Booneville, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Booneville, Iowa
|
|
|---|---|
Location of Booneville, Iowa
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| County | Dallas |
| Elevation | 856 ft (261 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 515 |
| GNIS feature ID | 454758 |
Booneville is a small community in Dallas County, Iowa, United States. It's considered an "unincorporated community," which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Booneville is also part of the larger Des Moines area, which is a big group of cities and towns connected together.
Contents
History of Booneville
How Booneville Started
Booneville was officially planned out as a town in 1871. A surveyor named A. J. Lyon helped create the town's layout. The community got its name from the Boone family, William and Susan Boone, who owned a lot of land in the area.
Early Life in Booneville
When Booneville was first settled, it had many important businesses. These included:
- a general store and post office, run by W. H. Baldwin
- a drugstore
- a hotel
- two doctors
- a blacksmith, who made and repaired things out of metal
- a wagonmaker, who built and fixed wagons
- a stock dealer, who bought and sold farm animals
The first church services in town were held by the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their pastor would travel from a nearby town called Van Meter.
Population Changes Over Time
Booneville's population has changed quite a bit. In 1940, only 62 people lived there. By the year 2020, the population had grown to 266 residents.
Booneville Today
Even though Booneville was once a busy place, its population started to decrease. This happened partly because people used the local railroad less often. Another reason was "urban sprawl," which is when cities grow outwards and take over nearby rural areas.
Today, Booneville is a quiet community. It has:
- a restaurant and bar
- a Methodist church
- a United States Post Office (for ZIP code 50038)
- a small RV park, which is part of a mobile home community
Booneville is located right next to the Raccoon River. There's a boat ramp nearby that many people use to get onto the river.
The city of West Des Moines is only a few miles east of Booneville. Even though West Des Moines is growing, officials have said they don't plan to add Booneville to their city anytime soon.
