Bostonia, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bostonia, California
Neighborhood
Bostonia Store in the early 20th century, at 2nd & Broadway. The store was established in 1886, and closed in February 1960.
Location in San Diego County and the state of California
Bostonia, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	San Diego
Area
• Total	1.93 sq mi (4.99 km2)
• Land	1.93 sq mi (4.99 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	486 ft (148 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	16,882
• Density	8,765.32/sq mi (3,383.73/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	92021
Area code	619
FIPS code	06-07624
GNIS feature IDs	1656442, 2407889

Bostonia is a neighborhood located in San Diego County, California. It includes parts of the city of El Cajon and other areas nearby. Some of Bostonia is also a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's a special area the government uses to collect information, even though it's not officially a city.

In 2020, about 16,882 people lived in the Bostonia CDP.

History of Bostonia

Early Farming in Bostonia

In 1896, a farmer named Eugene Halstead tried growing tobacco in Bostonia. He said the tobacco was very good, even better than some from Cuba! However, it was hard to grow because there wasn't much rain.

Community Events and Leaders

Over the years, Bostonia had several postmasters, who were in charge of the local post office. In 1928, Murray Wright was the president of the Bostonia Chamber of Commerce, a group that helps local businesses.

Around that time, Bostonia leaders wanted to start a "Grape Day" event. But a nearby city, Escondido, already had an event with that name. So, Bostonia decided to call their celebration "Home Products Day" instead.

Becoming Part of El Cajon

In May 1953, people living in the southern part of Bostonia voted to join the city of El Cajon, California. More people voted yes than no, so that part of Bostonia became part of El Cajon.

The Famous Swap Meet

In 1981, some Bostonia residents were concerned about the large "El Cajon Swap Meet." A swap meet is like a big outdoor market where people buy and sell things. This one was very old and famous. Residents felt it had grown too big, making their quiet area very busy on weekends.

Fire Protection in Bostonia

Bostonia has its own fire protection district. In 1977, some landowners wanted their property to join the fire district of Santee instead. But this request was turned down.

In 1986, a fire broke out in a home for the elderly in nearby El Cajon. Even though a Bostonia fire station was very close, Bostonia firefighters couldn't fight the fire directly. This was because Bostonia and El Cajon did not have a special agreement to help each other with fires. El Cajon firefighters arrived a few minutes later.

Where is Bostonia?

The main part of Bostonia is near North 2nd Street and Broadway in El Cajon. Many places like Bostonia Street, the old Bostonia Post Office, and Bostonia Elementary School are in this area.

The census-designated place (CDP) of Bostonia is actually outside the official city limits of El Cajon. It covers an area of about 1.9 square miles (4.9 square kilometers). Even though parts of Bostonia are outside El Cajon, mail sent to Bostonia still uses the El Cajon address.

Nature in Bostonia

Bostonia used to be home to some rare plants. One was called Ambrosia pumila, which grew in empty lots and along roads. Many of these plants have disappeared as the area has developed. Another special plant, Artemisia palmeri, which mostly grows in San Diego County, was also found here. Other plants like Primula clevelandii and Viola pedunculata were also collected in Bostonia long ago.

People in Bostonia

The numbers below are just for the census-designated place (CDP) of Bostonia, not the parts inside El Cajon city.

Bostonia in 2010

In 2010, Bostonia had 15,379 people. Most people lived in homes, with only a few in group housing or institutions.

• About 70.8% of people were White.
• About 6.6% were African American.
• About 2.4% were Asian.
• About 25.6% of people were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 5,573 households. About 36.4% of these households had children under 18. The average household had about 2.74 people.

The median age in Bostonia was 33.8 years old. This means half the people were younger than 33.8, and half were older.

Bostonia in 2000

In 2000, Bostonia had 15,169 people. The average household had 2.67 people.

• About 79.81% of people were White.
• About 3.98% were African American.
• About 1.48% were Asian.
• About 16.63% of people were Hispanic or Latino.

The median age was 32 years. About 28.3% of the population was under 18 years old.

The median income for a household was $37,148. This means half of the households earned more than this, and half earned less. About 12.5% of the people in Bostonia lived below the poverty line.

Churches in Bostonia

An Episcopal Church (United States) was opened in Bostonia on July 28, 1895. Different leaders have been in charge of the church over the years.

Schools in Bostonia

The Riverview School District was created in 1919. Before that, it was part of the Bostonia District, which also included Lakeside.

See also

In Spanish: Bostonia (California) para niños