Time travel starts here
Where St. Helena’s Water Comes From
The town of St. Helena got its first municipal water company on July 27, 1878. The St. Helena Star announced it that morning: “It gives us great pleasure to record at last the formation of a company for the supply of St. Helena with water. It is something she has long needed.”
Featured Event
Called to Order: Our First City Council
Sunday, September 27 · 1 p.m. · St. Helena Cemetery
Details & RSVP Rummage around in our attic …
Photo Archive
Thousands of photographs documenting St. Helena from the 1860s through the twentieth century.
Collections & Documents
Maps, manuscripts, and documents that tell the story of St. Helena beyond the photographs.
Oral Histories
Recorded interviews with longtime residents, capturing voices and memories that can’t be found in any document.
A brief history of St. Helena
1853
Henry Still files the original town plat. St. Helena begins as a small settlement serving the surrounding farms and ranches of upper Napa Valley.
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1861
Charles Krug establishes the valley's first commercial winery, beginning St. Helena's long transformation from farming town to wine country landmark.
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1878
The railroad reaches St. Helena, connecting the town to San Francisco and opening new markets for its wine, grain, and lumber.
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1920–1933
Prohibition shutters most wineries. Some survive by producing sacramental wine or shipping grapes east. The town's economy shifts to prunes, walnuts, and cattle.
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1966
Robert Mondavi opens his winery on Highway 29, ushering in the modern era of Napa Valley winemaking and putting St. Helena back on the map.
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Today
The St. Helena Historical Society preserves and shares this story — through its Heritage Center, photo archive, oral histories, and community programs.
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