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Ventura County: Thousand
Oaks
Nestled neatly within a picturesque plateau, rimmed
by tree-dotted hills and scenic mountains, the City
of Thousand Oaks is 12 miles inland from the Pacific
Ocean, 39 miles west of Los Angeles, and 24 miles Southeast
of Port Hueneme, the only deepwater harbor between Los
Angeles and San Francisco. Situated near the southeastern
edge of Ventura County, adjoining the western edge of
Los Angeles County, in a valley called The Conejo, Thousand
Oaks has more than 117,500 residents within a 55-square-mile
area with an average elevation of 900 feet above sea
level.
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The mountains, hills and plateau
that make up The Conejo Valley are a geologic chronicle
to the Precambrian past when the forces of fire,
ice, wind, and water began to carve the California
landscape as we see it today. Ventura County was
under the ocean with volcanoes rising above the
water's surface. Seashells and other marine fossils
are still embedded in our local hills. Over millions
of years, powerful earthquakes and other natural
forces raised and moved landmasses, sculpted mountains,
valleys, riverbeds, lakes and canyons. |
Evidence indicates that the first native inhabitants lived
in Ventura County 7,000 years ago and were called the
Oak Grove people. The tribes later known as the Chumash
moved into the region about 3,000 years ago and established
more than 40 villages where they lived by harvesting grains
and acorns, and hunting rabbits, boar, deer and other
game. The area's recorded history dates back to 1542,
when explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovered Alta,
California, and anchored in several harbors from San Diego
to Point Conception. He placed his country's flag at Point
Mugu and claimed the land for the King of Spain. Thereafter,
the region remained undisturbed for two and a half centuries
until Spanish explorers and missionaries arrived. In the
early 1800's, a Spanish governor granted over 48,000 acres
of land to two loyal soldiers. One of the grants included
the area that became known as the Conejo Valley, (valley
of the rabbits), within which Thousand Oaks was later
established. For the next half-century, vaqueros roamed
the terrain and tended great herds of cattle. In the late
l800's, the valley began to be parceled into ranchos.
Early pioneers opened a post office and the historic Stagecoach
Inn. In the early l900's, the Janss family, developers
of several Southern California subdivisions, purchased
10,000 acres of Conejo farmland. Field crops, orchards,
chicken, hog, and dairy farms dotted the landscape when
the first local highway made it possible for motorcars
to come out from Los Angeles to see the scenic countryside.
More settlers arrived as well as flocks of tourists to
see jungle animals performing at Goebel's Lion Farm, opened
in 1927, and later called Jungleland. By mid-century,
the Janss Corporation activated plans for a "total
community." Within a decade, there were two shopping
centers, an industrial park, schools, churches, and a
four-year liberal arts college to lure increasingly more
residents to the rural development.
In 1964, the community incorporated as the City of Thousand
Oaks, honoring the majestic, abundant oak trees in the
area. The new city grew according to a general plan that
incorporates controlled growth and a balanced mix of residential
areas, modern shopping centers, schools, business and
industrial centers, parks and open spaces. In the beautiful
ranch-filled Hidden Valley south of Thousand Oaks is the
newly developed movie-star-and-millionaire residential
mecca, developed by David Murdock, called Sherwood Valley.
This peaceful country setting with gate-guarded privacy
is only forty minutes from the bustle of Los Angeles.
Sherwood's lake and 1,900 exclusive acres are sprinkled
with sprawling mansions and a magnificent country club,
including the famous Jack Nicklaus Championship Golf Course.
From the beginning of the general plan, Thousand Oaks
has been dedicated to preserving and maintaining it's
scenic and natural resources. City administration and
planning is accomplished by a 5-member elected City Council
with an appointed City Manager, along with extensive citizen
involvement. The city is committed to offering the finest
quality community services to its residents and businesses.
Since it's incorporation, Thousand Oaks has earned recognition
as one of the safest cities of its size in the nation
and one of the top ten communities for statewide academic
achievement. Also, the city has received awards for it's
more than 2,500 organized recreation and leisure programs
conducted each year within 33 developed parks, 5 play
fields and 1 district park, in addition to the 1,300-acre
Wildwood Park, 12,000 acres of open space and 75 miles
of trails. Thousand Oaks is proud of it's past and present,
and welcomes the new millennium with confidence that the
city will continue to offer a quality suburban lifestyle
within this beautiful natural environment. Thousand Oaks
is conveniently located approximately halfway between
Santa Barbara and Los Angeles on the US 101 Freeway for
easy access to the rest of California and the world.
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