Park Docent History Tour

About This Camp & Activity

Take a walk under Napa's bridges into the historic Napa Riverfront environment of clump grasses, historical architecture, water birds and tidal zones. Walk from the Oxbow Commons Green to the Promenade--along the restored, living Napa River.  This is a walk-and-talk tour of the historic head of navigation of the Napa River.  Originally it was christened the San Pedro River (for the feast day of St. Peter) during the first recorded European contact by exploring Spanish Padre Jose Altimira in 1823.  This was also the home village site of the Napas, a clan of the friendly Wintu ("The People") Nation.  They were Native Californians, who were among the first residents of Napa their namesake.  (Napa may mean "fish," "grizzly," "harpoon-point," or "meeting place."). Primarily fishermen, they sailed on the Napa River in tule rafts they made from native bulrush.   Later in the mid-1800s, the Napa River became the commercial water artery for sailing scows and schooners hauling metal implements to--and lumber from--Napa City. Visitors from San Francisco traveled in lavish double-decker side- and stern-wheelers, to the popular port of Napa, connecting with stage and rail transportation to up-valley mineral hot springs and resorts, in order to get away from the urban life of "The City."  The present-day promenade fronting the historic milling building on the west bank of the Napa River was a notable feature of the Embarcadero de Napa, then a bustling riverfront.  Nappa (spelled with two p's from about 1847-1850) townsite by the river, then called Nappa Creek by English surveyor James Hudspeth in 1847, consisted of two long (dirt) street blocks paralleling the river for 600 yards, intersected by side-streets running 100 yards inland from the river's west bank.  A few hundred intrepid American pioneer residents living or working in crude wood-sided buildings topped by canvas tent roofs, comprised the rudimentary beginning of the nascent modern City of Napa-- now permanently on the map. The purpose of this tour of the is to re-acquaint local attendees with the reborn living Napa River, as well as, to turn possible accompanying tourists into informed visitors, regarding its colorful and fascinating history.   Please wear appropriate shoes and dress for weather.  Please bring water. Children under 15 must be accompanied by adult.