Paying tribute to what is the real Napa Valley — the Hispanic community to a couple of farm animals in front of a feed and supply store an the venerable Grapecrusher. These are the clues to this month’s “Where in the Napa Valley Is?”

Wilson Feed & Supply on Yajome Street

A Hereford cow and rooster standing on an antique wagon aren’t part of the  street scene Napans expect to see here in a “grape place” like Napa. But, seeing the faux beef and rooster gives passersby a pretty good hint as to the nature of the business.

The cow is from a long-gone sandwich/burger joint once located on Lincoln Avenue, near Silverado Trail, next to the Shell station that is on the corner and on the opposite side of the street from Silverado ACE Hardware.

According to sources, the bovine was on the roof of the building. The Hereford belonged to Doug Hill, who operated the business, and was also a customer of Wilson Feed & Supply.

The four-legged animal has been in front of the Yajome Street business for about 15 to 20 years.

The rooster has been a part of the feed store for at least 30 years.

Where do you find a giant rooster?

Well, this one came from an antique store in Vallejo.

Even before current owners, Bobbi and Jim Wilson, bought the feed supply store, they already had the eyes on landing that rooster. The Napa couple have owned the business for more than 30 years.

The pair of barnyard animals sit on a wood planked, iron spoked antique water tank wagon, sans the water tank.

Bobbi Wilson isn’t sure how old the wagon is. But she recalls it came from a ranch in Vacaville.

The wagon makes it easy for employees at the end of the business day to wheel in the two fiberglass animals inside the store.

Because of the light-weightedness of the cow and rooster, on extremely windy days the pair have to be wheeled in side. “They are much more fragile than they look,” Bobbi Wilson said.

About five years ago the two farm animals received a fresh coat of paint

Grape crusher

Sitting atop the Southern Crossing at Vista Point on Corporate Way, visitors to the Napa Valley are greeted by the statuesque Grapecrusher, which was created by artist Gino Miles.

A replica of  Miles’ tribute to the vineyard workers and people who visit the Napa Valley can also be found accenting the fence at the entrance of Meritage Resort, off Corporate Way.

It seems a natural for the Meritage Resort to embrace the Grapecrusher, since the hotel complex in south Napa is in the shadow of the art sculpture.

The original Grapecrusher weighs 6,000 pounds, he stands 6-feet tall and is on a 6- to 10-foot base covered in river rock.

The Grapecrusher, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, was dedicated May 19, 1988 by Miles who today lives in the artistic conclave of Santa Fe, N.M.

Miles created the statue in 135 pieces, which is made of copper and is hollow. It took about one year for the artist to complete the project, which was assembled in Napa after being trucked here from his Santa Fe studio.

Mural on First Street

In downtown Napa on First Street is a colorful mural that pays tribute to the Napa Valley’s Hispanic pioneers and its contemporary community leaders.

The piece of public art was done as a project by Leadership Napa Valley. It is painted on a separate surface that is attached to the building.

Napan Tony Kilgallin said that former Napa Valley Register editor Ross Game was the person who got the ball rolling for the mural.

Artists involved in the mural included Cor Grieve, Jose Charles and Rene Pulido. It is at 1127 First St., on a Napa County District Attorney building, opposite the  Dwight Murray Plaza.

The downtown mural was commissioned in 2002.

Kilgallin, who served on the chamber’s arts and culture committee, got the OK for matching funds to pay for the mural.

If the community could raise $5,000 the chamber would match that and create the mural, according to Kilgallin.

The mural, painted on plywood depicts the Napa Valley from grizzlies to grapes and George Yount and Mariano Vallejo to local Hispanic winemaker Elias Fernandez — who is the youngest person depicted on the piece of art.

In the lower right-hand corner of the mural are seven of the leading Hispanics in the Napa Valley — all of whom spoke at the dedication ceremony.

Looking down toward the seven local leaders is the Virgin of Guadalupe.

The week before the 9/11, the Sicilian opera singers performed for the fund raiser.

Helping raise the $5,000 was the National Sicilian American Foundation, which offered the group of Sicilian opera singers who would perform at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. That concert raised enough money to match the chamber’s commitment for the mural.

Kilgallin remembers 450 people paid $20 each to hear the opera singers. “The acoustics were fantastic.”