Travelers along Interstate 80 may know Bowman as a suburb a couple miles east of Auburn; a place to gas up, grab something to eat, then slide on up or down the highway.
But there is more to this unincorporated piece of Placer County than a bustling tourist stop: It also is a diverse residential precinct and a minor agricultural hub that once was a major player in the state’s fruit-growing arena.
The district takes its name from Harry Hoisington Bowman, who was raised in Sacramento. Bringing along his new bride, Bowman settled on 81 acres of undeveloped land in Placer County in the 1880s.
Another early arrival was Fedel Musso, an immigrant from Italy. After living in the East and on the Kansas plains for many years, he continued moving westward until he locked in on 83 acres near the Bowman spread. Neighboring farmers included the Ackerman family.
These three families became instrumental in the territory’s agrarian development, as they transformed the raw scrubby terrain into flourishing orchards and vineyards. With the tracks of the Central Pacific Railroad slicing through the village, they saw an opportunity to maximize the marketing of their produce. They successfully lobbied for a spur line and freight station, ensuring their goods would reach a broader base of consumers.
The trio also worked together to establish a school for the growing number of youngsters in the vicinity. The first school was erected near the site of the modern campus, which is named in the Ackermans’ honor.
Today, Bowman continues to be productive, with the Musso family’s pear orchards and fruit stand; the Machado family’s apple groves and pie shop; and the Ikeda family’s country store where fresh produce is grabbed up as quickly as burgers and fries.
Hungry travelers and locals alike swarm the Bowman area, landing in fast food huts or casual restaurants. When Interstate 80 was built to facilitate access to Squaw Valley for the 1960 Winter Olympiad, many of Bowman’s original structures were razed. A man named Pat Train saw a need for travelers’ services along the new freeway and developed the area for commercial use. Now, a Raley’s supermarket anchors the borough, with a bowling alley, motels, shops and the California Welcome Center docked around the same area. Down Auburn Ravine Road is Ashford Park where picnic tables sit alongside frothy Auburn Ravine creek. There are facilities in this greenbelt for both human and canine users.
Behind the commercial venues, eateries and retail stores, neighborhoods trail along the ridges overlooking the canyon of the American River; step down the arroyo, or spread across the bluffs. Many homes accessed by Sylvan Vista Drive, Flood Lane and Covey Road — have distant views of the Sierra or local views down to the canyon floor.
West of I-80, horses are penned in side yards of homes tangled in a web of little lanes in Bowman Acres. Many are made of rock, thanks to the talents of the Hammond brothers, master masons who built unique stone homes throughout the region.
Blending modern amenities and rural expanses, Bowman is where the city meets the country.