A Town Mostly of Men

Boca once had a population of about 200, mostly men under 40. Its residents included frontiersmen from Maine, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Nevada, Ireland, Germany, China and Italy. This mixture of men from different countries, cultures and occupations did not always blend well, and Boca had a reputation for violence. Few men brought their families to Boca, but by 1873 there were enough children to justify building a school. By 1876 the town also had a post office, telegraph office, train depot, hotel, sawmill, shingle mill, Chinese laundry, general store, dairy, butcher shop, brothel, blacksmith shop, saloons, ice houses, homes and a brewery.

California · United States