Thirty-six farms and forty-two original families were in Bovina after it became a separate town. Most of the early settlers were of Scottish descent. It is likely that the hills and valleys reminded them of Scotland. The population in 1820 was 1267 hitting a high of 1436 in 1845, then gradually decreasing to 550 in the 1990 census. Bovina's small size and relative remoteness would seem to preclude it from participation in any significant historical events.

This assumption is not always true. For instance, it played its part in the Anti-Rent war of the 1840s. Anti-Renters gathered to protest the injustice of the land lease system in effect in New York State. Land in Delaware County, as in much of New York, was given by grant or purchase. Owners then induced settlers to lease parts of this land. This method allowed a few families in New York State to control the destiny of thousands of people. Settlers had a difficult task making rent payments and feeding their families. The John Secord Hotel was the site in the hamlet in 1844 of the areas first meeting of Anti Renters. As in other areas of the county and state, they formed an organization to resist evictions. They used tin dinner horns to signal an eviction and warpaint and Calico for a disguise. The most infamous moment in the War took place in nearby Andes with the killing of Under-Sheriff Osman Steele during an eviction. Eighty-four persons were convicted for their role in this incident. Two men were sentenced to hang for the murder, one of them a Bovina resident named Edward O'Conor. The governor later commuted the sentences to life imprisonment. The new governor pardoned all the anti-renters. The result of the anti-rent agitation was that new laws were enacted, which cured some of the evils of the lease-hold system. The tenants were able to buy, at easy prices, the land they had tilled and occupied.

Bovina currently is a 'dry' town, meaning that the sale of alcoholic beverages is not allowed. This has not always been the case. Bovina had several distilleries in the 19th century, including one built by Cornelius Davis in what was then Brushland and another at the Butt End built by William Doolitle. Bovina officially went dry in 1947. Efforts to relax the restrictions since then have failed with the voters deciding to stay 'dry.'

In the 1970s, Bovina had a 'border dispute' with the Town of Andes. This all started when New York State mandated uniform tax maps be created. When these were completed around 1977, they revealed a different border between Bovina and Andes. There were three possible lines: 1) the tax map line; 2) the generally accepted line from the original survey; or 3) the line from the actual description. The original survey contained some errors. The issue was settled by a compromise between the towns and approved by the county and state.

Bovina had industries other than agriculture. Using natural water power, woolen mills, cider mills, grist mills, and sawmills sprang up here and there. The first grist mill was erected in 1796. Early mills sometimes were several miles from farms, requiring a long, backbreaking, and sometimes dangerous journey by foot to grind a farmer's grist into flour. The manufacturing of woolen cloth was first carried out by Thomas H. Johnson and his brother. This involved a carding mill for preparing the wool, a fulling mill for its weaving, and a woolen mill for making the garments. Several shops for blacksmiths, coopers, joiners, tinsmiths and carpenters provided work for people in those particular trades. There were three blacksmith shops in the hamlet. There was also a large tannery. This processed the bark used in tanning hides. Bovina at one time had four cooperages in the hamlet. There were many other small businesses. In the house now owned by Amy Burns was located the town's first telegraph office. There have been stores on the sites of Russells store and the now closed Hilson Brothers for over 100 years. There were hotels on the site of Lillian Hilson's and Burt and Anne Tator's homes and on the site of Mary Jardine's house. The small house that once existed between Therese Aitkens' house and Amy Burn's home was once a tailor's establishment.

The Bovina Center Cooperative Creamery was established in 1902, milk at that time coming from 67 dairies and totaling 22,000 pounds. The creamery closed in the mid-1970's, then became the McIntosh Auction Barn but is now not in use. Today, there are fewer than four working dairy farms in Bovina. Russell's General Store has been operated by the Russell family since January 1, 1919, when Cecil Russell bought the store. He operated it until his passing in 1982. The store is still open. Alex and Jack Hilson operated a general store and feed store but that has been closed for several years. More recently "Heaven,"serving weekend breakfast and lunch, opened in one of Bovina's historic buildings. The Fisk House, selling antiques and gifts, has recently opened. Other than these three, and several bed and breakfast inns, there are no other retail establishments in Bovina.