Bostonia

History

Former Virginia agriculturalist Eugene Halstead of San Diego planted a crop of tobacco in Bostonia in 1896 and said later that the tobacco was "superior in some respects to that of the Cuban plantations," one "serious drawback" to cultivation being the scarcity of rain in the area. In 1898, David G. Gordon was appointed postmaster in Bostonia to replace Joseph Donald, who had resigned. C.O. Graves held the office in 1903. In 1914, William M. Wright was appointed postmaster to replace R.W. Foffland, who had resigned. In 1928, Murray Wright was president of the Bostonia Chamber of Commerce. In that same year, civic leaders in Bostonia planned to name a local observation as "Grape Day" which led some in neighboring Escondido to complain that their city already had an event under the same name. They were mollified when Bostonians said they would call their event "Home Products Day" instead. "Firebugs" believed by Sheriff Conklin to have been members of the Industrial Workers of the World, "German sympathizers" or "disgruntled employees," torched the Meridian School building, a large packing house and two stables of the Bostonia Fruit Growers and Packers Association on October 6, 1917. Waste soaked in oil or phosphorus was found in what remained of the buildings, which burned to the ground. Sheriff's deputies engaged in a short gun battle in Bostonia and captured a suicidal man who had threatened a bank in Lakeside, California, with ten pounds of dynamite and fled with his loot. In May 1953 residents of the southern portion of Bostonia approved annexation to the city of El Cajon, California, by a vote of 315 to 271. In 1981 a group of Bostonia residents organized to complain about the disruption caused by historic El Cajon Swap Meet, reputedly the "granddaddy of all…

Geography

The center of the community is near the intersection of North 2nd Street and Broadway in the city of El Cajon. Bostonia Street, the Bostonia Post Office, the former Bostonia Ballroom, Bostonia Elementary School and the Bostonia Fire Station are all within of this location and all, except the fire station, are within the city of El Cajon. This is the area identified on most maps as Bostonia. However, the census-designated place of Bostonia is entirely outside the city limits of El Cajon, in an unincorporated area of County. The CDP comprises most of unincorporated El Cajon north of Broadway and east of State Route 67, and a small area west of State Route 67. Mail sent to all parts of Bostonia is addressed to El Cajon. According to the United States Census Bureau Bostonia is located at (32.821612, -116.949905). This is approximately one mile northwest of where the USGS places Bostonia, near the geographic center of the CDP. The CDP has a total area of , all land. Bostonia was home to numerous populations of Ambrosia pumila, a rare, clonal plant narrowly distributed in southern California and Baja California. Most populations of Ambrosia pumila in Bostonia grew on vacant lots, backyard strips, and gravel roads, and many since have been extirpated by development. Additionally, Artemisia palmeri, a sagebrush nearly endemic to San Diego County, was once found in the neighborhood. Other plants historically collected from Bostonia include Primula clevelandii, Sidalcea malviflora, Sisyrinchium bellum and Viola pedunculata.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  49,111
• Anna's Hummingbird

  Calypte anna (R.Lesson, 1829) · Aves
  44,589
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  44,188
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  40,492
• Lesser Goldfinch

  Spinus psaltria (Say, 1822) · Aves
  37,803
• California Towhee

  Melozone crissalis (Vigors, 1839) · Aves
  37,531
• Black Phoebe

  Sayornis nigricans (Swainson, 1827) · Aves
  37,500
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  31,031

Largest nearby schools

• Pacific Coast Academy
  Other · Poway · 4,891 students · 32.6:1 ratio
• Cabrillo Point Academy
  Other · Poway · 4,283 students · 29.5:1 ratio
• Henry High
  High · San Diego · 2,607 students · 27.2:1 ratio
• Helix High
  High · La Mesa · 2,502 students · 24.3:1 ratio
• Granite Hills High
  High · El Cajon · 2,398 students · 24.7:1 ratio
• Grossmont High
  High · La Mesa · 2,175 students · 24.4:1 ratio
• Steele Canyon High
  High · Spring Valley · 2,168 students · 25.5:1 ratio
• Literacy First Charter
  Other · El Cajon · 1,972 students · 21.4:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.08 — 2026-10-01
  20 km ESE of Anza, CA
• M 2.63 — 2026-09-23
  9 km WNW of Anza, CA
• M 2.91 — 2026-08-31
  22 km SSW of La Quinta, CA
• M 3.06 — 2026-08-25
  12 km WSW of Salton City, CA
• M 3.64 — 2026-08-19
  14 km N of Warner Springs, CA
• M 2.63 — 2026-08-13
  28 km SSW of Ocotillo Wells, CA