At that time, railroad journeys were the only way to travel long distances in comfort and luxury-and presidents, aristocrats, and dreamers alike glided along while dining, relaxing, and enjoying the view. Then, in 1885, Southern Pacific bought the line and expanded operations, and shortly after the railroads opened the Great West to travelers, the golden age of travel began. The precursor to today’s Napa Valley Wine Train, the NVRR predated the first transcontinental railroad by over twenty years. However, having drunk a few glasses of the local wine, he accidentally slurred the words, saying instead, “Calistoga” - and the name stuck. One of his most notable developments was the Napa Valley Railroad (NVRR), which he imagined would bring tourism to a part of the valley that reminded him of his hometown, Saratoga, New York, with hot springs and thermal baths in each place.īecause of those hot springs, Brannon often referred to Napa Valley as “California’s Saratoga.” One day, while hosting a tourist train trip to the north of the valley where the thermal baths lie, Brannon shared the area’s nickname with the group. Flush with his newfound riches, Brannan next bought assets to build up the Napa Valley area. When California pioneer Sam Brannan found gold in 1848, he at once started a business selling mining supplies, became California’s first millionaire, and published California’s first newspaper, the California Star. Story By: Layne Randolph // Photos Courtesy of Napa Valley Wine Train The Gilded Age of Travel

Napa valley train