text: name " danville "? does anyone know were the name for the town of " danville " come from in california and when was it first founded danville was settled and named by americans drawn here by the california gold rush. daniel and andrew inman bought 400 acres of old town danville with their mining earnings in 1854, after living here for a summer two years earlier. by 1858, the community boasted a blacksmith, a hotel, a wheelwright and a general store and the townsfolk wanted a post office.  "but what should the community be called?  in an article years later,  dan inman said "quite a number (of names) were suggested." he and andrew rejected "inmanville," finally settling on danville. according to the modest dan, the name was chosen as much or more out of respect for andrew's mother-in-law who was born and raised near danville, kentucky. of course it also recognized the energetic young dan who was later an alameda county assemblyman and supervisor."