The History of Women’s History Classes at Napa Junior College

By Lauren Coodley I never planned to teach history, never planned to be a teacher, never heard of something called women’s history.  I had no plans; I was a girl who grew up in the ‘50s, left home in the ‘60s, not planning a career. But by 1976 I was teaching at Napa Junior College, […]

The Day that World War II Came to Calistoga

By Ian Thompson Vacaville Heritage Council NAPA – It was the day that World War II came to Calistoga. On February 13, 1945, a large incendiary bomb-carrying balloon that had been carried across the Pacific by the jet stream from Japan was initially spotted floating east over the Mayacamas Range between Sonoma and Napa counties. […]

Everyday Historic Napa Pioneers

By Sue Ziemski and Linda Jesmok. As a partner for the new exhibit, City of Immigrants: An American Story, the Napa Valley Genealogical Society dove into our Napa Pioneer records to build stories around four individuals who lived in the Valley between the 1830s and 1920s. One of our goals was to choose a variety […]

“East Meets West” as Napa and Sonoma Mayors Connect at Bouchaine Vineyards

Over the past two years the Historical Society has sought to lend voice to the amazing stories of people, places, and events woven into the fabric of the Napa Valley’s heritage.  We have hosted virtual presentations to keep people connected, entertained, and informed.  As we’ve gotten better at these virtual gatherings, the stories we are […]

The Founding of the Napa County Historical Society

As we gear up to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the founding of historic Napa, it is fun to look back at the founding of the Napa County Historical Society.  It was in anticipation of another anniversary seventy-four years ago, when the Napa County Historical Society met for the first time.  They met at the […]

Napa Photographers Through Time

Submitted by Elaine Everett Nathan Coombs founded the town of Napa California in the year 1847.  And with the invention of the camera in 1841 and photo-journalism getting its start from 1848 to 1865, the Napa Valley with its naturally beautiful mountains, hills, and waterways was ready for the focus of photographers’ lenses.  This article […]

1930s Napa in Photographs: A Booster’s Lens

Submitted by Ann Miller Some ninety years ago, the men of the Napa Chamber of Commerce published a twenty-four page booklet of promotional photos, Beautiful Napa: A Pictorial Journey. Despite the handicaps of monochrome and fading paper, it tells a powerful story that still rings true. The cover, depicting sailboats tied along the river, perhaps […]