Thousand Oaks, California
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| City of Thousand Oaks | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | United States of America | ||
| State | California | ||
| County | Ventura | ||
| Settled | 1875 | ||
| Incorporated | September 29, 1964 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Council-Manager | ||
| - Mayor | Andrew P. Fox | ||
| - City manager | Scott Mitnick | ||
| Area [1] | |||
| - City | 55.0 sq mi (142.5 km²) | ||
| - Land | 54.9 sq mi (142.1 km²) | ||
| - Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.4 km²) | ||
| Population (2000)[2] | |||
| - City | 126,081 | ||
| - Density | 2,132.8/sq mi (823.5/km²) | ||
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) | ||
| ZIP code | 91320, 91360, 91362 | ||
| Area code(s) | 805 | ||
| Website: www.toaks.org | |||
Thousand Oaks, commonly referred to as "T.O." by local residents, is a city in southeastern Ventura County, California, in the United States. It was named after the many oak trees that grace the area, and the city seal is adorned with an oak. The city forms the most populated part of a regional area called the Conejo Valley, which includes Thousand Oaks proper, Newbury Park, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Agoura, Oak Park and parts of Calabasas. The Los Angeles County/Ventura County line crosses at the western city limits of Westlake Village, with Westlake Village proper being entirely in Los Angeles County.
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[edit] History
The area was once occupied by the Chumash people, and 2000-year old cave drawings may still be seen at the Chumash Interpretive Center, in the Lang Ranch section of the city.
The area's recorded history dates to 1542 when Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed at Point Mugu and claimed the land for his country. It eventually became part of the 48,671-acre (197 km²) Rancho El Conejo land grant by the Spanish government, thus becoming the basis of the name Conejo Valley (conejo means "rabbit" in Spanish, of which there are many in the area). It served as grazing land for vaqueros for the next fifty years.
In the late 19th century it was on the stagecoach route between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. The Stagecoach Inn was built in 1876, and is now a California Historical Landmark and a popular museum.
The Janss Family, developers of Southern California subdivisions, purchased 10,000 acres (40 km²) in the early 1900s. They eventually created plans for a "total community" and the name remains prominently featured in the city.
Jungleland USA was one of Southern California's first theme parks. Wild animal shows entertained thousands in the 1940s and 1950s. Many TV and movie productions made use of the park's trained animals and were filmed there (among them, Birth of a Nation, Tarzan, and The Adventures of Robin Hood). The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center today stands on the former site of the park.
The City of Thousand Oaks was incorporated on September 29, 1964. It is known for being entirely a planned community, as the city is one of few that have actually stayed with the master plan. As a result, the city lacks many of the problems of other cities of similar size, such as traffic congestion and pollution. Perhaps as a side effect of this, but probably because of its desirable environment and location, property values have appreciated more than 100% in less than ten years, primarily during the mid-90s to early 2000s.
[edit] Geography
Thousand Oaks is located at (34.189489, -118.875053).GR1 It is situated in the Conejo Valley.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 142.5 km² (55.0 mi²). 142.1 km² (54.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (0.29%) is water.
Although Thousand Oaks has a downtown area (focused around the Janss Marketplace mall, The Oaks mall, and W. Thousand Oaks Blvd.), a large portion of the city's inhabitants live in suburban communities a distance from the commercial centers of the city. The large housing districts near Lynn Road to the north and west are an example of this sprawl, despite attempts by Ventura County planners to reduce it.
[edit] Demographics
As of the 2000 census,GR2 there were 117,005 people, 41,793 households, and 31,177 families residing in the city. The population density was 823.5/km² (2,132.8/mi²). There were 42,958 housing units at an average density of 302.3/km² (783.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.09% White, 1.06% African American, 0.54% Native American, 5.87% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 4.51% from other races, and 2.82% from two or more races. 13.10% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 41,793 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population is spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $76,815, and the median income for a family was $86,041. Males had a median income of $62,814 versus $40,634 for females. The per capita income for the city was $34,314. About 3.2% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over. Poverty, while generally quite uncommon, does exist in different parts of the city, namely among Latino and illegal immigrant populations.
[edit] Crime
Thousand Oaks is well known for being among the safest large cities in the nation. The city consistently ranks as the first or second safest large city (population between 100,000 and 499,999) in the United States in annual surveys (the main competition being nearby Simi Valley).[3]
[edit] Politics
Thousand Oaks is one of the few cities of over 100,000 which does not directly elect its mayor; rather the council members take turns rotating into the position. Amongst former members of the city's council is the late Ed Masry, attorney and activist. Masry achieved notoriety beyond his own community when Albert Finney portrayed him opposite Julia Roberts in the 2000 Academy Award-winning film, Erin Brockovich.
Today the city boasts a very active, and historically "slow growth"-minded city council. Along with the ordinances protecting the numerous oak trees, the city's leaders and residents alike boast of the ring of protected land, free from development, that surrounds the city's borders and which may account for the accelerating land values in recent years. More than 14,000 acres (57 km²) have been designated as "Open Space" containing more than 75 miles of trails. Ironically, the most recent commercial development in the community that adjoins the Civic Arts Center, known as "The Lakes" destroyed a grove of old growth oaks, although great pains were taken to relocate the larger specimens. The continued existence of the well known "open space" around Thousand Oaks will likely be at issue in the future, as scarce land comes under development pressure that accompanies rising population and general demographic trends in the area.
[edit] Economy
The city's economy is based on a small range of businesses, with biotechnology, electronics, and financing occupying most of Thousand Oaks's employment sector. Amgen and Baxter Healthcare Corporation offer many high-tech jobs, while Countrywide and Verizon Wireless manage regional offices. As the city is usually considered a suburb, many residents also commute to neighboring Los Angeles and Westlake Village, where the regional headquarters of many large businesses (such as General Motors) are located.
[edit] Education
Thousand Oaks is serviced by the Conejo Valley Unified School District. It includes numerous elementary schools, Colina Middle School, Redwood Middle School, Los Cerritos Middle School, Thousand Oaks High School, Newbury Park High School, and Westlake High School. Oaks Christian High School, while located immediately outside of Ventura County, matriculates numerous students from the county. California Lutheran University is located in Thousand Oaks.
[edit] Youth & professional sports
Organized sports and recreation for children and teenagers is a major focus of the community. AYSO soccer, Conejo Youth Basketball Association, Pop Warner football, Little League baseball, CYFFA flag football, girls' softball, organized swim team leagues, ice hockey, and even organized lacrosse and field hockey involve hundreds and even thousands of participants and their parents year in and year out.
In August of 1994, a team from Thousand Oaks Little League [1] became the first Little League team in Ventura County to win a World Championship winning the Championship game 20-3. Two years later in 1996, a Senior Division (ages 14-16) Thousand Oaks Little League team won a National Championship. In 2006, Thousand Oaks [2] won the World Championship in the Big League Division(ages 16-18) of Little League by defeating a team from Puerto Rico 10-0. [3]. The Thousand Oaks Big League team were also World Series runner-ups in 2003 and 2005. In the summer of 2004, the Little League National Championship team hailed from Thousand Oaks. The "Conejo Valley East" team of 11 and 12-year olds went 22-0 in local, regional, and World Series tournaments play claiming the national title at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania before losing in the international title game to the team from Curaçao, Caribbean.
In professional sports, the city is home to the Sherwood Country Club, a world-class golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The course hosts an annual golf tournament hosted by Tiger Woods.
In the 1970s California Lutheran University served as the training camp location for the Dallas Cowboys. The CLU football practice field used by the Cowboys as well as the CLU Kingsmen football team was replaced by a large sports complex in 2006. The Cowboys Clubhouse in Thousand Oaks still stands across from the complex, and is currently a family residence.
[edit] Transportation
Thousand Oaks lies in the heart of the Conejo Valley, with the city of Los Angeles to the east and the city of Ventura to the west. The city is served by U.S. Route 101 (Ventura Freeway), as well as California State Route 23. Highway 101 runs through the city and connects it with Los Angeles and Ventura. CA Route 23 connects to the 101 near Downtown Thousand Oaks, and runs north toward Moorpark and Simi Valley. Thousand Oaks is also served by TOT, which stands for Thousand Oaks Transit. TOT buses provide service to Thousand Oaks as well as some neighboring communities.
The city boasts many amenities that other cities of similar size lack; among these is a regional transportation center. The new facility offers bus and shuttle lines to Los Angeles, Oxnard, Ventura, Simi Valley, and Santa Barbara via the VISTA and LADOT bus lines. In addition to being a transfer station from LA and other nearby cities, it also serves as the primary station for TOT buses.
Air travel is provided primarily by Los Angeles International Airport for regular commuters, while the Bob Hope Airport (Burbank Airport) offers easier, less crowded air travel for companies located near the city. The city offers public transportation that runs to both airports. Los Angeles Intl. Airport is approximately 40 miles southeast of the city, while Burbank Airport is approximately 35 miles east of the city.
[edit] Economic Development
Currently, Thousand Oaks is undergoing numerous renovations and development. California State Route 23 is in the process of being expanded to a 6-lane highway, U.S. Route 101 is being upgraded, The Oaks Mall is being expanded by the Macerich Company, and the city has plans to renovate the old Downtown, near the Civic Arts Plaza on Thousand Oaks Blvd.
New homes are also being built in certain areas of the city, primarily the area north of California Lutheran University. However, some residents object to further development due to the destruction of open space, for which Thousand Oaks is well-known. Land value is very high in much of the city, which puts pressure on future plans for current open space.
[edit] Notable residents
Many notable persons have called the Conejo Valley their home over the years. This list includes, in alphabetical order:
- Sparky Anderson, Baseball Hall of Famer
- Frankie Avalon, singer
- George Ball, Broadway performer
- Ray Bradbury, Author
- Erin Brockovich, legal activist. Julia Roberts received an Academy Award for portraying Erin Brockovich in a successful feature film of the same name.
- Amanda Bynes, actress, What I Like About You
- Belinda Carlisle, singer
- Richard Carpenter, singer and songwriter. In 2004, Carpenter and wife Mary pledged $3 million to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Foundation in memory of Carpenter's late sister Karen Carpenter.
- Stephen Furst, actor, Animal House, St. Elsewhere
- Eric Garcia, novelist, Matchstick Men
- Wayne Gretzky, NHL Hockey great, co-owner of a popular restaurant.
- Scott Hamilton, Olympic ice-skating champion
- Mariel Hemingway, actress
- Phil Hendrie, host of The Phil Hendrie Show
- Hulk Hogan, wrestler
- Bob Hope's holdings once included what is now known as the Lang Ranch section of the city.
- Marion Jones, track and field star, graduated from Thousand Oaks High School.
- David Lander, actor, best known for playing "Squiggy" in Laverne & Shirley
- Martin Lawrence, actor/comedian, You So Crazy, Big Momma's House
- Anne Lockhart of Battlestar Galactica (daughter of June Lockhart and granddaughter of Gene Lockhart) lives in the area and is very involved in local community theater groups including the Santa Susana Players.
- Heather Locklear, actress
- Matt Malley, Bassist for Counting Crows and Oscar Nominated songwriter
- Howie Mandel, actor/comedian, St. Elsewhere, Deal or No Deal
- Ron Masak, actor
- Virginia Mayo, film star of the 1940s, donated her extensive collection of Hollywood memorabilia to the Thousand Oaks Library. The Thousand Oaks Library also has an extensive collection of American radio programs and archived memorabilia comprising the best of Radio's Golden Age.
- Amanda McBroom, Broadway performer (who wrote Bette Midler's hit single, The Rose)
- Maureen McCormick, actress, The Brady Bunch
- Joel McCrea, late actor from the 1930s. McCrea and his late wife, actress Frances Dee donated several hundred acres of their ranch property in the early 1960s to the then newly-formed Conejo Valley YMCA on what is now called Joel McCrea Park.
- Kevin Mitnick, former computer hacker.
- Colin Mortensen, cast member on MTV's The Real World
- Tahj Mowry, actor
- Tamera Mowry, actress
- Tia Mowry, actress
- Ted L. Nancy, author of the Letters from a Nut series.
- Margaret O'Brien, actress
- Ben Olson, UCLA star quarterback. Was the top quarterback prospect in the nation at Thousand Oaks High School.
- Sam Querrey, 2006 T.O.H.S. graduate; tennis phenomb. Considered by many (Andy Roddick, Patrick McEnroe, and more) to be the next great American tennis player. Currently on tour professionally.
- R. Kent Rasmussen, author and Mark Twain authority
- Michael Richards, actor, Seinfeld
- Denise Richards, actress
- Mickey Rooney, actor
- Kurt Russell, actor, son of actor Bing Russell, was born and raised in Thousand Oaks.
- Joey Scarbury, singer
- Tom Selleck, actor, Magnum, P.I.
- Artie Shaw, bandleader and composer
- Will Smith, actor/comedian, Men in Black, Enemy of the State and wife Jada Pinkett Smith, actress.
- Mabel Stark, the late "world's only tiger lady trainer" appeared on What's My Line, promoting Jungleland.
- Barbra Streisand, singer, actress Funny Girl, The Way We Were
- Donna Summer, singer
- Frankie Valli, singer
- Lyle Waggoner of The Carol Burnett Show
- Tiger Woods, PGA golfer
[edit] Points of interest
- Conejo Valley Botanical Garden
- Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center
- American Radio Archive
- The Oaks Mall
- Stagecoach Inn
- California Lutheran University
[edit] References
- ^ US Census Bureau Lists of Urbanized Areas
- ^ Demographics. City of Thousand Oaks. Retrieved on 2007-01-26.
- ^ City Crime Rankings by Population Group. Morgan Quitno Awards. Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
[edit] External links
- City of Thousand Oaks official website
- 2004 T.O. Little League team @ ESPN.com
- The History of Jungleland sponsored by Jungleland Skates
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
Incorporated places
Population over 100,000: Ventura (County seat) • Oxnard • Simi Valley • Thousand Oaks
Population under 100,000: Camarillo • Fillmore • Moorpark • Ojai • Port Hueneme • Santa Paula
Census-designated places
Casa Conejo • Channel Islands Beach • El Rio • Meiners Oaks • Mira Monte • Oak Park • Oak View • Piru
Other unincorporated communities
Bardsdale • Bell Canyon • La Conchita • Newbury Park • Point Mugu • Saticoy • Somis
