Historic Tourism: Interview with Sheli Smith of the Historic Society

Napa's tourism story extends far beyond its famous vineyards. In a recent interview with the Napa County Historical Society's Executive Director, Sheli Smith, the economic development team delved into the fascinating history of Napa's early tourism industry. From 19th-century resorts to modern-day wellness retreats, this conversation sheds light on the evolution of Napa's tourism, revealing how the past continues to shape the economic future of the Valley.

What surprising story does your current exhibit, Destination Napa: Philosophies of Wellness, tell about Napa's tourism and hospitality past?

That it wasn't about wine! In the 1800s, the Napa Valley was being marketed as a health and wellness destination. There were over 240 hotels throughout the Valley prior to 1920, touting the excellent food, health and wellness activities such as the hot springs and mud baths, and the incredible array of opportunities to amuse oneself. It's stunning to know that even then, people were coming from all over the area. You wonder why this valley is known for excellence and it starts there.

What is heritage tourism?

It's a type of tourism that focuses on exploring and experiencing a region's cultural and historical heritage. According to Visit CA, 70% of Napa Valley visitors seek out heritage tourism, spend an extra 30% per day and are more likely to stay an extra day. We have incredible resources to collect, organize and amplify here. We have historic wineries; natural amenities like the Old Faithful Geyser, and petrified forest; and the City of Napa has a downtown that has more than 10% of our original historic buildings. Napa County Landmarks does a great job collecting information on historic buildings in the City of Napa and valley-wide. We have a real opportunity here to capitalize on all these amazing heritage tourism amenities, and need to do a better job of injecting that context into all the storytelling that we do about Napa. If you know where you fit in that bigger history, then that history becomes richer and more passionate. Also, frankly, when a visitor inevitably asks, "What else can I do?" then you have something for them to do!

What do you have coming up at the Historical Society?

Over the next 18 months, you can expect to see an exploration of this beautiful valley through three lenses: Architecture, Music and Public Art. Architecture is really a statement about who we are and we'll be doing that with then/now images and other fun juxtaposition tools. Every exhibit that I do is like getting a baby degree in the topic! One of the things that struck me in doing the Destination Napa: Philosophies of Wellness is there were so many references to music; the valley had all these bands, and music was a big tourist draw since early times. The Encyclopedia of Brass Bands even talks about the Napa Valley! And then Public Art is such an important cultural storytelling tool, and we have beautiful examples up and down the valley - so we're very excited to roll those three exhibits out over the next 18 months.

Destination Napa: Philosophies of Wellness is on display through September 21st, 2024, after which it will transition online.