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Napa Valley Information:
Napa
The name "Napa" is reportedly a word from the language of the Wappo Tribe of Native American Indians who once shared the lush green valley with deer, grizzly bears, elk and panthers. The first recorded exploration of Napa Valley, led by Padre Jose Altamira, was in 1823. The population at the time was estimated at between three and six thousand Indians. It was the gold rush of the early 1850's that caused Napa City to grow. After the first severe winter in the gold fields, miners sought warmer refuge in the young city. There was plenty of work on the cattle ranches and in the lumber industry. Sawmills in the Valley were cutting timber that was hauled by horse team to Napa City where it was then shipped out via the Napa River to Benicia and San Francisco.
Napa Valley is now known mostly for its premier wines. In the beginning, white settlers planted vineyards with cuttings supplied by Catholic priests from Sonoma and San Rafael. In 1861, Riesling cuttings were introduced to the Valley and, from these small beginnings, Napa Valley has become noted as one of the premier wine-making regions of the world.
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