Boonville was founded by John Bregartes in 1862.[5] It was originally called "The Corners".[5] Bregartes built a hotel there, and in 1864 Alonzo Kendall built another.[5] The town became known as "Kendall's City".[5] W.W. Boone bought a store in town and gave the place its current name.[5]
The first post office opened in 1875, having been transferred from Anderson.[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the Boonville CDP covers an area of 5.5 square miles (14 km2), all of it land.[1] The town is drained by Anderson Creek, a northwest-flowing tributary of the Navarro River, which leads to the Pacific Ocean near Albion.
The Census reported that 1,029 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 5 (0.5%) were institutionalized.
There were 372 households, out of which 139 (37.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 193 (51.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 46 (12.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 23 (6.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 28 (7.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 4 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 77 households (20.7%) were made up of individuals, and 28 (7.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77. There were 262 families (70.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.12.
The population was spread out, with 268 people (25.9%) under the age of 18, 90 people (8.7%) aged 18 to 24, 270 people (26.1%) aged 25 to 44, 275 people (26.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 132 people (12.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.2 males.
There were 413 housing units at an average density of 74.5 per square mile (28.8/km2), of which 190 (51.1%) were owner-occupied, and 182 (48.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.2%. 479 people (46.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 550 people (53.1%) lived in rental housing units.
Education
Historic Boonville schoolhouse
Elementary school students in Boonville attend Anderson Valley Elementary School. Middle and high school students attend Anderson Valley Junior-Senior High School. Both schools are located in Boonville.[10]
Boonville is best known as the source of the Boontlingfolk language. Bottles from the local Anderson Valley Brewing Company are labeled with the motto "Bahl Hornin'" which means "It's good drinkin'" in Boontling.
An Alsatian Varietals wine festival is held at the fairgrounds each February. In early spring (April or May), the annual Legendary Boonville Beer Festival is held at the fairgrounds, featuring beers from about 50 craft breweries.[14] A Pinot Noir Festival is held in May. In July, the Wool-growers' Barbecue and Sheepdog Trials is held at the fairgrounds. Boonville hosts the annual Mendocino County Fair in September. Boonville also hosts the long-running Sierra Nevada World Music Festival every summer solstice weekend in June.[15]
The apple cultivar known as Sierra Beauty is attributed to have been located on a mountainside by itself. Cuttings were made and grafted allowing the cultivar to survive. The Gowan family of Sonoma was one of the early growers that helped save this cultivar from extinction.
The 2016 Western filmBoonville Redemption is set in Boonville in 1906.
Boonville is home of the Boonville stomp, a dance invented by a forestry worker named Maudie in the early 1900s. Les Claypool has a song called "Boonville Stomp" on his album Of Fungi and Foe which was also featured in the film Pig Hunt and includes a shout-out to the film's producer and writer Robert Mailer Anderson.
Notable residents
Robert Mailer Anderson, novelist, screenwriter, playwright and activist; 1987 graduate of Anderson Valley High School[18]
In the spring of 1968 a number of Manson Family members lived for a few months in a residence between Boonville and Philo. Due to drug accusations the residence was raided on June 24 and the inhabitants were arrested. Among the accused were Mary Brunner, Ella Jo Bailey, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel. After the Boonville raid they left the area.[20][verification needed]
^ abcdefghDurham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 23-24. ISBN1-884995-14-4.
United States
California
