Boyne Falls derived its name from the Boyne River with its falls or rapids at the location. "Uncle" John Miller, the first settler near the mouth of the river, named the area after his home in Ireland. Originally called Boyne Valley, it was organized by the borad of supervisors at the January session in 1973, in accordance with an application signed and presented, praying them to enact and provide for the organization of a new township. The comittee members included William Nelson, J. A. Sudman, Jr., E. W. Anson, Robert Coan, Eugene Kyes, F. K. Robinson, J. A. Sudman Sr., George Rolls, James Scipio, George W. Garrett, Hershal Magee, and William Nelson.

In the spring of 1874 the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad began operation. In 1893, Boyne Falls was incorporated as a village. William Nelson was the first postmaster.

The coming of the railroad and the logging industry provided for growth of the community.

The town was first plotted in 1873 by William Nelson and Joseph Powers. Originally the town was called Boyne Valley. The following year, in 1874, it was offically named Boyne Falls.

Logging became big business in the area. Logging camps opened up around the surrounding valley. This brought an influx of people to the village and it grew quickly. The population doubled in the 1890s from 450 to over 900 people, according to the 1900 census. Hotels, saloons, banks and many other businesses sprung up during the village heyday, which lasted until about 1920.

In the early 1900s the logging era began to wind down. Lumber had been depleted around the logging camps and they began to shut down. People began to move to other communities. With the advent of the automobile and the waning of the logging era, the railroad became less important and railroad routes began to be eliminated (see railroad history page for more). Gradually many of the businesses began to close.

The poppulation gradually diminished over the early 1900s and times were hard. Several fires and a small pox epidemic challenged the village, but it survived through tough times. The bank shut down in the early 1920s. Boyne Falls never had another bank except briefly in the 1970s.