Overview

NAPA COUNTY is in the north-coast part of California. It is part of the California Coast Range. The area of the county is approximately 485,120 acres, or 758 square miles. Elevation ranges from nearly sea level to a little more than 3,000 feet. It is situated on the northern fringes of the San Francisco Bay, and slopes up from its southern boundary on the tide flats of San Pablo Bay, part of San Francisco Bay, almost to the 3434 foot peak of Mt. St. Helena and Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial State Park in its northwest corner. As one of the smaller of California 's counties, it was an agricultural supplier of San Francisco and provided hot springs resorts facilities as well. Wine production has recently replaced prunes & hides as the primary export. Its 2000 population was approximately 124,000 with 73,000 living in the city of Napa.

The Stone Bridges

The first settlers in the 1800’s built wooden bridges across the one river and many creeks. Wear and tear from the turbulent waters, rot and damage from heavy loads made repair or replace a major concern. Considering the commercial importance of these crossings, the county board of supervisors decided to build more substantially. This building started in the 1860s.

When the old stone bridges were built the automobile was not in use. The bridges were built to accommodate horses and wagons but they were not all built to conveniently permit two vehicles passing each other. The common width of most of the bridges is eighteen feet with three-foot high parapets. Although lacking steel reinforcing in today’s concrete structures, these stone bridges are practically one hundred per cent structurally sound – as sound as the old Roman aqueducts. Among the first of the stone bridges in Napa County was the c1860 bridge across the Napa River on First Street, Napa. This bridge fell in during the flood of January 1881 due to faulty workmanship. A truss structure was built and it too fell to be replaced with a concrete arch bridge, which, in turn, has deteriorated and needs replacement. That was the worst experience. None of the other stone bridges have failed. They came through the l906 earthquake unharmed. Many have been removed or altered (widened) in the name of progress. For example: the 1860 Main Street bridge over Napa Creek remains intact and comfortably in use and the 1862 First Street bridge over Napa Creek would still be in use if the flood control district hadn't determined that it was in the way of a needed new river bypass.

Napa became celebrated as "The County of Stone Bridges." The authorities had, early on, decided that bridges of stone were not only superior but also cheaper in the long run than wooden or steel structures. Durability, not aesthetics, dictated the use of stone instead of wood and cost over steel. Stonemasons were among the early residents and local stone was abundant. It made sense to build with stone and, at one time, it was counted that there were 326 stone bridges and culverts in Napa County. There is also a count of 80-90 stone bridges built which presents a conflict that needs to be resolved.

Of these, nine are now on the National Register of Historic Places:

• Pope Street over the Napa River, St. Helena 1972/10/05.

The following bridges were added:

• 21C0005: Hwy 29 over Garnett Creek north of Calistoga
• 21C0002: Zinfandel Lane over the Napa River in central Napa Co.
• 21C0017: Old Sonoma Road Carneros Creek southeast of Napa City
• 21C0042: Greenwood Ave. over Garnett Creek in Calistoga
• 21C0046: Aetna Springs Road over Swartz Creek in Pope Valley
• 21C0058: Hardin Road over Maxwell Creek in Pope Valley
• Trancas Street over Milliken Creek in Napa, "Little Trancas;"
• Main Street over Napa Creek in Napa;

and I believe nine more are eligible:

• Dollarhide Road over a tributary to Maxwell Creek;
• Atlas Peak Road over Milliken Creek East of Napa;
• Pearl Street over Napa Creek in Napa;
• Sanitarium Road over Ca ñ yon Creek near St. Helena;
• Silverado Trail over an un-named drainage near Taplin Road south of St. Helena
• Little 1 arch bridge on private property in Brown's Valley
• Four little ones on Stanly Lane over some drainages in southern Napa.

In addition, there are three transitional bridges I deem eligible because they are examples of early concrete used for the structural bridge with continued use of stone for the parapets:

• Bennett Lane over Blossom Creek in the Calistoga area;
• Soscol Ave. over Tulocay Creek in Napa;
• Coombsville Road over a drainage east of Napa.

Totals are: 7 on Register, 2 proposed, 9 eligible & 3 probably eligible = 21.

Stone Buildings

Many stone buildings came about in Napa County for reasons similar to that of bridges. It was the material of choice for substantial construction - always has been. Napa was fortunate in that there was/is suitable, readily available stone and there were experienced craftsmen. Stone was a particularly good choice for wineries because of its excellent insulating quality. Many of the old stone buildings have fallen into disrepair, fallen down or otherwise don't exist. Some were demolished in the name of progress. Those, and there are many, that remain are coveted and are being renovated and seismically reinforced to be put to commercial use.