Welcome to Angwin
Angwin is a small, unincorporated town, nestled among the peaks of the upper valley. The town began its life as a secluded mountain resort and has changed little since the late 1800’s. Angwin real estate is still known for its scenic views and pleasant climate. Though the resort is officially gone, the town still enjoys a steady stream of visitors coming to take advantage of the beautiful geography and blossoming wineries.
Lay of the Land
Angwin is located at the northeastern edge of Napa County. A census designated location, Angwin sits just below the summit of Mount Howell at approximately 1800 feet above sea level. The city is relatively isolated, with its closest neighbors sitting to the west in the lower valley. However, in addition to Mount Howell, the town is also bordered by Las Posada State Forest. The area enjoys a robust population of 3,051; unusually high for an unincorporated city. The estimated median household income of $57,275 is within the state average, though the estimated median home value of $600,520 is almost twice the California average.
Transportation
While the local geography lends itself to vineyards and scenic views, the relative isolation of Angwin makes transportation to and from the town difficult. Essentially, the only connection between Angwin and the lower valley are several winding mountain roads, including Howell Mountain Road and Deer Park Road. These two local roads combine to connect Angwin to Interstate 128 which provides access to the rest of Napa County and the regions to the north.
Public transportation services for the county are provided by the Napa County Transit and Planning Agency which operates a series of busses and shuttles throughout the county. While direct service to Angwin is not available, the nearby cities of Calistoga and St. Helena serve as de facto transportation hubs.
Local Highlights
Traditional commercial development within Angwin is limited to a series of small shops and grocery stores. There are no restaurants or hotels within Angwin. Aside from the local geography, the main attractions of the area are the Pacific Union College and the plethora of local wineries and vineyards.
Pacific Union College is a private Liberal Arts College located at the center of Angwin. Though the college was originally founded in 1888, it has been in Angwin since 1909, when the college purchased the local resort and the surrounding 1,600 acres of land and relocated. The twelfth college or university founded in California, Pacific Union College is the only liberal arts school associated with the Adventist Church.
Pacific Union is a fully accredited university that offers a wide range of degree programs. In fact, it is the only four-year college in Napa County. Over the course of the school’s history it has changed designations from a Western Baccalaureate College to a liberal arts university. Regardless of its classification, it has consistently ranked as one of the tops schools both regionally and nationally. In addition to the various programs, the college also hosts numerous campus wide and community wide events which utilize the sprawling facilities and lightly developed sections of the 1,600 acre campus.
Despite its modest size and isolated location, Angwin is home to a total of 15 wineries. The same characteristics that make the area a pleasure to live in, lack of fog, cool mountain air, abundant sunshine, also combine to create grapes which eventually become some of the most unique tasting and sought after wine in the region. The wineries in the area range in size, complexity, and degree of public access. While most of the vineyards provide tasting tours of some form or another, not all of them are open to the public and some require advanced reservations.
