meaning "Beautiful View". Charles Krug, a German
apprentice, was so inspired that he established Napa's first winery in
1861. This was followed by Schramsberg in 1862, Beringer in 1876, Inglenook
in 1879 and Beaulieu Vineyard at the turn of the century in 1900.
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.
Napa has approximately 40,000 acres of vineyards and over 275 wineries.
It was the first agricultural county in California to establish itself
as an agricultural preserve, asserting in 1968 that agriculture and open
space was the "best use" for the land in the "fertile valley
and foothill areas of Napa County." About 30,000 acres of Napa county
are in the agricultural preserve. The town of Napa town has a land area
of 18.34 square miles, with 67% of it zoned residential, 8% zoned commercial,
4% zoned industrial, 12% zoned parks/public/quasi public and 9% undeveloped/agriculture.
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.
| At the southern entrance to the town of Napa
is American Canyon, referred to as “The Gateway to the Napa
Valley.” The city was incorporated in 1992 and is located
about 35 miles northeast of San Francisco. It's the second largest
city in Napa County and the population at the start of 2005 was
14,306. Read more about this town at the following links:
American
Canyon CA Website
American
Canyon CA Chamber of Commerce
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