Newbury Park, California

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Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement

Newbury Park is a populated place<ref name=gnis/><ref>Snyder, Tom (2014). Pacific Coast Highway: Traveler's Guide. St. Martin's Griffin. Page 153. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Dr. Raza, Moonis (1990). Geographical Dictionary of the World. Concept Publishing Company. Page 1279. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name="auto">Real Estate Communications, Inc. (1984). California Real Estate Directory. Page 201.</ref> in Ventura County, California, United States. Most of it lies within the western Thousand Oaks city limits, while unincorporated areas include Casa Conejo and Ventu Park.<ref name="Bidwell, Carol A. 1989 Page 54"/><ref name="conejovalleyguide"/> The town is located in Southern California around Template:Convert from the Pacific Ocean and has a mild year-round climate, scenic mountains, and environmental preservation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> About 28,000 residents of Thousand Oaks reside in Newbury Park.<ref name="lat19990617">Template:Cite news</ref>

Newbury Park makes up around 40 percent of the total land area of Thousand Oaks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lying within the Conejo Valley in the northwestern part of the Greater Los Angeles Area, Newbury Park abuts the Santa Monica Mountains. It is approximately 35 miles (56 km) from Downtown Los Angeles and less than 7 mi (11 km) from the Los Angeles County border in Westlake Village. The closest coastal city is neighboring Malibu which may be reached through winding roads, a bike path, or hiking trails crossing the Santa Monica Mountains.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It makes up all of ZIP code 91320, and is within area code 805.

Etymology

Timberville was a 19th-century name for Newbury Park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Brant, Cherie (2006). Keys to the County: Touring Historic Ventura County. Ventura County Museum. Page 135. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Bidwell, Carol A. (1989). The Conejo Valley: Old and New Frontiers. Windsor Publications. Page 32. Template:ISBN.</ref> Newbury Park is named after its founder Egbert Starr Newbury,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 22. Template:ISBN.</ref> who was also the first postmaster in the Conejo Valley in 1875.<ref>Maulhardt, Jeffrey Wayne (2010). Conejo Valley. Arcadia Publishing. Page 119. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="auto3">Sprankling, Miriam and Ruthanne Begun (2012). Tales and Voices of the Conejo. Newbury Park, CA: Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 97. Template:ISBN.</ref> Egbert Starr Newbury called his ranch here "Newbury Park", which became the name for the entire town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Durham 2000 119">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Choate, Gretchen Luther 1973 234">Template:Cite book</ref>

Newbury had purchased 2200 acres of a former rancho in the Conejo Valley, but he and his family lived there for only six years. They returned to Michigan in 1877 because he was forced into bankruptcy due to crop and livestock losses after a protracted drought.

The Newbury Park Post Office has operated at numerous sites, but the Newbury Park name has survived, even though much of the area was incorporated into the city of Thousand Oaks.<ref name="conejovalleyguide.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

Newbury had chosen the name "Newbury Park" for the US post office, as he felt the area looked like a park.<ref>Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society. Pages 7 and 40. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Sprankling, Miriam (2002). Discovering the Story of The Conejo Valley. Newbury Park, CA: Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 29. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Begun, Miriam and Ruthanne Sprankling (2009). Ladies of The Conejo. Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 18. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name="auto3"/>

History

Pre-colonial period

File:Boney peak.jpg
Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is a Chumash habitation site<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> at the foothills of Mount Boney, which is a sacred site for the Chumash.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
File:La-Branca-Barranca-Newbury-Park-Arroyo-Conejo-Nature-Preserve-2016.jpg
A large Chumash village was located just north of La Branca (Arroyo Conejo Open Space).<ref name="auto1">Maxwell, Thomas J. (2000). Hiking In Wildwood Regional Park: Natural History, Folklore, and Trail Guide. California Lutheran University (CLU). Page 77.</ref>

Anthropologist John P. Harrington wrote, c. 1900, what he was told by the local Chumash people:

Early one morning in 9080 B.C., the ancestral grandfather from whom I took my name, headed west on one of his most adventurous hunting trips ever... As the group climbed Old Boney, they looked back to the north and could see the pleasant openings of the Conejo and Hidden Valleys. There, there appeared to be good grazing ground for the mammoth herd and they proceeded thence.<ref>Maxwell, Thomas J. (1982). The Temescals of Arroyo Conejo. California Lutheran College. Page 9. Library of Congress Catalog Number 82-072788.</ref>

This story may be related to the lore about the Paleo-Indians, who are believed by some to be the distant ancestors of the Chumash.<ref>Maxwell (1982). The Temescals, Pages 5–9.</ref> Mammoth fossils were unearthed in Newbury Park in 1961 and later in 1971. They are on display at the Stagecoach Inn Museum.<ref>Maxwell (1982). The Temescals, Page 5.</ref> The Newbury Park area is believed to have been inhabited by people of the Chumash culture for at least the past 6,000,<ref>McTigue, Mickey (1993). Mountain Biking the Coast Range: Ventura County & the Sespe Guide 4. Fine Edge Publications. Page 17. Template:ISBN.</ref> 7,000,<ref>Brundige, Don and Sharron (1994). Bicycle Rides: Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. B-D Enterprises. Page 220. Template:ISBN.</ref> 8,000,<ref name="auto4"/> or perhaps 10,000 years.<ref>Tennesen, Michael (2007). Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Western National Parks Association. Pages 13–14. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name="Bidwell, Carol A. 1989 Page 13">Bidwell, Carol A. (1989). The Conejo Valley: Old and New Frontiers. Windsor Publications. Page 13. Template:ISBN.</ref>

The Newbury Park area was previously the site of three Chumash villages: Satwiwa by the southern edge of town, and two villages located near today's Ventu Park Road. These villages were settled 2,000 years ago, and had a population of 100–200 inhabitants in each village.<ref name="Bidwell, Carol A. 1989 Page 13"/><ref>Casey, Lynda (1984). The Story of the Conejo Valley: The Westlake Chumash Indians. Westlake Research Committee. Page 5.</ref>

In addition, a large Chumash village was located just north of what is now known as Wildwood Regional Park in the Arroyo Conejo Open Space.<ref name="auto1"/> Other nearby villages include Lalimanux (Lalimanuc or Lalimanuh) at the base of the Conejo Grade by westernmost Newbury Park,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Kayɨwɨš or Kayiwish (Kawyis) (CA-Ven-243), also near the Conejo Grade.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> This region contains numerous pictographs.<ref>Maxwell, Thomas J. (1982). The Temescals of Arroyo Conejo. California Lutheran College. Page 93. Library of Congress Catalog Number 82-072788.</ref>

The Newbury Park area contains many ancient burial sites, most near the Santa Monica Mountains in the southern portion of the community. Many burial items have been discovered in the area, most notably by Rancho Sierra Vista in southern Newbury Park. Satwiwa, which is Chumash for "the bluffs", was the name of a nearby village by the Big Sycamore Canyon. The canyon was a popular trading route for the Chumash and Tongva people, connecting the Conejo Valley to Mugu Lagoon through the Santa Monica Mountains.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Straus, Naomi (2004). Let's Go California 10th Edition. Macmillan. p. 474, Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Satwiwa is now protected as a part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.<ref>Stienstra, Tom and Ann Marie Brown (2012). Moon California Hiking: The Complete Guide to 1,000 of the Best Hikes in the Golden State. Avalon Travel. Page 711. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Lightfoot, Kent G. and Otis Parrish (2009). California Indians and Their Environment: An Introduction. Page 258. University of California Press. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Eargle, Dolan H. (1992). California Indian Country: The Land & The People. Trees Company Press. Page 122. Template:ISBN.</ref> But the remains of two other Chumash villages are located on private lands by Ventu Park Road. These are known as CA-Ven-65, CA-Ven-261, and CA-Ven-260 near the fieldhouse in Newbury Park. At CA-Ven-261 is an ancient Chumash burial site, which suggests that the village existed here for a considerable time.<ref>Maxwell, Thomas J. (1982). The Temescals of Arroyo Conejo. California Lutheran College. Page 137. Library of Congress Catalog Number 82-072788.</ref>

File:Chumash ap tri village stagecoach inn newbury park ca.jpg
Replica of a Chumash house ('ap) at the Tri-Village Complex at Stagecoach Inn

The Ventureño Chumash initially settled in the west end of the Santa Monica Mountains because of the abundant food supply. Roots, berries, seeds, bulbs, acorns and walnuts were plentiful in the region, and a variety of wildlife including birds, deer and squirrels made for good hunting. Shellfish and fish were transported from the nearby Mugu Lagoon across the Santa Monicas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The abundance of jackrabbits and other rabbit species were hunted widely for fur and meat. At one point, the Chumash here gathered a group of 27 men and killed hundreds of rabbits during a rabbit round-up, which was a significant event of late summers in the Conejo Valley.<ref>Maxwell, Thomas J. (1982). The Temescals of Arroyo Conejo. California Lutheran College. Pages 78. Library of Congress Catalog Number 82-072788.</ref>

Various Chumash artifacts from these older settlements, along with petroglyphs, have been found along the Arroyo Conejo, at Rancho Sierra Vista, and particularly in the Santa Monica Mountains.<ref>Ciolek-Torrello, Richard (2006). A Passage in Time: The Archaeology and History of the Santa Susana Pass State Historical Park, California. Statistical Research. Page 42. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Whitley, David S. and Ellen L. McCann (1980). Inland Chumash Archaeological Investigations. Institute of Archaeology. Pages 155 and 255.</ref>

The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center and the Stagecoach Inn Museum in Newbury Park have displays based on some of these finds,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as does the Chumash Indian Museum in Thousand Oaks.

In partnership with Friends of Satwiwa, in 1978 the National Park Service began talks of developing the current Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center and Natural Area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Boney Mountain in southern Newbury Park is identified as a sacred site for the Chumash, and nearby Satwiwa is frequently used by the Chumash Barbareño-Ventureño Band of Mission Indians for private events, such as traditional dances and sacred ceremonies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Kennedy, Frances H. (2008). American Indian Places: A Historical Guidebook. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Page 243. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name="LAT 1991-06-19">Template:Cite news</ref>

19th century

File:José de la Guerra y Noriega (cropped).jpg
Newbury Park was part of Rancho El Conejo, owned by Don José de la Guerra y Noriega, founder of the prominent Guerra family of California.
File:Stagecoach Inn.jpg
The 1876 Stagecoach Inn was used as a stagecoach hotel for travelers between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.

When the Europeans first arrived in the Conejo Valley, they pressed plow to furrow and fields to barley and wheat.<ref>Schroeder, Anne (2000). Branches on the Conejo: Leaving the Soil After Five Generations. Russell Dean & Company, pg. 121; Template:ISBN</ref> Newbury Park is named after its founder, Egbert Starr Newbury, who owned thousands of acres of land in the Conejo Valley and later became the first postmaster.<ref name="Durham 2000 119"/><ref name="Choate, Gretchen Luther 1973 234"/> E.S. Newbury, Howard Mills, and John Edwards were among the first to buy former Rancho El Conejo land in the early 1870s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> El Rancho Conejo was an area which today encompasses most of the Conejo Valley and was named for its many rabbits. Its name derives from a Spanish land grant in California, encouraged by the Spanish- and Mexican governments.<ref>Pryor, Alton (2014). The Mexican Land Grants of California. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Newbury and his wife Fannie moved to California from Michigan of health reasons in 1871. He later became the first postmaster in the Conejo Valley in 1875. The post office was near their house which was located at the current location of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. E.S. Newbury purchased 2,200 acres of land in 1874, which stretched from today's old town Thousand Oaks and into Hidden Valley in southern Newbury Park.<ref>Maulhardt, Jeffrey Wayne (2010). Conejo Valley (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing, pg. 13; Template:ISBN</ref>

File:Egbert-Starr-Newbury-Founder-Newbury-Park.png
Newbury Park is named for its founder, Egbert Starr Newbury.<ref name="auto4">Begun, Ruthanne and Miriam Sprankling (2004). A Visit to the Historic Stagecoach Inn Museum. Newbury Park, CA: Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 9. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Capace, Nancy (1999). Encyclopedia of California. North American Book Dist LLC, pg. 350; Template:ISBN</ref>
File:Conejo hotel timberville newbury park 1880s.jpg
Conejo Hotel at Timberville, 1880s

In the 1870s, Egbert S. Newbury and his wife Fannie moved full-time to their ranch in Conejo Valley which they named "Newbury Park" because the land looked so much like a park community.<ref>Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 7. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name="Begun, Ruthanne 2006 Page 40">Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 40. Template:ISBN.</ref> It consisted of his house, barn, and a guest house for visitors to "enjoy the healthful climate", according to E.S. Newbury.<ref name="Begun, Ruthanne 2006 Page 40"/> The area was remote and only five families lived in the Conejo Valley at the time, all on large ranch lands. The ranches were miles apart and there were no grocery stores, medical facilities, schools, or churches in the valley.<ref>Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 37. Template:ISBN.</ref> Newbury had acres of wheat and owned thousands of sheep. The weather had a great impact on his health, and he wrote to his sister Kittie in Michigan on November 23, 1874:

"take wings and come to Conejo and enjoy our warm bright days all winter... be outdoors instead of confined indoors... I am out all the time and our drives now are just lovely with the country all turning green. The birds stay around our house in flocks all the time... Our roads to the ranch are splendid and they lie through beautiful canyons and large groves of live and white oak and sycamore, then into an open valley with slopes and surrounding hills covered with evergreen oaks...".<ref>Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society, pp. 38–39; Template:ISBN</ref>

File:Timber school newbury park.jpg
Timber School in the 1890s, Newbury Park's first school
File:Newbury park post office 1909.png
Sign near Newbury Park Post Office, 1909

As a result of the increasing interest in the developing Conejo Valley, Newbury functioned as a public relations representative for the Conejo Valley. On December 25, 1875, E.S. Newbury wrote in the largest newspaper in Ventura County at the time, the Ventura Signal, the following words about Newbury Park:

"Next to Ojai and Santa Ana ranchos, the Conejo mountain valley has the best reputation as a health resort. It is well fifteen miles from Port Hueneme. The soil is immensely fertile, producing large crops of wheat and other grain...".<ref>Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society, pg. 42; Template:ISBN</ref>

Before Newbury Park existed, the Grand Union Hotel provided a stopover for travelers that dates back to 1876.<ref>Schroeder, Anne (2000). Branches on the Conejo: Leaving the Soil After Five Generations. Russell Dean & Company. Page 25. Template:ISBN.</ref> The hotel was operated as a health- and pleasure resort,<ref>Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society, pg. 46; Template:ISBN</ref> and provided a rest stop for stagecoach passengers and a gathering place for residents in Newbury Park.<ref>Bidwell, Carol A. (1989). The Conejo Valley: Old and New Frontiers. Windsor Publications, pg. 26; Template:ISBN</ref>

The Conejo Valley pioneers were living in rugged individualism, where travelers had to make their journey over the Conejo Grade or Norwegian Grade to reach Camarillo where they could buy groceries. Newbury Park was an older settlement than Thousand Oaks, where people had settled wedged between Borchard lands on the south and Friedrich land on the north. The residents of the Conejo Valley had to travel to Oxnard for high school, burials or for marriages.<ref>Schroeder, Anne (2000). Branches on the Conejo: Leaving the Soil After Five Generations. Russell Dean & Company, pp. 85-86; Template:ISBN</ref>

File:Egbert Starr Newbury Park Home House.jpg
Painting of the Newbury home, 1870s. The tent held Conejo Valley's first Post Office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>O'Brien, Tricia (2017). Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing. Page 9. Template:ISBN.</ref>

As inhabitants of the valley had to travel to San Buenaventura (Ventura, CA) to get their mail, E.S. Newbury took the initiative to establish a local post office and applied to Washington, D.C. On July 16, 1875, the Newbury Park Post Office was established with E.S. Newbury as its first postmaster.<ref>Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society, pg 41; Template:ISBN</ref>

The Conejo School District was established in March 1877. At the time, the population was 126 in the Conejo Valley.<ref>Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society, pg. 48; Template:ISBN</ref> E.S. Newbury and other residents of the Conejo Valley were unprepared for the 1876–78 drought. There were only six inches of rain in 30 months. The drought devastated Newbury Park and the valley. With no rain, the crops died and natural grasses as well, which were food for the ranchers' sheep. Egbert went bankrupt and decided to move with his family in 1877, and rode with his wagon and family back to Michigan where he ultimately settled in Detroit. On September 28, 1878, the land Egbert once called "Newbury Park" was sold at a sheriff's sale. The post office remained its original name,<ref name="Begun, Ruthanne 2006 Pages 49-50">Begun, Ruthanne (2006). The Newburys of Newbury Park. Conejo Valley Historical Society, pp. 49–50; Template:ISBN</ref> despite having moved from its original destination, which is why Newbury Park has its name today.<ref name="conejovalleyguide.com"/>

Modern history

File:Casa Conejo and Santa Monica Mountains.jpg
Casa Conejo is the oldest planned development in town. It is an unincorporated county island which is part of Newbury Park, but not Thousand Oaks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Newbury Park was a more established and older community than Thousand Oaks at the beginning of the 20th century.<ref name="Schroeder, Anne 2000 Page 86">Schroeder, Anne (2000). Branches on the Conejo: Leaving the Soil After Five Generations. Russell Dean & Company, pg. 86; Template:ISBN</ref>

In the early 20th century, Newbury Park had a few ranches and stores, wedged between Borchard lands to the south and Friedrich land on the north. During the 1940s, Ventu Park behind Newbury Park's main street became a 500-acre real estate development. Lots sold to movie stars and others seeking a rustic retreat. One of the male members of the New York Rothschilds built a large home by Ventu Park and lived in relative seclusion here in the 1940s.<ref name="Schroeder, Anne 2000 Page 86"/>

Prior to the 1960s, Newbury Park was never incorporated as its own city or municipality, it was unincorporated areas of Ventura County with little development. During the 1950s there were speculations persisting that Ventura County officials refused to allow Newbury Park to expand because of a feud with the would-be developers.<ref name="Schroeder, Anne 2000 Page 86"/> Between 1950 and 1970, the Conejo Valley experienced a population boom, and increased its population from 3,000 to 30,000.<ref>McCormack, Don (2000). Santa Barbara and Ventura 2001. Mccormacks Guides, pg. 116; Template:ISBN</ref>

File:Twin-Ponds-Dos-Vientos-Open-Space-Newbury-Park.jpg
Twin Ponds in Dos Vientos
File:Newbury Park CA view from Angel Vista.JPG
Newbury Park as seen from atop Angel Vista (1,603 ft), reached from the Rosewood Trail

Many Newbury Park residents did not want to be part of Thousand Oaks, and many residents fought to stop the incorporation in fear of losing the Newbury Park identity.<ref name="auto2"/> Newbury Park had made failed attempts at creating its own municipality in the early 1960s, not only to create its own city, but to also remain independent of Thousand Oaks. A 1963 attempt at a cityhood election failed when the Janss's Rancho Conejo Industrial Park and the Talley Corporation refused to join the efforts. Activist Reba Hays Jeffries of the Stagecoach Inn had a different explanation for interviewers when addressing why efforts at an independent municipality failed. She claimed the cityhood supporters were required to collect signatures from owners who represented 29% of the land area in Newbury Park. As the efforts collected signatures from 29% of registered voters, and not Newbury Park landowners, the petition never appeared on the ballot.<ref name="Bidwell, Carol A. 1989 Page 54">Bidwell, Carol A. (1989). The Conejo Valley: Old and New Frontiers. Windsor Publications, pg. 54; Template:ISBN</ref> Reba M.H. Jeffries was one of several opponents to the idea of annexation when it was first proposed in 1967. Jeffries feared for the identity of Newbury Park and was quoted in an interview saying: "It's a shame that the Thousand Oaks personality is overpowering to the extent that Newbury Park is losing its large ranches and freedom." Jeffries was also opposed to the proposition to demolish the Stagecoach Inn in 1964, and fought to keep the Newbury Park Post Office in town.<ref>Begun, Miriam and Ruthanne Sprankling (2009). Ladies of The Conejo. Conejo Valley Historical Society, pp. 93–94; Template:ISBN</ref>

File:Amgen Tour of California.jpg
Amgen Tour of California has returned to Newbury Park five times.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The City of Thousand Oaks was formally established on September 29, 1964, and throughout the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, most Newbury Park land was annexed by the City of Thousand Oaks.<ref name="Bidwell, Carol A. 1989 Page 54"/><ref name="conejovalleyguide">Template:Cite web</ref> The annexed area was formerly controlled by Ventura County, but as of 2016, all but Casa Conejo and Ventu Park is within Thousand Oaks city limits. Together with Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park was part of a master planned community by the Janss Investment Company.

Newbury Park has had an increasing population due to the presence of biotechnology firms and technology corporations, such as Amgen (world headquarters) and Baxter, and other high-technology corporations.<ref>Hauf, Tim (2001). Ventura County: A Photographic Perspective. Tim Hauf Photography, pg. 48; Template:ISBN.</ref>

President George W. Bush visited the Newbury Park High School and the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center in 2003.<ref name="nphs">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Spada, James (2004). The Bush Family: Four Generations of History in Photographs. Macmillan, pg. 218; Template:ISBN</ref><ref name="theacorn">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="malibutimes">Template:Cite web</ref>

Housing

File:Wildwood Cyn NewburyParkCA.jpg
New home construction in the Rancho Conejo Village community, an S&S Shapell Inc community, along Wildwood Canyon

The community contains two major new residential areas, Rancho Conejo Village (built on the site of the former Rancho Conejo Airport, where portions of the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World were filmed<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) and Dos Vientos Ranch. The first planned community in Newbury Park was Casa Conejo, located in a roughly square-shaped unincorporated area.

Geography

File:Casa Conejo view.jpg
View of the Oakridge Estates neighborhood, an S&S Shapell Inc community, adjacent to Casa Conejo, as seen from Rabbit Hill in Knoll Park

Newbury Park can be described as a town,<ref name="auto"/> community,<ref name="Strong, Kathy 2011 Page 42">Strong, Kathy (2011). Southern California Off the Beaten Path: A Guide to Unique Places. Rowman & Littlefield. Page 42. Template:ISBN.</ref> or section<ref name="lat19990617" /> mostly within the Thousand Oaks city limits in addition to rural areas west of Thousand Oaks. Newbury Park is bordered by Lynn Road in the east and the Conejo Grade on the west. It borders the Santa Monica Mountains in the south, while Hill Canyon and the ridges of Conejo Canyons Open Space make up its northernmost area. It has an average elevation of Template:Convert above sea level, and is situated Template:Convert from the Pacific Ocean. Newbury Park is Template:Convert west of Los Angeles.<ref name="auto2"/> It is situated in the southeastern corner of Ventura County, between the Santa Monica Mountains to the south, and protected nature areas such as Wildwood Regional Park to the north. Thousand Oaks proper is to the east and the city of Camarillo is down the Conejo Grade to the west. Newbury Park is made up of ZIP code 91320; however, certain post office boxes by Newbury Road use ZIP code 91319.<ref name="auto2"/>

Compared to eastern part of Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park remains a significantly more rural community which includes for equestrian areas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The recreational areas accessible from U.S. Highway 101 include the Los Padres and Angeles National Forests. Being located less than six miles from the Los Angeles County line, Newbury Park is in the northwestern part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. Newbury Park is both a benefactor and a victim of the modern-day freeway development. It is a planned community, which originally solely functioned as a bedroom community. In recent times, however, Newbury Park has attracted numerous high-tech industries, keeping many of its former commuters home.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Newbury Park has three freeway exits on U.S. Route 101 (the Ventura Freeway). It can also be reached by crossing through the Santa Monica Mountains from the coast. The main road (Potrero Road) through Hidden Valley leads into Newbury Park. There are numerous trailheads including one into the Santa Monica Mountains that leads to the coast. There are also trailheads to Wildwood Regional Park with trails to other portions of Thousand Oaks and Moorpark.

The unincorporated county islands of Casa Conejo, Ventu Park and Kelley Estates are within Newbury Park. Street sign colors vary from unincorporated areas and areas incorporated into Thousand Oaks.<ref name="auto2"/>

File:Dos Vientos Ranch.jpg
Panoramic view of Hidden Valley as seen from Newbury Park, located within the Santa Monica Mountains

Climate

While the Conejo Valley is generally cooler than the San Fernando and Simi Valleys, the temperature remains temperate year-long in Newbury Park. The region has a mild, year-round Mediterranean climate or Dry-Summer Subtropical zone climate, with warm, sunny, dry summers and cool, rainy winters. Vegetation is typical of Mediterranean environments, with chaparral and grasses on the hillsides and numerous western valley oaks. Its elevation ranges from about Template:Convert (excluding hills). The area has slightly cooler temperatures than the surrounding areas, as it receives cooler air from the ocean through various hill and mountain passes.

Annual rainfall averages about ten inches in Newbury Park, while the humidity averages 52 percent. The temperature ranges from 55 to 77 degrees, and tends to be cooler than in neighboring Thousand Oaks.<ref name="auto2"/>

There are typically at least a few days per year with lows below freezing, occasionally falling into the upper 20s.

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On February 21, 2019, snow fell on the peak of Boney Mountain. Snow falls on the mountain approximately once every 10 years, previously occurring on December 17, 2008.

Cityscape

File:Newbury-Park-From-Wildwood-Regional-Park-In-Thousand-Oaks.jpg
Newbury Park and Amgen seen from Wildwood Regional Park

The physiography consists of prominent knolls, open vistas, surrounding mountains, and native oak woodland. It is characterized by its many rolling green hills.<ref name="Strong, Kathy 2011 Page 42"/> Businesses are centered on both sides of Ventura Freeway, which bisects the community. A number of businesses can for instance be found on Newbury Road, which is named after Egbert Starr Newbury, the founder of Newbury Park.<ref>Begun, Miriam and Ruthanne Sprankling (2009). Ladies of The Conejo. Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 133. Template:ISBN.</ref> The industrial area is centered around Rancho Conejo in northern Newbury Park,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> where corporations such as Amgen, Anthem Blue Cross, DesignworksUSA and Shire (formerly Baxalta) are located. The prominent 2,880 ft. Boney Mountain dominates the Newbury Park horizon from almost any angle.<ref name="vcreporter.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

Newbury Park is bounded by Malibu Coast AVA in the south, home of wineries such as SIP Malibu Grapes, Cornell Winery, and Malibu Family Wines.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Natural hazards

File:Thomas fire from conejo grade newbury park.png
Thomas Fire behind Conejo Mountain, seen from Newbury Park on Dec. 6, 2017

Some of the natural hazards include wildfires,<ref name="cnn">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="huffingtonpost">Template:Cite web</ref> earthquakes, heat waves,<ref name="cbslocal">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="vcstar">Template:Cite web</ref> droughts, landslides and erosion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="latimes">Template:Cite web</ref> The Conejo Valley is relatively often the victim of earthquakes, including the major 1994 Northridge earthquake.<ref>Bolin, Robert and Lois Stanford (2006). The Northridge Earthquake: Vulnerability and Disaster. Routledge. Page 154. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name="nbclosangeles">Template:Cite web</ref> Along with most of Southern California, droughts are prevalent.<ref name="vcstar2">Template:Cite web</ref> The major drought of 1876–1878, with only six inches of rain in thirty months, devastated Newbury Park and forced its founder, Egbert Starr Newbury, to leave the area.<ref name="Begun, Ruthanne 2006 Pages 49-50"/>

Two large fires have seriously threatened Newbury Park in recent years.

The Springs Fire started just west of Newbury Park, right off the U.S. 101 freeway, on May 2, 2013. It burned large portions of many of the hills and mountains surrounding the town, but no structures were lost in Newbury Park due to aggressive firefighting efforts. This fire was extinguished four days later, thanks to an unusual rainstorm falling in the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Hill Fire and Woolsey Fire were separate fires which began within 23 minutes of one another on November 8, 2018. Both threatened many homes in Newbury Park, and while the Hill Fire was contained fairly quickly, the Woolsey fire rapidly got worse and destroyed large areas of southern California. Most of Newbury Park was evacuated for 2–3 days during these fires. Local schools were closed for 2 weeks, for the purpose of repair of smoke damage. No structures in Newbury Park were lost, partially due to aggressive firefighting, and also due to previous burn from the 2013 Springs Fire stopping the spread in that direction.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These fires started just 15 hours after the mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill, thus making it the most difficult day in the city's history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Newbury Park was also affected by the massive Thomas Fire of December 2017, and a smoke advisory was issued by the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District. Subsequently, all public schools were closed on December 6, 2017.<ref name="toacorn">Template:Cite web</ref> An additional 3-acre brush fire, nicknamed the Runner Fire, broke out behind the headquarters of Amgen and Shire (Baxalta) on December 5. Both Amgen and nearby SAGE Publishing decided to evacuate their employees due to thick smoke. The fire had a potential of reaching Hill Canyon due to the warm Santa Ana winds, but was contained before causing major damage or injuries.<ref name="toacorn2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Geology

Newbury Park is the westernmost community in the Conejo Valley, which is located in southern Ventura County. It is a broad, wide, and high-lying incline, with an average elevation of 900 feet above sea level.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is bordered by the steep ridge-lines of the Santa Monica Mountains to the south and southeast, Conejo Mountains to the west and north (including the Conejo Grade in westernmost Newbury Park), and the Simi Hills to the northeast.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

While the Oxnard Plain and the community of Camarillo are immediately to the west, the Santa Rosa Valley is beyond the Conejo Mountains or through Hill Canyon to the north. Beyond the Santa Monica's to the south is the Pacific Ocean, while the San Fernando Valley is beyond the valley's eastern ridges. The physiography is characterized by open vistas, high peaks, creeks and creek-beds, prominent knolls, and native oak woodlands.<ref name="toaks.org"/>

Along with the Santa Rosa-, Tierra Rejada- and Simi Valleys, the Conejo Valley is also drained by tributaries of the Calleguas Creek. Its principal tributary, Arroyo Conejo, flows through Newbury Park in a southwesterly direction before discharging into the Pacific Ocean by the Mugu Lagoon.<ref>Edwards, Ronald D. (1970). Soil survey, Ventura area, California. U.S. Soil Conservation Service, pg. 142.</ref>

File:Camarillo-and-Newbury-Park-as-seen-from-Dos-Vientos-Open-Space-2016.jpg
View of Conejo Mountain (center), Camarillo (left) and Newbury Park (right)

Wildlife

File:Puma concolor puma 5.JPG
Adjacent to Mountain lion habitat in the Santa Monica Mountains to the south and Wildwood Regional Park to the north, lions are relatively frequently observed in Newbury Park.<ref name="abc7.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Being surrounded by open-space wilderness areas and wildlife corridors to both the south and north, the town is home to an abundance of wildlife. Compared to neighboring City of Thousand Oaks, which consists of nearly 50% developed area, Newbury Park remains a significantly more rural community than its counterpart to the east.<ref name="toaks.org">Template:Cite web</ref> Approximately 928 of the 63,000 acres compromising the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is located within Newbury Park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is recognized as the largest urban national park in the United States and is a California wildlife preserve.<ref>Brubaker, Jill (1991). Wildlife California. Chronicle Junior Nature Series. Page 3. Template:ISBN.</ref> Rancho Sierra Vista in southern Newbury Park is one of the primary park units and functions as a crucial Southern California wildlife-corridor.<ref>Butcher, Russel D. (1999). Guide to National Parks: Pacific Region. Globe Pequot. Page 91. Template:ISBN.</ref> Wildlife in the southern edge of town is therefore incredibly abundant, and includes animals such as black bears, eagles, porcupines, deer, prairie wolves, rabbits, falcons, bobcats, foxes, hawks, and more.<ref>Riedel, Monique Del (2009). Best Easy Day Hikes Ventura. Falcon Guides. Page 49. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Brubaker, Jill (1991). Wildlife California. Chronicle Books. Pages 2–3. Template:ISBN.</ref>

The National Park Service estimates a population of 10–15 Mountain lions inhabiting the Santa Monica Mountains as of 2015,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in addition to mountain lions living permanently in Wildwood Regional Park which borders the town to the north.<ref>Maxwell, Thomas J. (2000). Hiking In Wildwood Regional Park: Natural History, Folklore, and Trail Guide. California Lutheran University (CLU). Page 138.</ref><ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> As a result of bordering numerous wilderness areas, there are few dangers presented for the mountain lion, which is consequentially not a threatened species in the area.<ref name="Riedel, Allen 2011 Page 3">Riedel, Allen (2011). Best Easy Day Hikes Conejo Valley. Falcon Guides. Page 3. Template:ISBN.</ref> Because of their large habitat and few dangers, lions are relatively often creating a hazard in suburban areas of Newbury Park.<ref name="abc7.com"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The mountain lion is not the only mammal threatening both inhabitants and their pets,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but outdoor dogs and cats are often prey for an increasing number of coyotes, bobcats, and owls.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An increasing number of snake species in suburban areas have also recently been recorded and poses a threat to people and pets as well.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other animals posing potential danger includes venomous spiders<ref name="Riedel, Allen 2011 Page 3"/> and scorpions, most notably the Stripe-tailed scorpion.<ref>Bachleda, F. Lynne (2002). Dangerous Wildlife in California & Nevada: A Guide to Safe Encounters At Home and in the Wild. Menasha Ridge Press. Pages 118–123. Template:ISBN.</ref>

File:Brachypelma smithi 2009 G03.jpg
Tarantulas, scorpions and the potentially lethal Black Widow Spider all make their habitat in Wildwood Regional Park.<ref>Maxwell, Thomas J. (2000). Hiking In Wildwood Regional Park: Natural History, Folklore, and Trail Guide. California Lutheran University (CLU). Pages 153–154.</ref>

Mammals more frequently encountered than the Mountain lion include the Valley coyote, Bobcat, Mule deer, Gray fox, Desert cottontail, Virginia opossum, California raccoon, Long-tailed weasel, American badger and the Striped skunk. Other species of mammals include the Ring-tailed cat, Spotted skunk, Botta's pocket gopher, Brush rabbit, Broad-footed mole, California vole, Ornate shrew, and three species of squirrel: the California ground squirrel, Western gray squirrel, and Fox squirrel. Mice and rats include the California pocket mouse, House mouse, Western harvest mouse, Deer Mouse, Agile kangaroo rat, Pack rat, Dusky-footed woodrat, and the Brown- and Black rat. There are eleven recorded species of bats.<ref name="toaks.org"/> Amphibians include the Blackbelly salamander, Ensatina, Western skink, and numerous toad- and frog species: California toad, American bullfrog, California treefrog and Pacific treefrog.

The Western pond turtle is an endemic species to the Arroyo Conejo and other creeks. Newbury Park is home to an abundance of reptiles, including lizards such as the Western fence lizard, Coast horned lizard, Common side-blotched lizard, Southern alligator lizard, Teiidae and the California legless lizard. There are eleven species of snake recorded in the Greater Thousand Oaks Area: Southern Pacific rattlesnake, Ring-necked snake, Western yellowbelly racer, California whipsnake, Coachwhip, Gopher snake, California kingsnake, Two-striped garter snake, Western Black-headed Snake, Lyre snake, and Night snake. Thousand Oaks proper is home to 171 recorded species of birds, including seventeen raptors such as the Barn owl, Cooper's hawk, American kestrel, Prairie falcon, Red-shouldered hawk, Golden eagle, Great horned owl, White-tailed kite, California vulture, Northern harrier, Sharp-shinned hawk, Ferruginous hawk, Merlin and Screech owl. Commonly encountered bird species include the House sparrow, House finch, Brewer's blackbird, Common raven, California towhee, Acorn woodpecker, California quail, and the Red-tailed hawk.<ref name="toaks.org"/>

Demographics

According to the U.S. Census 2010, 76.81% of the population identify as White, 10.72% Asian-American, 1.88% African-American, 0.09% Native-American, and 6.78% claim 'other'. 19.18% of the people in Newbury Park claim Hispanic ethnicity or heritage. As of 2005, only the community of Newbury Park, not including Thousand Oaks, had a median household income of $83,615.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For Thousand Oaks as a whole according to the 2005 US Census Bureau, the median household income was $108,120, while median family income was $110,885.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to Money Magazine, median family income as of 2006 was up to $119,207,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which is substantially higher than both the California median income and U.S. median household income of $64,585.<ref name="bestplaces">Template:Cite web</ref> The median house value is $678,400.<ref name="zillow">Template:Cite web</ref>

Economy

File:Amgenheadquarters.jpg
Amgen is headquartered in Newbury Park and is the world's largest biotechnology firm.

Agriculture was the only industry present in Newbury Park for many decades, and dominated the economy until the 1950s.<ref name="Bidwell, Carol A. 1989 Page 111">Bidwell, Carol A. (1989). The Conejo Valley: Old and New Frontiers. Windsor Publications. Page 111. Template:ISBN.</ref> Today, most of the community is part of the City of Thousand Oaks, whose economy is based on a small range of businesses, with biotechnology, electronics, automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, healthcare, and financing occupying most of Thousand Oaks' employment sector. After the incorporation of large parts of Newbury Park, the City of Thousand Oaks helped revitalize sections of Newbury Park through the former Redevelopment Agency.<ref>Bidwell, Carol A. (1989). The Conejo Valley: Old and New Frontiers. Windsor Publications. Page 159. Template:ISBN.</ref> The global headquarters of biotechnology firm Amgen, DesignworksUSA, as well as the industrial design and styling department of BMW are located in the community, as are offices for Anthem Blue Cross, SAGE Publishing, and Skyworks Solutions.

Amgen has its headquarters in Newbury Park, and is the world's largest biotech company as well as the largest employer in the Conejo Valley.<ref name="Baker, Pam 2002 Page 37">Baker, Pam (2002). Thousand Oaks Westlake Village: A Contemporary Portrait. Community Communications, Inc. Page 37. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name="toaks">Template:Cite web</ref> Founded in 1980, Amgen now employs nearly 7,000, and has attracted hundreds of scientists to the Newbury Park area. Focused on the cutting edge of molecular biology and biochemistry, its goal is to provide a healthcare business based on recombinant DNA technology.<ref>Bidwell, Carol A. (1989). The Conejo Valley: Old and New Frontiers. Windsor Publications. Pages 128–129. Template:ISBN.</ref> Besides Amgen, other major employers include Shire (formerly Baxalta), Baxter Bio Science, Wellpoint Blue Cross, Skyworks Solutions Inc., and many more.<ref name="conejovalley">Template:Cite web</ref> Hewlett-Packard was previously located here.<ref>Chalquist, Craig (2008). Deep California: Images and Ironies of Cross and Sword on El Camino Real. Craig Chalquist. Page 279. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Allen, Patricia A. (1978). Janss: A Brief History. Janss Recognition Committee. Page 18.</ref> Particularly during and after the 1960s, the area started to attract large corporations, biotechnology firms, and other high-technology industries. As a result of the steadily increasing number of high-technology industries in the area, Newbury Park has been dubbed "the next Silicon Valley".<ref name="Bidwell, Carol A. 1989 Page 111"/>

Industry

File:DesignworksUSA Newbury Park.jpg
DesignworksUSA is headquartered in Rancho Conejo, and recognized as one of the ten best consultancies in the world.<ref>Jacobus, John L. (2013). The Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild: An Illustrated History. McFarland. Page 180. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Northern Newbury Park, which had been land owned by the Janss Corporation since 1916, was zoned industrial and an industrial park started to appear here in 1954. A number of industries soon followed Talley Corporation's 1954 move to Rancho Conejo, including Packard Bell, Westland Plastics and Technology Institute Corporation in 1960. Westinghouse Corporation moved to Rancho Conejo Industrial Park in 1961, while Northrop Ventura and North American Science Center moved here in 1963. Capitol Records opened its mail order center for all record club memberships in 1968, while Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) was planning to build a $30 million movie studio here in the late 1960s.<ref>Needham, Beth (1990). Newbury Park. Thousand Oaks, CA: Beth Needham. Page 14.</ref><ref>O'Brien, Tricia (2017). Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing. Page 8. Template:ISBN.</ref> Amgen, Anthem Blue Cross, Skyworks Solutions, SAGE Publishing, DesignworksUSA, Alcoa Fastening Systems & Rings, Spectrum, Condor Pacific Industries, and Shire (formerly Baxalta) are some of the current corporations located in Rancho Conejo.<ref name="vcreporter.com"/> Amazon opened a warehouse here in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of 2017, Amgen employs 5,125 people, or 7.5% of Thousand Oaks' total employment.<ref>http://www.toaks.org/home/showdocument?id=17130 Template:Webarchive (Page 162)</ref> It is the largest employer in Ventura County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Baker, Pam 2002 Page 37"/>

Rancho Conejo Industrial Park contains the majority of Thousand Oaks' industrial businesses. It has over 120 properties as of 2017, ranging from 5,000 sq. ft. to 127,000 sq. ft.<ref>http://www.toaks.org/home/showdocument?id=16994 (Page 32)</ref>

Arts and culture

File:Reconstructed Chumash house 04912.jpg
Reconstructed Chumash house ('ap) at Satwiwa

Newbury Park is home to museums such as the Stagecoach Inn Museum and the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center. Furthermore, the community is home to the Thousand Oaks Community Gallery and its Thousand Oaks Arts Festival. Other festivals include the annual Spring Art & Crafts Festival, featuring more than one hundred craftspeople and artists,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well as the Newbury Park Jazz Festival which is held annually at the performing arts center at Newbury Park High School. Newbury Park Jazz Festival has presented numerous notable jazz musicians, including Grammy Award-winner Gordon Goodwin, Peter Erskine, John Beasley, Bob Sheppard and Steven Houghton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Tri village complex at stagecoach inn newbury park.jpg
The Tri-Village represents three historic periods: the Chumash, Spanish and Newbury's house.<ref name="auto4"/>
File:Newbury Park Branch Library CA.jpg
Thousand Oaks Community Gallery is adjacent to Newbury Park Library.

Stagecoach Inn, originally known as Grand Union Hotel, is a city landmark which appears on the National Register of Historic Places. The inn, which originally was erected in 1876, is now operated as a museum. It is home to a replica of the valley's first school, the Timber School from 1889, as well as a carriage house, blacksmith shop and the "Tri-Village." Anderson Exhibit Hall showcases Chumash artifacts and fossils found in the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is located by the Santa Monica Mountains and is operated by the National Park Service. The center is home to a replica of a Chumash house ('ap), as well as Native-American workshops, programs and art.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Satwiwa is located at the foothills of Boney Mountain, a sacred mountain to the Chumash.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Satwiwa is used by the Chumash Barbareño-Ventureño Band of Mission Indians for events and ceremonies, including summer solstice and the Hutash ceremony.<ref name="LAT 1991-06-19"/>

Newbury Park Library is a 17,000 sq. ft. (1,600 m2) library which is a regional branch of Grant R. Brimhall Library. The library also houses Thousand Oaks Community Gallery, which hosts visual arts exhibitions, workshops, artist presentations and other events.<ref name="toaks.org1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is located immediately across the street from Newbury Gateway Park.

Parks and recreation

File:Mt. Boney, CA.jpg
Mt. Boney in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, from a Newbury Park trailhead.
File:Backbone Trail near Mishe Mokwa.jpg
Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa cuts through the Santa Monica Mountains by Big Sycamore Canyon and connects Newbury Park to Point Mugu, Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

Newbury Park offers miles of trails and a natural environment integrated among its neighborhoods.<ref>Baker, Pam (2002). Thousand Oaks Westlake Village: A Contemporary Portrait. Community Communications, Inc. Page 19. Template:ISBN.</ref> It borders the Boney Mountains State Wilderness Area and the Santa Monica Mountains to the south, the Los Robles Open Space Area to the east, and the Arroyo Conejo Open Space Area and Wildwood Regional Park to the north. In addition to the aforementioned nature areas, the Potrero Open Space is located entirely within the town, while the Hope Nature Reserve is partly in eastern Newbury Park. There are numerous hiking trails nearby, including the Rancho Potrero Open Space Area which connects to trails leading to the Pacific Ocean through the Rancho Sierra Vista Park, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and Point Mugu State Park.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Rancho Sierra Vista is a National Recreation Area in Newbury Park's southern edge and is administrated by the U.S. National Park Service.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> With more than a hundred miles of trails in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Rancho Sierra Vista in southern Newbury Park is a popular nature area for hiking, mountain biking, camping, horseback-riding, and other recreational activities.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> While the Backbone Trail leads to Will Rogers State Beach in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, Sandstone Peak is the highest mountain in the Santa Monica Mountains and another popular hiking destination. The peak provides views of the Pacific Ocean, Malibu, Santa Monica, Conejo Valley, and numerous Channel Islands. The Conejo Mountain Edison Road Trail, commonly known as the Powerline Trail, is located in the Dos Vientos Open Space Area and provides panoramic views of the cities of Camarillo and Oxnard.

File:Hill-Canyon-Wastewater-Plant-Wetlands-Newbury-Park.jpg
Hill Canyon Wetlands make up 15 acres of the La Branca preserve and is a habitat for the Western pond turtle and other reptile-, fish- and bird species.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On the northern end is Wildwood Regional Park, which offers fourteen trails covering more than Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Wildwood is recognized as a natural attraction and a contributing factor to Ventura County being ranked the most desirable U.S. county to live in by The Washington Post in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The regional park comprises Template:Convert and borders Template:Convert of open space.<ref name="conejo-openspace"/> It is accessible from northern Newbury Park and is located within the Thousand Oaks city limits. While Wildwood provides trails to the cities of Thousand Oaks and Moorpark, the Los Robles Trail is a Template:Convert contiguous route to Westlake Village.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Point Mugu is accessible through the Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa in the Santa Monica Mountains to the south. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area comprises more than Template:Convert of natural open-space area, where approximately 928 acres are located within the town's southern edge.<ref name="conejo-openspace">Template:Cite web</ref>

Two campgrounds, Danielson and Circle X, are reached from Potrero Road in Newbury Park.<ref name="Little, Mickey 1997 Page 177">Little, Mickey (1997). Camper's Guide to Southern California: Parks, Lakes, Forest, and Beaches. Taylor Trade Publishing. Page 177. Template:ISBN.</ref>

List of parks and public open-space

List of public-owned open-space areas and parks in Newbury Park:<ref name="conejo-openspace"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Open-Space-Areas-in-Greater-Thousand-Oaks-Area-including-Newbury-Park-and-Westlake-Village.png
Map of public-owned open-space areas in the Conejo Valley, including Newbury Park to the left
File:Dos-Vientos-Community-Park-Newbury-Park.jpg
Dos Vientos Community Park, largest CRPD-operated community park in the Conejo Valley

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File:View-of-Newbury-Park-and-Conejo-Valley-from-Alta-Vista-Open-Space.jpg
Newbury Park as seen from the Alta Vista Open Space by the Conejo Grade in westernmost Newbury Park, looking east.

Politics

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Newbury Park is considered a stronghold for the Republican Party, and had three registered Republican voters for every Democratic voter as of 2007.<ref>Here Publishing (2004). The Advocate No. 917, Jun. 22, 2004. Page 43. ISSN 0001-8996.</ref><ref>Congressional Quarterly Inc. (2007). Congressional Districts: A Portrait of America, pg. 93; Template:ISBN</ref>

Calvary Chapel Godspeak in Newbury Park is a church that is often visited by Republican politicians for speeches and events.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Some notable speakers include Republican nominees for president, Rand Paul in 2013<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Newt Gingrich in 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The senior pastor is Rob McCoy, who was the 2014 Republican candidate for California's 44th State Assembly district and is a former mayor of Thousand Oaks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Richard Sybert of Newbury Park was the Republican candidate for the House of Representatives in 1994 and the 1996, but was defeated both times.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Public safety

File:Newbury Park Fire Station 2018.jpg
The 11,233 sq. ft. Newbury Park Fire Station on Mitchell Rd, which opened in 2017<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Fire department

The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services. Two fire stations are located in Newbury Park.<ref name="vcfd">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="vcfd2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Law enforcement

Ventura County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for Newbury Park.<ref name="McCormack, Don 1999 Page 121">McCormack, Don (1999). McCormack's Guides Santa Barbara and Ventura 2000. Mccormacks Guides. Page 121. Template:ISBN.</ref> They operate a resource center in the city.<ref name="vcsd">Template:Cite web</ref>

Crime

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Newbury Park has one of the lowest crime rates in California.<ref name="McCormack, Don 1999 Page 121"/><ref name="fox5dc">Template:Cite web</ref> Thousand Oaks has ranked as the 4th-safest city in the United States by The FBI.<ref name="cbslocal2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Newbury Park experienced its first homicide in over ten years on November 30, 2017.<ref name="cbslocal3">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

File:Newbury Pk HS sign.jpg
Newbury Park High School is an International Baccalaureate World School.
File:1888 timber school bell cypress elementary.jpg
The 1888 Timber School bell is placed on a monument stand at Cypress Elementary School.<ref>Needham, Beth (1990). Newbury Park. Thousand Oaks, CA: Beth Needham. Page 12.</ref><ref>Fargo, Donna (1983). Conejo Valley Days: A Brief History of the Golden Conejo. Thousand Oaks, CA: Farland Enterprises. Page 16.</ref>

Newbury Park High School has over 2,600 students and a newly refurbished multi-sport stadium. Intermediate schools include Sequoia Middle School and the recently constructed Sycamore Canyon School in Dos Vientos Ranch. All are part of the Conejo Valley Unified School District. <ref name="McCormack, Don 1999 Page 121"/>

Timber School, now known as Conejo Valley High School, is the first of the existing schools, having been built in 1924 to replace the first one-room schoolhouse that was built in 1889. Recent additions to the school were made in the late 1940s and 1950s. Newbury Park Adventist Academy is the second of the existing schools in Newbury Park, founded in 1947.

Media

Thousand Oaks Acorn is the main newspaper serving Newbury Park, while Ventura County Star is a larger regional paper covering the county. Former Newbury Park newspapers have included the Newbury Star by editor Shirley Haigh Sheets (Peggy Page) in the 1960s, as well as Our Town USA and The Newburian, which was published by Newbury Park Adventist Academy with editor Pat Horning. Joseph Canale became the editor of Newbury Park Reporter, after he was sent here in order to establish a Newbury Park edition of the Star Free Press.<ref>Needham, Beth (1990). Newbury Park. Thousand Oaks, CA: Beth Needham. Page 17.</ref>

Transportation

File:Conejo grade.jpg
Driving Northbound on the US 101 Ventura Freeway through the Conejo Grade, in the westernmost portion of the Santa Monica Mountains in Newbury Park

Newbury Park may be reached from four freeway exits on the Ventura Freeway (U.S. Route 101): Exit 46 for Ventu Park Road, Exit 47A for Rancho Conejo Boulevard, 47B for Borchard Road, and Exit 47B/47C for Wendy Drive. Additionally, the community may be reached on route one (Gold Line) by the Thousand Oaks Transit (TOT), which also serves Thousand Oaks, CA and Westlake Village, CA.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other regional transportation services include Ventura Intercity Service Transit Authority (VISTA) and LADOT Commuter Express.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While LADOT connects to communities in Los Angeles County, VCTC Intercity offers transits from Newbury Park to coastal cities such as Ventura and Oxnard. Although there are no railway stations in Greater Thousand Oaks, TOT offers daily transfers to Moorpark Metrolink Station.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Newbury Park was home to Rancho Conejo Airport which opened in May 1960 and closed around 1965. The airport was described in the Los Angeles Times as "the finest executive aircraft facility on the West Coast... and will serve the needs of the fast-moving executives of the space-age industries." It was located next to the Rancho Conejo industrial property, northwest of the intersection of North Ventu Park Road and Lawrence Drive. It was near the mouth of Hill Canyon, immediately west of Lynn Ranch.<ref>Sprankling, Miriam and Ruthanne Begun (2012). Tales and Voices of the Conejo. Newbury Park, CA: Conejo Valley Historical Society. Pages 43-46. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Needham, Beth (1990). Newbury Park. Thousand Oaks, CA: Beth Needham. Page 16.</ref>

Notable people

The community is home to celebrities. Examples include swing bandleader and clarinet player Artie Shaw lived in Newbury Park from 1978 until his death in 2004. Comic book author Jack Kirby lived in Newbury Park for at least his last two decades. Carah Faye Charnow of the band Shiny Toy Guns resides in town. The band The Neighbourhood, M. Ward of She & Him, and Belinda Carlisle from The Go-Go's all grew up in Newbury Park. Jordan Cameron played football for Newbury Park High School and went on to be drafted to the NFL by the Cleveland Browns then as a tight end for the Miami Dolphins. Others include Amanda Bynes who went to La Reina High School, Colbie Caillat, Brandon Mull, and Heather Locklear.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Football player Jamon Brown of the Los Angeles Rams resides in Dos Vientos in western Newbury Park.<ref name="vcstar3">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ocregister">Template:Cite web</ref> Football player Colby Cameron is from Newbury Park, while evangelist George Vandeman lived in the community at the time of his death in 2000.<ref name="latimes2">Template:Cite web</ref> Newbury Park High School has also produced distance runners including Nico Young, Leo Young, Lex Young, and Colin Sahlman. Other notable residents include Olympic water polo silver medalist Merrill Moses, Joe Conley, Craig Saavedra, Andrew Lambo, Will Svitek, Wayne Hooper, Donny Atherton and Marian Mercer.

The soccer player and defender of United States women's national soccer team and Washington Spirit Tara McKeown was born and is originally of Newbury Park.

The soccer goalkeeper of Stanford University from 2018 to 2022 Katie Meyer champion of the NCAA championship in 2019 is also from Newbury Park And studied at Newbury Park Panthers like her teammate from high school Tara McKeown.

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File:It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) - Roadshow Trailer.webm
Portions of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) were filmed in Newbury Park.<ref>Sprankling, Miriam and Ruthanne Begun (2012). Tales and Voices of the Conejo. Newbury Park, CA: Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 44. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Rowan, Terry (2016). Character-Based Film Series Part 3. Lulu, Inc. Pages 209-210. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Holston, Kim R. (2012). Movie Roadshows: A History and Filmography of Reserved-Seat Limited Showings, 1911–1973. McFarland. Page 298. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Rowan, Terry (2017). The Kings & Queens of Hollywood Comedy. Lulu Press, Inc. Page 153. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Because of its relatively close proximity to the studios in Hollywood, numerous TV shows and movies were filmed here, including for example Flaming Frontier (1926), Wild Horse (1931), Clearing the Range (1931), Wuthering Heights (1939), Lassie Come Home (1943), Sands of Iwo Jima (1949),<ref>Hasenauer, Jim and Mark Langton (1998). Mountain Biking Santa Monica Mountains' Best Trails. Fine Edge Productions. Page 85. Template:ISBN.</ref> The Horse Soldiers (1959), and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> More recent movies filmed here includes Bedtime Stories (2008), Gamers: The Movie (2006), Road to the Open (2014), The Diner (2014), and The Double Born (2008).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Various movies have also been shot in Hidden Valley, which borders the Santa Monica Mountains in southernmost Newbury Park. Some movies shot here include Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007), Commando (1985), The Lone Ranger (1956), Come On, Tarzan (1932), Jagged Edge (1985), The Hand (1981), Spinout (1965), Three Hours to Kill (1954), A Lawless Street (1955), and many more. TV-series with shots filmed here include American Horror Story (2011), Justified (2010), Beverly Hills, 90210 (1992), Columbo (1971), Charmed (1988), and We Bought a Zoo (2011) amongst others.<ref name="imdb">Template:Cite web</ref>

Many western-style movies were filmed in Wildwood Regional Park, which borders Newbury Park to the north. Some of the movies and TV-series filmed here include Bonanza, Dodge City, Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Flaming Star, The Big Valley and Wagon Train, as well as films such as Spartacus, Gunsight Ridge, The Grapes of Wrath, and Duel in the Sun.<ref>Schad, Jerry (2009). Los Angeles County: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide. Wilderness Press. Pages 35–36. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Belinda Carlisle was a student at Newbury Park High School, and has credited her song California to her life "growing up in Newbury Park and Southern California."<ref>Carlisle, Belinda (2011). Lips Unsealed: A Memoir. Three Rivers Press. Pages 25–26. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Mullen, Brendan and Don Bolles (2002). Lexicon Devil: The Fast Times and Short Life of Darby Crash and the Germs. Feral House. Pages 43–44. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Points of interest

File:RSV Trail Map.pdf
National Park Service trail map of Rancho Sierra Vista
File:Stagecoach inn newbury park california.jpg
The 1876 Stagecoach Inn is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Places of interest include:<ref>Needham, Beth (1990). Newbury Park. Thousand Oaks, CA: Beth Needham. Page i ("Landmarks").</ref><ref>Sprankling, Miriam and Ruthanne Begun (2006). Historical Tour of the Conejo Valley. Conejo Valley Historical Society. Pages 5-7. Template:ISBN.</ref>

File:View-of-Conejo-Valley-from-Rabbit-Hill-Newbury-Park.jpg
Panoramic view of Newbury Park and the Conejo Valley from Rabbit Hill in Knoll Open Space

See also

References

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Template:Newbury Park, California Template:Thousand Oaks, California Template:Ventura County, California Template:Authority control