Popular story indicates California named for man who offered whiskey to home builders

CALIFORNIA, Mo. - With a population of 4,005, California is the biggest city in Moniteau County and serves as the county seat.

Local historian Richard Schroeder said it is believed the area was settled sometime around 1835 when a group of men decided to build a “town” in the area now known as the Industrial Park, on the eastern most edge of the city's limits.

James E. Ford Jr. holds books containing the history of Jefferson City and the history of Moniteau County. (Ra'Vae Edwards/News Tribune photo)

At the time, the city was named Boonsborough, but around 1948, the name was changed to California.

The name, according to one legend, Schroeder said, came about when a group of men were working on a “house raising” and were approached by a man named California Wilson. He told the men he would give them a couple barrels of whiskey if they would name the town after him and the men agreed.

A second legend says the name California stuck after people traveling west to the state of California, sporting “California or Bust” signs on their wagons, would stop to rest and water their horses. They would ask the locals if they were in California yet and thus, the locals decided to name the town California.

Neither of the legends has been validated, but the first is the more common and believed. In fact, it is written in a couple of locally-written history books.

However, before the town was officially named California, it was referred to as Boonsborough. It was about 1848 that the United States Post Office said the name would have to be changed because a town called Boonsborough was located in a nearby county.

Because the land at the original “site” of California was too expensive, the town founders opted to change the location to where the Moniteau County Courthouse sits today.

At the time, the area was called Boonsborough. Today, that same area is referred to as the Boonsborough Township on county plat maps.

According to the Missouri Secretary of State's Office, the city was incorporated in 1857. Local records reflect the county's boundaries were set in 1845 and it was decided then that California would be the county seat.

As of the 2000 census, the population of California was 4,005, showing an increase of 540 residents since the 1990 census. According to the United States Census Bureau, the growth in population has continued at a steady rate for several years.

While several residents refer to California as a bedroom community, there are several large industry employers as well as several locally-owned businesses that provide employment and amenities.

The city operates and maintains three public parks, a fishing lake, tennis courts and a Frisbee golf course. In 2005, the city moved its main offices into a newly constructed City Hall building.

Since the mid-1850s, a large number of businesses, too numerous to name, have been in California ranging from mills to a bottling company and from ceramics to meat houses. Several of the original businesses are still in operation, with the oldest being the California Democrat.

Although some of the businesses have changed ownership and names over the years, they continue to serve the community in numerous ways.

California also serves as the home of the Moniteau County Fair, which is believed to be the longest running county fair this side of the Mississippi River. This year was the 140th anniversary of the fair sponsored by the Moniteau County A & M Society.

While the history of the city has never been written in book form, several refer to a book published in 1936 by J.E. Ford as a good source of the city's past.

During his time in California, Ford published the “History of Moniteau County” and the “History of Jefferson City.”

Ford moved to California with his wife and three children in 1932. His son, James E. Ford, continues to reside in California and at the age of 93 can tell many stories about the growth and changes.

“Things sure are a lot different here now than they were when we moved here in 1932,” Ford said. “A lot more traffic and a lot more people, for starters.”

Ford graduated high school in Bunceton in 1929 and said his family relocated to California after his father's job with the newspaper in Bunceton didn't work out.

“It was back during the depression,” he said. “A lot of things didn't work out back then.”

The younger Ford accepted a job at the California Democrat as a linetype operator in 1932 and continued to work there until his retirement in the mid-1970s.

“I printed the books at the Democrat office for my father, but we sent them on to Jefferson City to be bound,” Ford said. “I can't remember now how many copies I printed, but I remember it took several months to do it. Things were done a lot different back then.”

J.E. Ford died in 1942 and left behind what would become one of the most read history books about Moniteau County. Very few books are still in circulation.

Ford says he could tell a great deal of stories about California, but unlike his father, he said he has no desire to write a history book.

Fun facts about California

* California is about 30 miles from Interstate 70, 115 miles from Kansas City, 145 miles from St. Louis, 38 miles from Sedalia, 31 miles to the Lake of the Ozarks, and 23 miles from Jefferson City.

* In 1858, the railroad was completed about a half of a mile south of the courthouse square. The railroad had a major impact on California's growth drawing new businesses and attracting new residents. The population at that time was 723.

* in 1892, telephone communication was established between California and Jamestown. The two towns are about 12 miles apart.

The Eitzen Mansion is one of the many historic buildings in California. The home recently was restored to its period glory, circa the late 1800s. (Ra'Vae Edwards/News Tribune photo)