Upcoming Events

    • 18 Jun 2026
    • 1:00 PM
    • Attend via Zoom or in person at the NVGS Library: 1701 Menlo Ave, Napa
    Register

    Grandma Said What?

    Gathering and Verifying Your Family’s Oral History

    Presented by Sara Cochran

    We will define what oral history is and talk about strategies to interview your family. Then we'll go through the process of verifying a family story!

    Members: FREE! (no need to register)
    Non-members: $5 donation — Please register to pay


    Sara is a full-time professional genealogist with over thirty years of research experience. Her research has taken her to nearly every state in the USA and Ireland. She especially enjoys breaking down brick walls, discovering the stories of black sheep ancestors, and helping individuals preserve their photographic legacy.

    Sara holds a Boston University Genealogical Research Certificate, a Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science, and is an alum of the ProGen Study Group. She is a member of DAR and other lineage societies, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the Genealogical Speakers Guild.

    You can find her online at TheSkeletonWhisperer.com.

    • 20 Jun 2026
    • 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • Napa Farmers Market, 1100 West St, Napa

    Visit NVGS at Napa Farmers Market

    Next Chance: Sat, Jun 20

    Join NVGS at another great Farmers Market!

    Once again, Napa Valley Genealogical Society will host a booth at the Saturday Farmers Market in downtown Napa. We'll be there four Saturdays in 2026.

    • Get free resources
    • Ask questions
    • Chat with people who love family history!

    Pick up your favorite fruits and veggies.

    Swing by our booth and say hi. Bring a friend or two!

    • Jun 20, Aug 22, and Oct 24 — Only 3 chances left
    • 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
    • Napa Farmers Market, 1100 West St, downtown Napa
    • Map It

    Hope to see you there!

    • 6 Jul 2026
    • 11:00 AM
    • On Zoom

    Our Revolutionary War Ancestors

    Host: Sue Ziemski

    Do you have ancestors who fought in the American Revolution? What research did you do to uncover their stories? We want to hear all about them!

    Members and Friends: Join us at our monthly round table! Each month, we choose a theme to spark the conversation, then gather on Zoom to have a great time sharing our tips, tricks, and stories.

    • 16 Jul 2026
    • 1:00 PM
    • Attend via Zoom or in person at the NVGS Library: 1701 Menlo Ave, Napa
    Register

    NVGS is proud to host historian Anthony Ray, a University of Utah scholar
    who studies early Napa, Solano, and Sonoma families.

    The Higueras of Napa and Sonoma

    Presented by Anthony Ray, University of Utah

    In many ways, the Higueras were no different than most other Alta California families. However, when delving into the archival record, we find stories of hardship and perseverance.

    This presentation will look at the lives of Nicolas Higuera and his five daughters, giving a rare glimpse into the experiences of women in nineteenth-century Spanish-Mexican Californio society.

    Members: FREE! (no need to register)
    Non-members: $5 donation — Please register to pay


    Anthony Ray is a Salt Lake City-based genealogist, historian, musician, and theologian. At the age of twelve, he became interested in his family history, sparking a life-long passion for learning about long-forgotten ancestors.

    As a historian, his research focuses on the family stories he has unearthed to produce new insight into his own ancestry and on the broader historical landscape. He has conducted research throughout California, Arizona, and northern Mexico and focuses on his Alta California and Mexican ancestry.

    Originally from southern California, Anthony has also enjoyed a professional career as a tenor and countertenor. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in music from California State University Los Angeles, a Master of Arts in history from the University of Utah, and a Master of Arts in theology from St. John’s School of Theology in Collegeville, Minnesota.  

    • 20 Aug 2026
    • 1:00 PM
    • Attend via Zoom or in person at the NVGS Library: 1701 Menlo Ave, Napa
    Register

    It’s Academic!

    Finding Your Ancestors in Records of Higher Learning

    Presented by Cindy Brennan

    Not only do college and university libraries contain a plethora of information on faculty and students, but the academic library is usually the storehouse for the surrounding community. You may discover your ancestors’ records there, even if they did not attend the university. 

    Members: FREE! (no need to register)
    Non-members: $5 donation — Please register to pay


    Cindy Brennan has been an avid family history researcher for more than 25 years after finding a photograph of her husband’s family from 1899. He had no clue who the people were and so down the rabbit hole she went!

    Cindy has been the Newsletter Editor of Sonoma County Genealogy Society’s Monthly Newsletter since 2009. The many articles she continues to research and publish led to a desire to share this information through presentations with other genealogists and family historians. 

Past Events

1 Jun 2026 Round Table: Using FamilySearch Full-Text Search
21 May 2026 Program: Genealogy Unplugged - When Offline Records Are the Best
16 May 2026 Join Us: Special Interest Saturday!
4 May 2026 Round Table: Ways to Share Our Ancestors' Stories
28 Apr 2026 Preserve Your Past: Valuable Resources at the Napa Valley Genealogical Library and Napa Library Memory Lab
25 Apr 2026 Visit NVGS at Napa Farmers Market
16 Apr 2026 Program: Grand Army Of The Republic
6 Apr 2026 Round Table: RootsTech Recap
19 Mar 2026 Program: Women's Hidden Histories in Early America
5 Mar 2026 RootsTech 2026
2 Mar 2026 Round Table: Using Facebook in Genealogy
19 Feb 2026 Program: How to Use the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center and PERSI from Home
2 Feb 2026 Round Table: Bring Your Brick Wall
15 Jan 2026 NVGS Annual Meeting
5 Jan 2026 Round Tables 2026: What Do YOU Want to Talk About?
7 Dec 2025 Annual Holiday Celebration
1 Dec 2025 Round Table: Wacky & Fun Holiday Traditions
20 Nov 2025 Program: Genealogy Do-Over™
3 Nov 2025 Round Table: Genealogical Gift Ideas
16 Oct 2025 Program: Attending Gen-Fed
6 Oct 2025 Round Table: How to Inventory Memorabilia
1 Oct 2025 October is Family History Month!
18 Sep 2025 Program: Grapes of Wrath Meets American Graffiti
1 Sep 2025 Round Table: Bring Your Brick Wall
21 Aug 2025 Program: Travel Your Tree
4 Aug 2025 Round Table: Using Newspapers
17 Jul 2025 Program: Tax Records -- More Exciting Than You Might Think!
7 Jul 2025 Round Table: Artifacts Passed Down from Ancestors
4 Jul 2025 Napa's 4th of July Parade
19 Jun 2025 Program: Irish Census Substitutes
2 Jun 2025 Round Table: Correcting the Genealogical Record
15 May 2025 Program: Point of Origin
5 May 2025 Round Table: Finding School Records
29 Apr 2025 Preservation Week Special Event: After You're Gone
17 Apr 2025 Program: Bagging a Live One - Reverse Genealogy in Action
7 Apr 2025 Round Table: Meeting Distant Cousins
20 Mar 2025 Program: Women’s Issues on the Overland Trail
6 Mar 2025 RootsTech 2025
3 Mar 2025 Round Table: Using Family Photos to Validate Research
20 Feb 2025 Program: Connecting Faces Through Time
3 Feb 2025 Round Table: How I Got Hooked on Genealogy!
16 Jan 2025 Annual NVGS Membership Meeting & Special Program
6 Jan 2025 Round Tables: What Would YOU Like to Talk About in 2025?

 

Napa Valley Genealogical Society

Researching Family Stories Since 1974

Library & Mailing Address

1701 Menlo Ave

Napa, CA 94558-4725

Corner of California Blvd and Menlo Ave
Street parking  |  Main entrance on Sonoma St

Donate today! NVGS is a tax-exempt nonprofit 501(c)3 organization:
Tax ID #23-7444798

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