Completed in 1894, the Pope Street Bridge is the oldest surviving stone bridge in Napa County and the first of many masonry bridges built in the region around the turn of the century. Designed and built by R.H. Pithie, the structure was constructed with stone quarried locally from the Wing Quarry on Monticello Road. The bridge spans the Napa River with three semicircular arches, extending 175 feet in length and 18 feet in width between its parapet walls. Two-foot-thick walls, 15-foot wingwalls, and finely cut stonework exemplify the craftsmanship of Napa’s late-nineteenth-century builders.
The bridge was originally designed for horse-drawn vehicles and is too narrow to comfortably accommodate two automobiles, yet it has remained in continuous use since its construction. It survived the 1906 earthquake without damage, demonstrating both the skill of its builders and the durability of its materials. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, the Pope Street Bridge continues to connect St. Helena with Pope Valley, Howell Mountain, and the Silverado Trail, preserving the engineering and architectural legacy of Napa’s early transportation infrastructure.
