Past Exhibits

City of Immigrants explores 100 years of mass historic immigration into Napa Valley between 1820 with the advent of Mexico’s Rancho Era and 1920 with the implementation of U.S. Prohibition. Over this period of time, the population of the Valley dramatically increased, ushering in new towns, industries, and ways of life. People from many ethnicities made Napa Valley their home bringing with them differing languages, cultural customs, belief systems, skills, and cuisines.

In 2021 the Napa Valley Latino Heritage Committee launched the Quilt Project.  The goal was to celebrate the rich Hispanic Heritage of Napa Valley through the artistic expression of quilt squares.  Over three years and one pandemic, Latino communities from American Canyon to Calistoga have produced over 400 squares, capturing Hispanic culture through icons, color and statement, making visible a heritage that is so important to all Napa.

Winemaking is an economic juggernaut of the Napa Valley. Thanks to climate, soil and winemaker expertise, the Valley produces world renowned wines. We do not know if the Valley’s first people cultivated grapes, but we know that one of the first crops George Yount planted in 1836 was a personal vineyard.

Napa county is a rich tapestry of stories. It takes many voices and various perspectives to capture all the stories about different places, people, livelihoods, leisure activities, and politics. NCHS partnered with Arcadia Publishing and Valley organizations to highlight the stories that have been told, and shine a light on the stories that still need telling.