Napa’s first building was a saloon on the corner of Third Street near the river, followed by a general store at the foot of Main Street. Other small temporary buildings began to appear in the fall of 1848, many made of canvas or Napa Valley lumber.

The river ferry marked the beginnings of a progression of boat, stage and rail service that greatly influenced the growth of Napa. The first steamboat navigated the Napa River from San Francisco in 1850. Perishable freight and passenger traffic were carried by steamboats until the railroad was established in 1868. A series of steamboats connected Napa with San Francisco between 1850 and 1870. The Amelia, a 147-foot vessel was the pride of the Napa River.