In the early summer of 1972, a number of people active in the community established the Napa Valley Heritage Fund, its purpose, in Jack Davies’ words, being the “protection and enhancement of the historical and cultural heritage of the Napa Valley.” Among the founding trustees, including Jack Davies, were names which still resonate in the Valley today, Lewis Carpenter, Milt Eisele, Ina Hart, Eleanor McCrea, Elizabeth Martini, and Fred Monhoff.

One of the first projects embarked upon was the Sharpsteen Museum in Calistoga. In succeeeding decades, NVHF has acquired and displayed artworks by Valley artists and/or having Valley scenes as their subjects. As local public schools encountered budget cutbacks and art and music programs suffered, NVHF increasingly brought art to the schools, through dramatic and musical performances.

The current Board of Trustees is broadly representative of the Valley and brings many backgrounds to the tasks enunciated by Jack Davies thirty years ago. They are:

Craig Bond Linda Burton Jim Cross Doug Eisele Don Fraser Jay Greene Cyd Greer Michelle Hoffman Bill Tantau Bonnie Thoreen Richard Williams

Emeritus Trustees: Barney Rhodes David Marsten