History

On October 15, 1930, the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company granted a 40-acre parcel of land to the County of Mendocino. The land was to be used as a park, to be named the E. O. Faulkner Park, after a vice-president of the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company who died in 1928.

From 1930 to 1966, the park went undeveloped. In 1966, money from the 1964 Park Bond Act was used to put in a water system and public restrooms. No additional development took place until 1973, when the Mendocino County Parks Department was formed. At that time, picnic tables were installed, and a small parking area was developed.

In 1977, a small playground was created using 1976 State Park Bond money. The park's most distinctive feature, the Azalea Discovery Trail, was built in 1975. This trail passes through the heart of the park, where large native azalea shrubs grow in the canopy of second-growth redwoods.

Improvements to the restroom facilities, septic system, and parking area continued to be made from the late 1970's through the 1980's. In 1990, the County discontinued overnight camping in the park, due to problems experienced in collecting camping fees from guests and in providing regular maintenance for the camping areas. While developments to the park began in the late 1960’s, the area remains, for the most part, in its natural state.

Park Location

Faulkner Park is located just outside of the small community of Boonville. This 40-acre parcel sits on both sides of Mountain View Road, winding through the hills west of Boonville above Anderson Valley.

Features and Facilities