Lost Napa Valley - Paperback

by Lauren Coodley (Author)

Discover the vanished history of Napa Valley

Once known for its cattle and silver mines, Napa Valley has grown into an international wine destination. From the Von Uhlit family's fruit farm in Napa to the Wheeler Ranch in St. Helena, fields and orchards became neighborhoods and vineyards. The Dolphin, a steamboat that once delivered travelers from San Francisco, was replaced by faster transport and the Napa State Hospital's original 'castle' was demolished. The Sawyer Tannery, in operation for over one hundred years, closed its doors in 1990, and places like the Kay-Von Drive-In and the Bel Aire Bowl now live on only in memory.

Join author Lauren Coodley as she celebrates these once-beloved landmarks in California's Wine Country.

Author Biography

Lauren Coodley began her career tutoring students for the GED and teaching night school psychology at Napa's junior college in the late '70s. She invented and taught classes ranging from "American Women's History" to "Overcoming Math Anxiety" to "Napa-Vallejo History." She was the first tenured woman to teach history. Since her retirement, she is caring for her grandsons and continuing her writing career.