CALISTOGA, CALIFORNIA

'Calistoga' is a city in Napa County, California, United States. The population was 5,190 at the 2000 census.

Contents

Geography

History

Demographics

See also

Tourist attractions

Trivia

External links

Geography

Calistoga is located at (38.581357, -122.582757).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.7 km² (2.6 mi²), all land.

History

The Upper Napa Valley was once the home of a significant population of Indigenous People, called the Wappo during the Spanish colonial era of the late 1700’s. With abundant oak trees providing acorns as a food staple and the natural hot springs as a healing ground Calistoga was the site of several villages. Following Mexican Independence, mission properties were secularized and disposed of by the Mexican government with much of the Napa Valley being partitioned into large ranchos in the 1830s and 1840s. The first American settlers began arriving in the 1840’s, with several taking up lands in the Calistoga area.
Samuel Brannan was the leader of a settlement expedition on the ship Brooklyn landing in Yerba Buena (San Francisco) in 1846. He published San Francisco's first English language newspaper, the California Star. Following the discovery of gold in Sacramento, Brannan pursued many business ventures, which made him California’s first millionaire and became a leader in San Francisco's Committee of Vigilance (the much feared Vigilantes). Fascinated by Calistoga’s natural hot springs, Brannan purchased more than 2,000 acres with the intent to develop a spa reminiscent of Saratoga in New York. His Hot Springs Resort surrounding Mt Lincoln with the Spa/Hotel located at what is now Indian Springs Resort, opened to California's rich and famous in 1862. In 1868 Brannan's Napa Valley Railroad Company's track was completed to Calistoga. This provided an easier travel option for ferry passengers making the journey from San Francisco. With the addition of railroad service, Calistoga became not only a destination, but also the transportation hub for the upper valley and a gateway to Lake and Sonoma Counties. A 6 meter diorama of this early Calistoga can be seen in the Sharpsteen Museum.
Calistoga's economy was based on mining (silver and mercury) agriculture (grapes, prunes and walnuts) and tourism (the hot springs). One of the early visitors was Robert Louis Stevenson. He had yet to write his great novels, met Fanny Vandegrift in France, followed her to San Francisco and, after she had obtained a divorce, married her in May, 1880. Three days later they were on their way to honeymoon at the Calistoga Hot Springs Hotel. Desiring to stay in the area, they moved from the hotel to an abandoned cabin at the nearby Silverado Mine on Mount Saint Helena. While working on other stories Stevenson kept a journal which became the ''Silverado Squatters'' describing many local features, residents and characters.
Calistoga made national headlines in 1881 when Anson Tichenor claimed that he had invented a way extract gold from the waters of the hot springs. Tichenor's invention was soon proved to be a fraud.
In 1920 Giuseppe Musante a soda fountain and candy store owner in Calistoga was drilling for a cold water well at the Railway Exchange when he tapped into a hot water source. In 1924 he set up a bottling line and began selling Calistoga Sparkling Mineral Water. The company became a major player in the bottled water business after Elwood Springer bought the small bottling plant in 1970 known today as Calistoga Water Company.
Today, Calistoga retains its charm of yesteryear with a walkable downtown much as it was when spa visitors arrived by train.
At the very top of the Napa Valley, centrally located between Napa and Sonoma counties, Calistoga remains the historic hot springs resort destination of wine, water, and wellness.
Named a Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2001, Calistoga enables a visitor to see wine country as it was before freeways and fast food - only two lane roads lead here and fast food franchises are banned by law.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,190 people, 2,042 households, and 1,243 families residing in the city. The population density was 770.7/km² (1,997.4/mi²). There were 2,249 housing units at an average density of 334.0/km² (865.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.65% White, 0.33% Black or African American, 0.98% Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 17.61% from other races, and 3.43% from two or more races. 38.11% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,042 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,454, and the median income for a family was $44,375. Males had a median income of $32,344 versus $29,844 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,134. About 5.2% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

See also

★ Napa City-County Library

Tourist attractions

Calistoga is at the north end of the Napa Valley, part of California's Wine Country. Thus there are numerous wineries within a short drive. Calistoga itself, however, is noted for its hot springs spas, a local specialty being immersion in hot volcanic ash known as a mud bath.
Nearby attractions are:

Trivia

★ Calistoga is the birthplace of Dick Vermeil, former head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams, & Kansas City Chiefs.

★ The town supposedly got its name from a Spoonerism uttered by Sam Brannan. He is alleged to have said (perhaps after sampling the local vintages) that the location would become the 'Calistoga of Sarifornia'. He had meant to say the 'Saratoga of California', comparing it to the famous hot springs of that New York town.

★ Singer/Songwriter Jason Duffy originally hailed from this small town, as documented in the melancholy rock single "Calistoga" from the album "Well Over An Hour's Ride".

★ In 1880 Robert Louis Stevenson spent his honeymoon with Fanny Vandegrift a few miles north of Calistoga, living in the bunk house of the abandoned Silverado Mine. ''The Silverado Squatters'' is his story of this adventure.

★ Former Major League Baseball player Tom Seaver and his wife Nancy live just south of Calistoga where they have a 3 acre vineyard

External links

★ City of Calistoga web site

★ The Calistoga Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau

★ The Weekly Calistogan (one of two local newspapers)

★ Warming Up in the Vineyard, Tom Terrific Article from ''New York Times'' 2005-12-28