Special Collections - McCarthy Library Spring 2020

Special Collections @ the McCarthy Library Join us for the first edition of the Special Collections Newsletter, Spring 2020!

In the Special Collections Room, we have a collection known as “The California Collection”. The books were purchased from a bequest to build a local history collection and promote student and community interest in Napa's heritage. The collection comes primarily from the holdings of David Wheatley, a local prune farmer, and avid collector of California history.

David Wheatley circa 1957

Dating back to the early 1900’s (1908), H.A. Darms published pictures of Napa County showing stores, factories, churches, homes, orchards, vineyards and mountains.

California Collection @ the McCarthy Library Residences & Hotels

While many of the hotels are no longer in existence, the City of Napa is home to many beautiful Victorian-era homes and commercial buildings. According to the City’s webpage: “In many ways, Napa’s historical sites reflect the history of California itself. The Bear Flag revolt that led to the state becoming part of the U.S. began just a few miles to the north in 1846.

The city was laid out by Nathan Coombs in 1848 and grew tremendously through the gold rush of

First & Main Streets, Napa (1908)

Next to the Napa Opera House (1908)

Customer or Industry Quote.

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1849 and the later silver and mercury mining heydays. Today you can walk the same streets where 49ers, Chinese laborers, lumber barons and early wine making pioneers began building the City of Napa more than 150 years ago, and you will find many treasured historic structures still in use.”

The California Collection is comprised of a total of 1691 books. A small portion of rare books are kept in the Special Collections room. Simply see a Reference Librarian for access. To give you an idea of a few additional local history titles in the collection, here’s a brief glimpse: Napa: An Architectural Walking Tour Birds of Napa County Napa Valley’s Natives Stags Leap: Biography of a Manor House Trees of Napa Valley Railroads in Napa County The Napa River The Early Upper Napa Valley The Wappo: A Report The Napa Valley Route: Electric Trains & Steamers

CAL 979.419 Kilgallin CAL 598.097 Heinzel CAL 970.3 Dillon CAL 979.419 Willis CAL 581.73 Hoffman CAL 385.09794 Wichels CAL 979.419 McEnery CAL 979.419 Wright CAL 970.049 Wappo CAL 388.4 Swett