Brochure credits: Max Copenhagen, Editor Ken Eastman, Graphic Design Pleasant Valley Historical Society & Museum 720 Las Posas , Camarillo, CA 93010 (805) 482-3660 • www.pvhsonline.org In 1875, a road was built to connect In the 1880’s, more than 6,000 In 1887, the main line of the the missions established by Padre acres of land were owned by Southern Pacific Railroad ran Serra. Called El Camino Real, it came the American Crystal Sugar Co. It was from Los Angeles to Saugus and down from the south through Newbury later subdivided into 140 small farms. the Santa Clara River to Santa Paula. Park and down Potrero Canyon then In 1898, rail was extended from Ven- across the vast Pleasant Valley, allow- In the 1890’s, wagon trains car- tura to the Oxnard sugar factory, then ing travel between the San Fernando ried grain through the area to to Camarillo and Somis in 1901. With Valley and the missions to the north. Port Hueneme from wheat fields in construction of the Santa Susanna Simi Valley. This primitive road went in 1904, the route north from 1 Before modern agriculture, there 10along Calleguas Creek. 17Los Angeles was significantly short- was a high water table and exten- ened going through Camarillo, and a sive wetlands on the . In 1885, depot opened in 1906. The Butterfield Stage line ran Adolfo The town of Camarillo grew through the area from 1861 to 1887. Camarillo took near the new railroad, and the It went from Thousand Oaks down 11 over responsibility first mercantile store (Sebastian’s) and to the upper Santa Rosa Valley to a for operations on post office opened in 1901. spring near the Santa Rosa School. Rancho Calleguas. He built a large The route was later shifted to Santa Ike Norman operated a black- 2 house in 1892 Susanna Pass. By either route, the smith shop on Somis Road (now and planted “The stage eventually went through the Lewis Road) from 1910 to 1969. early town of Springville. 12Lane”, two rows 3 of eucalyptus Accidents were common on the Springville was near the intersec- trees along the road that would later 18 steep haul routes from the tion of Old Conejo and Wood become U.S. 101. to the Hueneme wharf. . Farms sprang up here when Between 1900 and 1911, five families unclaimed land was found between The Pleasant Valley School Dis- built the safer (now the Spanish land grants. Sheep and trict was established in 1868 and 19Moorpark Road) at the head of the cattle were driven over the hills to is the oldest existing school district in Santa Rosa Valley. water at a nearby spring before mov- Ventura County. A schoolhouse was ing them on to the abattoir at Port built in Springville 1887. The Spring- The main auto route from Los Hueneme. ville School was built in 1930 at the 20Angeles was along the old El 4 corner of Wood and Pleasant Valley Camino Real, since the coastal route The Pleasant Valley Baptist Church Roads and is still used today from Santa Monica was blocked by was founded in 1869. as a residence. Students went the Malibu Ranch. U.S. 101 was one of A post office was estab- 13 to Oxnard for high school the first major highways in California. lished in 1875. By 1879, the from 1901 until 1956 when Santa Clara Water and Adolfo Camarillo High The first housing tract was on Irrigation Ditch Company Barry in 1910, followed was diverting water to School opened. Rio Mesa High School opened in 1965. 21by homes on Davenport and Fulton farms. A hotel was built in . The People’s Tract was ap- Springville in 1880. The oldest school cur- proved in 1952, and the Arneill/Rae- 5 mere tract in 1953, followed by the The first lath and plaster house in rently active in the Edgemont and Sunshine tracts. the area was built on the Totty Pleasant Valley District is Santa Rosa Ranch in 1880. School which first opened in 1911. It In 1914, St. was acquired from the Conejo School Mary Mag- The Center School was built near District in 1975. 22 Somis at Bradley Road and Los dalen Church was built for the Angeles in 1885. Unhrue’s Pleasant Valley School, the first grocery store opened in 1894. The town family by Juan schoolhouse in Camarillo, was Camarillo. It was of Somis was established by Thomas built in 1895.14 In 1921, a new school was Bard in 1892. designed by Albert 6 built with eight classrooms. Five more C. Martin. From Somis School was built in 1895. were added in 1928 and there was its hilltop posi- The Somis Thursday (Women’s) major new construction in 1947. The 23tion, the chapel 7Club, founded in 1904, moved into the auditorium served as a community was the dominant old school building in 1924 and con- center for many years. landmark of Pleasant Valley. tinues there to this day. 15 Lima beans were first planted In 1917, the Buckhorn Saloon Jonathan and James Fulkerson here about 1890 by Michael opened in the Cawelti Building were blacksmiths in Somis in 1892. Flynn, Joseph Lewis, and Adolfo Ca- at Somis Road and Old Conejo Road. It 8They opened a hardware store in 1912. marillo. operated as a business until 2006.

9 16 24 5,000 foot runway. In 1951, the Army Ranch noticed and mounted Rico, one Corps of Engineers extended the run- of the white horses that had been in way to 8,000 feet. The airport runway the parade, chased the camel down was further extended in 1959 to ac- and roped it. commodate jets. There were 99 officers and 990 enlisted stationed there. Actor Joel McCrea consulted with Adolfo Camarillo when The Fulton Hotel opened in From 1941 to 1943, Mike Dizdar he bought his 1,650-acre ranch in the Camarillo in 1915 and burned organized the removal upper Santa Rosa Valley. He asked down in 1927. of neglected graves from him why he had so many more the pioneer cemetery workers on his ranch than the Early in the century, there were to create the park now amount of work required. Ad- producing oil wells at the foot named in his honor. olfo’s answer was “I don’t need of the Conejo Grade, on Pitts Ranch all of them, but they need me”. and in Camarillo Heights. During the war, 42 many soldiers saw The first public library In 1923, the population of Ca- 34the area briefly on their was a shelf in the old 25 marillo was 150. It became way up the coast to Camp schoolhouse. It then moved known as the “chapel city”, the “jewel Roberts. It was the first around to various homes and of the Oxnard plain”. time many of them had stores until 1940, when it be- ever seen an orange tree. 26The Camarillo Daily News be- came part of the first commu- nity center near Dizdar Park. gan as a weekly newspaper in In 1945, a camp for 1926. It ceased publication in 1993. 35 German POW’s was Ventura Highway was re- built on Central Ave. near Vineyard 43aligned to its current location 27 Ave. Its 437 prisoners worked on in 1951. By 1954, the nearby farms. was completed from Los Angeles. Many dairies located here, due Originally planned to follow the path to the good climate and proxim- of Potrero Road, south of Camarillo, 28 ity to Los Angeles. The State Hospital CalTrans decided to lay the freeway 36had its own dairy and brand. Other parallel to Ventura . This brands were Giacopuzzi, McGrath, resulted in the infamously steep 7% Sanitary, Chase and Adohr. Merritt 44descent known as the Conejo Grade. Camarillo State Hospital Adamson and his wife Rhoda Rindge The Camarillo Sanitary District opened in 1936 and was the Adamson, whose parents were the last was founded in 1955. It was largest of its kind in the state. Before owners of the Spanish land grant in considered to be the heart of the it closed in 1997, more than 160,000 37Malibu, founded Adohr Farms and community when the proposed city patients were treated there, including moved it to Camarillo in 1947. boundary was drawn. musician Charlie Parker and actress Francis Farmer. Carmen’s Snack Shop (later Las Posas Country Club opened Dorothy’s Restaurant) was open in 1958. The golf course was St. John’s Seminary was built in from 1947 to designed by Lawrence Hughes. 29 1939 on land donated by Juan 1974. Constable Camarillo. The campus includes the J.C. Ellis would 45The last business in Springville Doheny Library, designed by Wallace enter, point was a gas station and auto Neff. to two people court operated by Sadie Newell until and say “Come 1958. She continued to live on the The Camarillo Protective Asso- with me, you property until 1970. ciation was organized for fire are needed for protection and street lighting, and 38 46In 1959, the Capehart military the jury”. 30hired a night watchman. E.C. Putnam housing tract opened with was the first full time fire chief (1940). In 1947, the population of the 315 housing units on 51 acres. It was area was 800. rebuilt in 2010 as Catalina Heights. The Camarillo Chamber of 47 Commerce was organized in In 1947, El Tecolote restaurant The Ventura Walnut Shelling 1940. The Chamber was instrumental was opened on Barry Street by Company (aka Somis Nut in31 facilitating the incorporation of the Mike Loza. House) was established in 1959 by Ste- City in 1964. phen Resnik when walnut trees were In the 1950’s, a camel from abundant in the area. Camarillo Airport (formerly Jungleland escaped from a 48 Oxnard Air Force Base) began parade and ran down Ventura Blvd. The Ventura Youth Correction- in 1942 when the California State 39from Lewis Road to Las Posas Road. al Facility was established Highway32 Department constructed a 40Meliton Ortiz from the Camarillo 49north of town in 1962. 41 33 50 The Pleasant Valley Recreation & On October 22, Councilman-Elect Ned Park District was established in Chatfield flew to Sacramento to de- 1962. The Oak Grove Park at the foot of liver the results of the election and re- Conejo Grade was donated by Adolfo ceive the Certificate of Incorporation Camarillo. Kihi Pool in Somis served from the Secretary of State. He then the community for recreational flew directly back to Camarillo and swimming and pool parties until the the first meeting of the City Council Aquatic Center opened in 1969. was convened in the Pleasant Valley 51 In 1963, the County swept the School auditorium. streets only once a year. New ordinances had been drafted to In 1963, the 5,500-acre Camarillo provide a seamless transition and not Ranch went up for sale and leave the new city temporarily with- the land was developed into hous- out laws. All of these had to be read ing and commercial buildings. The out loud before the vote, a process ranch house, barn and 4.4 acres were that took over four hours. A budget of donated to the City. $144,360 was passed and Kay Kelly was hired as the first city employee. 52 The first area supermarket, Vons, was opened in the Pon- The incorporation movement The Camarillo Daily News collected 53derosa Shopping Center in 1963. came out of the Chamber of names, and Charter Resident certifi- Commerce, and a key planning meet- cates, signed by the new City Council, In 1963, 3M built a magnetic ing at Carmen’s Snack Shop (later Dor- were issued to people living within tape factory that employed 900 othy’s Restaurant) on Ventura Bou- the new city limits at the time of the people, becoming the largest local levard that was attended by Harold election, and the rest…is history. employer before closing in 2008. Kinch, Earl Joseph, Guy Turner, Bob In September 1964, a record In 1964, Joel McCrea sold 1,500 Littell, Ray Liddle, Dr. John McHale, crowd of 91,300 attended the 54acres of his ranch in the Santa Tom Bohan, Dr. Fred DeLay, Dick Ventura County Fair. Rosa Valley. De- 63Miller, Stan Daily, Ted Daniel and Max scribing himself Riave. An Incorporation Study Com- The first light in the area 55as a rancher with mittee was then organized consist- was at Las Posas and Pleasant an acting hobby, ing of George Longo, Max Grant, Bill Valley Roads. In 1964, a traffic light he was active in Fuller, Bob Mason, Robert Cribb and was installed at the corner of Arneill Camarillo, espe- Edith (Tweedy) Rouce. and Las Posas Roads. cially with the 64In October 1964, gasoline was 56Boys & Girls Club. In 1963, Oxnard tried to annex Las 30 cents/gallon. Posas Estates and provide sanitation In October 1964, pork chops sold services for the new “Monte Vienda” at Von’s for 39 cents/lb. subdivision which would have served 65 In October 1964, a can of Ajax as an anchor for further annexation. Cleanser sold for 7 cents. This aggressive reach by Oxnard stim- ulated an interest to incorporate, and The Pleasant Valley Historical a petition was filed with the County Society was founded in 1964. to incorporate 5.4 square miles. The Charter members were Ruth Andress, 66 main reasons for wanting to incorpo- Pat Bell, Stanley Daily, Geraldine 57Fitzgerald, Richard Underwood, rate as a city were to have home rule Jack Fulkerson, Dan Hartman, Irene and good planning, to create our own Two card rooms had to close Kitchen, Gloria Longo, Jack McEwen, destiny. 58 after a vote of the new City Patricia Meredith, Fred Stein and An election was held on September 29, Council in 1964. The Council also Edith (Tweedy) Rouce. 59 1964 to decide if we should become a banned door-to-door peddlers. Since its inception, the Pleas- city. There were 3,739 eligible voters In October 1964, the favorite- ant Valley Historical Society and it was a 64% turnout. There was movie was Mary Poppins. has honored 439 local residents as a vote on forming the new city, and a Dons & Doñas. vote for members of a new city coun- Hit songs in 1964 were “Work- cil. The vote was 1,990 in favor of in- In October 1964, you could buy a ing My Way Back To You” (The corporation, 353 against. The new City 67 house for $13,000. Four Seasons) “I Get Around” (The Council was Earl Joseph (Mayor), Stan Beach Boys) “Everybody Loves Some- In October 1964, a stamp for Daily (Vice Mayor), Ned Chatfield, Guy body” (Dean Martin) and “House of 60first class mail was 5 cents. Turner and Edith (Tweedy) Rouce. 68the Rising Sun” (The Animals). 69 61 62 The proposed city boundaries In the early 1970’s, Leisure Vil- Being in an ideal location in a did not include most of Ca- lage and Mission Oaks master coastal climate, but well out- marillo Heights, which had a popula- plans were initiated, and construction side the Los Angeles area, Camarillo tion of 1704 people in 1960. of all-electric Leisure Village, a 2,136- continued to be attractive. In 1981, a unit retirement community, began in citizens’ initiative ordinance, Measure 1965, Ray Corrigan sold his 1973 and was completed in 1984. A, was passed to achieve a steady rate movie ranch, Corriganville, to of residential growth. Greenbelt agree- Bob Hope for $2.8 million. Pardee Corporation developed ments were made to protect the open 1,312 acres of land in Mission George Longo, Max Riave and space and agricultural areas around 70 81Oaks over 35 years, completing the 93the community along with the SOAR Harold Bell secured the water project in 2004. supply for the City by leading a ballot (Save Open Space and Agricultural measure for the Calleguas Water Dis- The population of Camarillo Resources) ordinance. trict to become part of the Metropoli- was 25,111 in 1970. tan Water District. Camrosa Water 71 When the Air Force Base District was established in 1966. closed in 1970, many in Ca- A & W 82marillo were concerned that it might 72Root become a regional airport for large Beer opened jets, so a condition of closure was to downtown, abandon the western end of the long but later 83runway. It is now a public airport with closed due to one runway for general aviation. The new Camarillo City Li- expansion of The last base commanders brary opened in 2007. It is 65,621 the freeway. 84 were Col. Cofer and Col. Herb square feet, four times larger than its 73The City’s official flower is the Prevost, who closed the base in 1970. former location on Ponderosa Drive. Bougainvillea Fiesta. A General Plan for the City Studio Channel Islands Art Las Posas Village Shopping Cen- was written in 1974 by a citi- Center was located on the ter was built in 1967. zens committee of 100. CSUCI campus until 2010, when class- rooms were leased for artists’ studios Organized in 1968, Camarillo Early locations for city hall 94on the former campus of Pleasant Players and the Children’s The- 85were the Pleasant Valley School Valley School on Ventura Blvd. The ater were combined in 1975 to form and the old Bank of America building Studios now have forty-two Artists in the Camarillo Community Theater. on Palm Drive. It moved to its current Residence. 74 location on Carmen Drive in 1977. In 1969, the Camarillo Health In 2010, there were 25,702 hous- 86The PVHS Museum was estab- 95 Care District was established ing units in the area. lished in 1985 75and the Pleasant Valley Hospital was when it obtained Pleasant Valley Fields, a 55-acre approved. The hospital opened in 1973. 87a lease on the sports park, opened in 2011. 76 land and build- The Camarillo Boys & Girls The Springville on ing formerly Club was founded in 1967 and U.S. 101 opened in 2012. moved to Ponderosa & Temple in 1975. owned by the Camino Water In 1980, the population of Ca- 77 Actor Walter Company. 96 marillo was 44,138. By 1990, it Brennan 88 had increased to 52,300 and was 57,077 In 1977, the population was lived on a ranch in the year 2000. In 2010, it was 65,221, 27,641 and there were 9,563 near Moorpark 97with 17% over the age of 65. and was involved dwelling units in town. in Camarillo life. Service organizations 78 In-N-Out Burger opened in He served as grand 98 formed in the area include 1983, the first in Ventura marshall of the Ca- the Lions (1945), Rotary (1955), Kiwanis County. marillo Christmas Parade for several 99(1966), Optimists (1984), Soroptimists years. 79 Camarillo Premium Outlets (1980), Toastmasters (1973), Moose opened in the mid-1990’s and (1984) and American Legion (1946). One reason for incorporating 89now has 160 stores. the City was to provide an The climate here is ideal, with orderly approach to growth, which California State University temperatures in the 70’s most began with the sale of the Camarillo Channel Islands (CSUCI) was 100of the year. Average annual rainfall Ranch. Aerospace and other indus- 90founded in 2002 on the site of the for- is 13 inches, average humidity is 62% tries moved to the area, fueling the mer state hospital. It has 700 employ- and there are more than 300 days of development of new subdivisions. 91ees and more than 7,000 alumni. sunshine each year. 80 92 101