Old Bull Trail Road ran from Napa Valley to Middletown and was built by volunteers in the 1850’s, with a number of grades reaching 35 percent. It became an official road in 1861 and was abandoned in 1868. St. Helena Toll Road also ran between the same points, was completed in 1868, and had grades up to 12 percent. The State of California purchased it from the heirs of John Lawley in 1925.