In the heart of the Boonsville/Balsora area in far southwest Wise County sits the Boonsville Community Center.

The building is the former school, which closed in 1950 when Boonsville consolidated with Bridgeport, 11 miles to the north.

In 1964, the old school received a major structural overhaul and was renamed the Boonsville Community Center. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, the community center entered statewide competitions for community improvement and won many prizes, including second place in the State Community Improvement Competition in 1965.

The same community spirit that saved the school and helped it become a beacon for the Boonsville/Balsora area so many years ago is alive today in a group of women who meet once a month at the center, with the exception of July and August. The Boonsville Ladies Group now hosts a luncheon every May to raise funds for utilities and maintenance at the community center.

People come from far and wide to enjoy the lunch, complete with homemade desserts. The luncheon started four years ago when the center needed a new roof. The following year, the luncheon raised funds for siding, sheetrock and paint, as well as new chairs.

The Boonsville/Balsora Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1968. The dedicated group of men and women are trained in fire prevention and protection and First Responder medical care. Several members are certified EMTs and ECAs.

The department raises funds through a chili supper every fall. Not only does the department have a fire truck in Boonsville, but it also has an additional truck located in Balsora.

The first gas well was drilled in the area in 1950, which began the Boonsville Conglomerate Oil Field. A statue near the community center pays tribute to the field.