Anderson Valley History Museum, Boonville

About Anderson Valley History Museum

The Anderson Valley History Museum in Boonville houses collections documenting the region's past through photographs, records, furniture, clothing, and daily-life artifacts donated by local families. Visitors explore displays highlighting early settlers, the area's farming, ranching, and fruit-growing heritage dating to the 1880s, and Native American culture. The museum also features extensive information about Boontling, the distinctive local language unique to Anderson Valley. The centerpiece is the Little Red Schoolhouse, originally called the Con Creek Schoolhouse and built in 1891, where children of lumberjacks, sheep farmers, and fruit growers attended classes until 1979. Exhibits include historical photographs of timber crews, early downtown Boonville, the 1924-25 Anderson Valley Girls Basketball Team, and local ranches. The museum's personal touch comes from its intimate connection to generations of Valley residents through their donated objects and stories. Located in Boonville in Mendocino County, the museum is accessible via Highway 128.