History of the Chamber - Part II
Much has been written about the earthquake of 1906 which resulted in the deaths of 503 San Francisco area residents, injuries to thousands of others and more than $350 million in property damage. Yet, the quake and subsequent tremors recorded April 18 and 19 were also felt in the Napa Valley.

Although there were no deaths and only a few minor injuries recorded within Napa County, there was extensive – if not costly – property damage in the Napa Valley.

But, despite the scars from the quake locally, Napans rallied to provide assistance to those most in need – the people of San Francisco as well as friends and relatives in Santa Rosa and Sonoma County. Chamber of Commerce President I.J. Evans had no difficulty when he issued a call to the Napa business community and residents to provide accommodation for earthquake victims and needed supplies for others where damage was most severe. About 200 San Franciscans were housed in private homes in Napa.

The Napa Chamber of Commerce collection points received large quantities of food, blankets and clothing or shipment to San Francisco and Santa Rosa. Some Napans who happened to be in San Francisco at the time of the earthquake, provided eyewitness accounts of the disaster to local newspapers. Napans in San Francisco also helped arouse public concern regarding the earthquake. Attracting major attention locally was earthquake damage in the central business district of Napa, particularly a badly damaged outer wall at the Migliavacca Building and structural damage at the Uncle Sam Wine Cellar on Main Street. Major cracks developed in the caves at the Beringer Winery at St. Helena.

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