Camarillo, California
Encyclopedia
Camarillo is a city in Ventura County
, California
, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at the 2000 census. The Ventura Freeway
(U.S. Route 101) is the city's primary thoroughfare.
Camarillo is named for Adolfo
and Juan Camarillo
, two of the few Californio
s (pre-1848 California natives of Hispanic ancestry) to preserve the city's heritage after the arrival of Anglo settlers. As with most cities in Ventura County, it is noted for its resistance to new development. Some of the most desirable land in the city limits, located on the north and south sides of the Ventura Freeway, is "permanently" zoned for agricultural use. The construction in these zones shows the progress made towards erosion of this permanence. It is home to the Ventura County, California
, Sheriff's Department Academy, as well as the department's other assets; such as the VCSD Air Unit, SWAT Unit, Bomb Squad, and Reserve Officer Academy.
Camarillo is located at 34°13′32"N 119°1′56"W (34.225607, -119.032207). According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 19.5 square miles (50.5 km²). 0.015 square mile (0.03884982165 km²) of the area (0.08%) is water.
Camarillo is located in the eastern Oxnard Plain
, with the Santa Susana Mountains
to the north, the Camarillo Hills to the northwest, the Conejo Valley
to the east, and the western reaches of the Santa Monica Mountains
to the south.
was 3,336.3 people per square mile (1,288.1/km²). The racial makeup of Camarillo was 48,947 (75.1%) White, 1,216 (1.9%) African American, 397 (0.6%) Native American, 6,633 (10.2%) Asian, 116 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 4,774 (7.3%) from other races
, and 3,118 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14,958 persons (22.9%).
The Census reported that 64,705 people (99.2% of the population) lived in households, 155 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 341 (0.5%) were institutionalized.
There were 24,504 households, out of which 8,103 (33.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,565 (55.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 2,386 (9.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,078 (4.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,099 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 158 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 5,986 households (24.4%) were made up of individuals and 3,231 (13.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64. There were 17,029 families
(69.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.14.
The population was spread out with 15,115 people (23.2%) under the age of 18, 5,164 people (7.9%) aged 18 to 24, 15,895 people (24.4%) aged 25 to 44, 17,825 people (27.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 11,202 people (17.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
There were 25,702 housing units at an average density of 1,315.1 per square mile (507.8/km²), of which 17,059 (69.6%) were owner-occupied, and 7,445 (30.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.2%. 45,522 people (69.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 19,183 people (29.4%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 57,084 people, 24,376 households, and 15,242 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,015.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,164.2/km²). There were 24,376 housing units at an average density of 1,159.4 per square mile (447.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.90% White, 1.90% African American, 0.52% Native American, 9.40% Asian, 0.60% Pacific Islander, 13.20% from other races
, and 3.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.10% of the population.
There were 24,376 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $62,457, and the median income for a family was $72,676 (these figures had risen to $78,677 and $92,683 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $51,507 versus $36,240 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $28,635. About 3.6% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or older.
On October 13, 2010, the Camarillo City Council voted 5-0 to withdraw from the Ventura County Library
System, and enter into a public-private contract with Library Systems & Services
(LSSI) of Germantown, Maryland, a private company that administers several libraries throughout the United States, to provide locally hired staffing and to manage the day-to-day operations of the City of Camarillo Public Library. Under the partnership agreement, the library will remain in the public trust, managed by the City of Camarillo and operated by LSSI.
Nearby Academic Libraries: California State University Channel Islands, California Lutheran University
, St. Thomas Aquinas, Moorpark College
, Oxnard College
, and Ventura College
.
Snow has only fallen about 3 times in the last thirty years and is seldom more than a dusting. Snow is often visible during the winter months above the 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) level in the mountains to the north. The proximity of the ocean sometimes causes morning fog in the spring and early summer.
Camarillo is primarily a bedroom community made up of large housing tracts, with elementary schools and small strip malls serving the nearby neighborhoods. The primary public high schools serving Camarillo are Adolfo Camarillo High School
in Mission Oaks and Rio Mesa High School
, just over the Oxnard/Camarillo line. A new high school near the intersection of Lewis Road and Las Posas Road is planned. The private Cornerstone Christian School is also located in Camarillo. The Boys and Girls Club of Camarillo located at 1500 Temple has been serving the community and providing a positive place for kids since 1967. The Club serves close to 400 kids per day and is primarily funded by donations from the Community. The Club charges $60 per year for membership. The Club is a vital resource for the families of Camarillo. William Locker was appointed CEO/President in October 2009. The YMCA recently opened a new facility on Village at the Park Drive, and a new library was constructed and opened on March 31, 2007.
The incidence of all types of crime committed in the city is far below the national average.
Many sports leagues, including adult leagues, such as baseball, basketball, football, and the largest AYSO soccer league west of the Mississippi are located in Camarillo. An outdoor in-line hockey rink was recently put into Freedom Park, near the Camarillo Airport.
The council is responsible for establishing policy, enacting laws and making legal and financial decisions for the city. A city manager, hired by the council and answerable to it, is responsible for the day to day operation of the city. He is charged with overall management of the five city departments and 97 full time employees. Services such as water, sewer, trash collection, street maintenance and traffic engineering are provided by a combination of contractors and city employees.
Police services are provided by the Ventura County Sheriff's Department under contract to the city, headquartered in a police station owned by the city. The Sheriff's department helicopter fleet is hangared at Camarillo Airport
. Ventura County Fire Department
provides fire protection, with four stations within the city limits.
The major source of city funding is sales tax revenue. The mix of retail and commercial businesses in the city provides a stable tax base. The recent addition of a Factory Outlet Center and a new shopping center has added significantly to the sales tax revenues.
, came upon the Chumash in an area near Point Mugu. He explored the surrounding region and claimed it in the name of Spain in 1542. Cabrillo was followed in 1602 by Sebastian Viscaino on a mapping expedition for the King of Spain. The Chumash continued to inhabit the coast until 1768 when Russians, having established a settlement 800 miles (1,287.5 km) to the north, launched expeditions challenging the Spanish land claims. In the 18th century, the Spanish began settling California and built the first of what would become a chain of 21 missions
in San Diego. Father Junípero Serra establish the ninth mission in Ventura
in 1782 bringing more settlers to the area and exposing the Indians who had settled around the mission to many European diseases to which they had no immunity. Their numbers diminished until the Chumash, once the largest Indian nation in California, had largely vanished by 1839.
in 1837, in the area that is now Camarillo. The grant was later sold to Juan Camarillo, who had arrived in 1834 as a member of the Hijar-Padres Expedition; it was his sons Adolfo and Juan that are credited with the founding of the town that was to bear their name. The earlier proposed name of Calleguas was rejected as too difficult to pronounce.
railroad was built and chose Camarillo as the location for a depot, Springville's existence was threatened. It is now only a dot on the map in an area south of the freeway at the western end of the current Camarillo city limits.
.
. In the late 1940s, building lots on Ventura Boulevard
, the main downtown street, were being offered for $450 and home lots on the adjoining streets were $250, with few buyers. Travel to and from Los Angeles was difficult, owing to the narrow, tortuous road climbing the Conejo Grade to the east of the city.
The main industry during this period was agriculture, and the area surrounding the small town was blanketed with orange, lemon and walnut groves. The State Mental hospital south of the town was the largest employer. A few houses had sprung up to the north and south of town center. The Oxnard Airforce Base, built during World War II to the west of town, the Navy Facility at Point Mugu and the Seabee base at Port Hueneme brought many military personnel to the area, but there was little private industry or other source of non-agricultural employment.
, which bisects the town, was completed from Los Angeles
to points north, making it an easy one-hour trip to Camarillo. The freeway was originally planned to follow the path of Potrero Road, south of Camarillo, which would have completely by-passed the soon-to-be city. However, after much debate, city officials persuaded Caltrans to lay the freeway parallel to Ventura Boulevard, creating the infamously steep descent from the Santa Monica Mountains
, known as the Conejo Grade. The grade is about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) and posted as a 7% grade—which translates as about one thousand feet of elevation change in less than three miles (70 meters per kilometer). There is a California Highway Patrol
brake inspection station at the top of the grade and a stop is mandatory for all 18-wheel trucks. The completion of the freeway facilitated the growth that followed. In 1962, the population was 7,500 and 3M
began construction for the Mincom
and Magnetic Tape Divisions, which would ultimately employ 900 people, becoming the largest local employer. That plant currently houses a factory for 3M spinoff Imation
. Housing tracts were built where orchards once stood. House prices were $14,000 to $65,000.
Many of the home buyers during the 1960s were military veterans, who had been stationed at one of the local bases during their service. The temperate climate and the living conditions lured them back. With the establishment of both the Pacific Missile Range and the Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory at Port Hueneme many found employment that utilized their military training. Other newcomers were those who worked and lived in the San Fernando Valley and were willing to endure the commute for the opportunity to raise their families in a smog-free, semirural environment. Still others relocated here with their employers, like 3M, and Harbor Freight Tools
who built facilities in and around the city to take advantage of the large workforce. Technicolor
Video Services Inc. is the largest DVD duplicator in the world.
was established near the city in the 1930s so that persons suffering from mental illnesses or tuberculosis
could recover in Ventura County's balmy climate. Jazzman Charlie Parker
's "Relaxin' at Camarillo," written while he was detoxing from heroin addiction, is a tribute to the facility. The song "Camarillo" by punk outfit Fear
is also written about the facility. The band Ambrosia
released a song called "Ready for Camarillo" on their 1978 Life Beyond L.A. album. "Ready for Camarillo" also appeared as the single B side of their hit "How Much I Feel." Perhaps the most famous song associated with the facility was "Hotel California
", by The Eagles, which is widely rumored to be about lead singer Don Henley's brother's struggles to overcome a mental disorder, but Henley claims this connection is false. The former hospital is the now the site of California State University, Channel Islands
. The University has retained the distinctive Mission Revival Style architecture
bell tower in the South quad. The band Brazzaville released a video called "Camarillo" in 2007, with mental hospital-like imagery and lyrics concerning lead singer David Brown's relatives' stay in the institution.
Frank Zappa
famously, and perhaps deliberately, mispronounced the city's name in the song Camarillo Brillo
, also about a stay in the institution, but in this case to get clean.
The Camarillo State Hospital was closed in the 1990s and remained vacant until the site was converted into California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI). CSUCI officially opened in August 2002 and is now accredited by the WASC.
to a 1312 acres (530.9 ha) parcel of land located in the north-eastern portion of the city. This parcel was developed as a planned community
over the span of 35 years, and was completed in October 2004. The area developed by Pardee Homes makes up approximately 15% of Camarillo's total land. Due to the decades-long timescale of the project, many residents are unaware of Mission Oaks' proprietary nature, and the area east of Lewis Road (State Route 34
), south of Somis and north of the 101 Freeway is generally thought of as Mission Oaks regardless of which company built the buildings in the area.
, designated "The Promenade". The Promenade is 220000 square feet (20,438.7 m²), while the Premium Outlets is 454,000. The new center has 45 stores and restaurants, bringing the total to about 160
located three miles (5 km) west of the central business district
of Camarillo. The airport has one runway
and exclusively serves privately-operated general aviation
and executive aircraft with no scheduled commercial service.
The airport was originally established in 1942 when the California State Highway Department constructed an auxiliary landing field with a 5000 ft (1,524 m) runway, which was later extended to 8000 ft (2,438.4 m) in 1951 to accommodate what by then had developed into Oxnard Air Force Base
. The airport runway was further extended in 1959 to accommodate jet fighter aircraft such as the Northrop F-89
and McDonnell F-101B
, used as part of the Los Angeles area Air Defense network. In Mid-1960s the base received 17 new F-106 Delta Dart
s. On January 1, 1970, Oxnard AFB was deactivated and the base became surplus property. Oxnard had 99 Officers and 990 enlisted assigned prior to its closing. The last commanding officer of the 414th Fighter Group was Colonel Paul D. Cofer.
Camarillo Airport now serves as the current base of operations of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department Aviation Unit and the home of the VCSD's Training Facility and Academy, the Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center. The Camarillo Airport also serves as the base of operations for the Ventura County Fire Department
and facilitates the Oxnard College Regional Fire Academy and the Ventura County Reserve Officers Training Center.
from San Luis Obispo
to San Diego
and Metrolink's Ventura County Line
from Los Angeles
Union Station
to Montalvo. Nine Pacific Surfliner trains serve the station daily and six Metrolink trains serve the station each weekday. This limited Metrolink service runs only at peak hours in the peak direction of travel (i.e. three morning departures to Los Angeles and three evening arrivals from Los Angeles).
VISTA operates buses between Camarillo and several nearby cities, including the Conejo Express to the Warner Center area in western Los Angeles County.
, while homes on the hillside overlooking the valley (from the south) are from Thousand Oaks. Geographic features supporting these names include:
This Santa Rosa is not the same as the Sonoma County city
of the same name.
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at the 2000 census. The Ventura Freeway
Ventura Freeway
The Ventura Freeway is a freeway in southern California running from Ventura to Pasadena. It is the principal east-west route through Ventura County and in the southern San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. From Ventura to its intersection with the Hollywood Freeway in the southeastern San...
(U.S. Route 101) is the city's primary thoroughfare.
Camarillo is named for Adolfo
Adolfo Camarillo
Adolfo Camarillo, was a prominent land owner, horse breeder, rancher, and philanthropist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Ventura County area of California, U.S.A. Adolfo, along with his brother Juan, Jr., owned much of what later became the town known by their family name, Camarillo...
and Juan Camarillo
Juan Camarillo, Jr.
Juan E. Camarillo, Jr. was a wealthy landowner and philanthropist in Ventura County, California, United States. Juan and his younger brother Adolfo Camarillo lived in Casa Camarillo, and were involved in the mercantile business...
, two of the few Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
s (pre-1848 California natives of Hispanic ancestry) to preserve the city's heritage after the arrival of Anglo settlers. As with most cities in Ventura County, it is noted for its resistance to new development. Some of the most desirable land in the city limits, located on the north and south sides of the Ventura Freeway, is "permanently" zoned for agricultural use. The construction in these zones shows the progress made towards erosion of this permanence. It is home to the Ventura County, California
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
, Sheriff's Department Academy, as well as the department's other assets; such as the VCSD Air Unit, SWAT Unit, Bomb Squad, and Reserve Officer Academy.
Geography
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 19.5 square miles (50.5 km²). 0.015 square mile (0.03884982165 km²) of the area (0.08%) is water.
Camarillo is located in the eastern Oxnard Plain
Oxnard Plain
The Oxnard Plain is a large coastal plain in southwest Ventura County, California bounded by the Santa Monica Mountains, the Santa Susana Mountains, and Oak Ridge to the east, the Topatopa Mountains to the north, the Santa Clara River Valley to the northeast and the Pacific Ocean to the south and...
, with the Santa Susana Mountains
Santa Susana Mountains
The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west separating the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south, from Santa Clara River Valley to the north, and Santa Clarita...
to the north, the Camarillo Hills to the northwest, the Conejo Valley
Conejo Valley
The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both southeastern Ventura County and northwestern Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States...
to the east, and the western reaches of the Santa Monica Mountains
Santa Monica Mountains
The Santa Monica Mountains are a Transverse Range in Southern California, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the United States.-Geography:...
to the south.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Camarillo had a population of 65,201. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,336.3 people per square mile (1,288.1/km²). The racial makeup of Camarillo was 48,947 (75.1%) White, 1,216 (1.9%) African American, 397 (0.6%) Native American, 6,633 (10.2%) Asian, 116 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 4,774 (7.3%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3,118 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14,958 persons (22.9%).
The Census reported that 64,705 people (99.2% of the population) lived in households, 155 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 341 (0.5%) were institutionalized.
There were 24,504 households, out of which 8,103 (33.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,565 (55.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 2,386 (9.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,078 (4.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,099 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 158 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 5,986 households (24.4%) were made up of individuals and 3,231 (13.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64. There were 17,029 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(69.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.14.
The population was spread out with 15,115 people (23.2%) under the age of 18, 5,164 people (7.9%) aged 18 to 24, 15,895 people (24.4%) aged 25 to 44, 17,825 people (27.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 11,202 people (17.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
There were 25,702 housing units at an average density of 1,315.1 per square mile (507.8/km²), of which 17,059 (69.6%) were owner-occupied, and 7,445 (30.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.2%. 45,522 people (69.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 19,183 people (29.4%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 57,084 people, 24,376 households, and 15,242 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,015.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,164.2/km²). There were 24,376 housing units at an average density of 1,159.4 per square mile (447.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.90% White, 1.90% African American, 0.52% Native American, 9.40% Asian, 0.60% Pacific Islander, 13.20% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.10% of the population.
There were 24,376 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $62,457, and the median income for a family was $72,676 (these figures had risen to $78,677 and $92,683 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $51,507 versus $36,240 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $28,635. About 3.6% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or older.
Libraries
Public Library: Effective January 1, 2011, the City of Camarillo Public Library opened as municipal public library.On October 13, 2010, the Camarillo City Council voted 5-0 to withdraw from the Ventura County Library
Ventura County Library
is a public library system of 13 libraries in Ventura County, California. Ventura County Library may be found online at http://www.vencolibrary.org/....
System, and enter into a public-private contract with Library Systems & Services
Library Systems & Services
Library Systems & Services is a company that manages municipal libraries on an outsourced basis. It is the United States fifth-largest library system. LSSI runs 15 library systems in 65 locations...
(LSSI) of Germantown, Maryland, a private company that administers several libraries throughout the United States, to provide locally hired staffing and to manage the day-to-day operations of the City of Camarillo Public Library. Under the partnership agreement, the library will remain in the public trust, managed by the City of Camarillo and operated by LSSI.
Nearby Academic Libraries: California State University Channel Islands, California Lutheran University
California Lutheran University
California Lutheran University is a university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Thousand Oaks, California.-Mission statement:The University's mission statement is as follows:...
, St. Thomas Aquinas, Moorpark College
Moorpark College
Moorpark College is a California state college located on a property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. It was established in 1967 and as of 2006, had an enrollment of 16,580 students and 175 full-time faculty members....
, Oxnard College
Oxnard College
Oxnard College is a California-state funded community college located in Oxnard, California. It was established in 1975. It serves the Oxnard Plain cities of Oxnard, Camarillo, and the town of Port Hueneme. The college offers two year degrees, as well as career and technical education programs to...
, and Ventura College
Ventura College
Ventura College is a California-state funded community college located in Ventura, California, USA. Established in 1925, the college has a campus with an enrollment of 14,456 students. The college is part of the Ventura County Community College District....
.
Quality of life
Camarillo and the surrounding area has a temperate, Mediterranean-type climate. Its location in a coastal valley brings mild ocean breezes and temperatures in the 70's throughout most of the year. An average rainfall of 13 inches (330.2 mm) occurs primarily from November to February. The city has over 300 days of sunshine a year and an average humidity of 62%.Snow has only fallen about 3 times in the last thirty years and is seldom more than a dusting. Snow is often visible during the winter months above the 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) level in the mountains to the north. The proximity of the ocean sometimes causes morning fog in the spring and early summer.
Camarillo is primarily a bedroom community made up of large housing tracts, with elementary schools and small strip malls serving the nearby neighborhoods. The primary public high schools serving Camarillo are Adolfo Camarillo High School
Adolfo Camarillo High School
Adolfo Camarillo High School is a high school located at 4660 Mission Oaks Boulevard in Camarillo, California. It was recognized as a California Distinguished School in 1996 and in 2009 and a National Blue Ribbon School in 1998. It is part of the Oxnard Union High School District. The land was...
in Mission Oaks and Rio Mesa High School
Rio Mesa High School
Rio Mesa High School is located in Oxnard, California and is within the Oxnard Union High School District. It serves the Oxnard communities of Northern Oxnard, River Park, Nyeland Acres, and El Rio, as well as the western portion of the city of Camarillo...
, just over the Oxnard/Camarillo line. A new high school near the intersection of Lewis Road and Las Posas Road is planned. The private Cornerstone Christian School is also located in Camarillo. The Boys and Girls Club of Camarillo located at 1500 Temple has been serving the community and providing a positive place for kids since 1967. The Club serves close to 400 kids per day and is primarily funded by donations from the Community. The Club charges $60 per year for membership. The Club is a vital resource for the families of Camarillo. William Locker was appointed CEO/President in October 2009. The YMCA recently opened a new facility on Village at the Park Drive, and a new library was constructed and opened on March 31, 2007.
The incidence of all types of crime committed in the city is far below the national average.
Many sports leagues, including adult leagues, such as baseball, basketball, football, and the largest AYSO soccer league west of the Mississippi are located in Camarillo. An outdoor in-line hockey rink was recently put into Freedom Park, near the Camarillo Airport.
Government
At the city's incorporation in 1964, a council-manager form of government was created. The five member city council is elected at large for four year terms. As of January 2011, the mayor of Camarillo is Mike Morgan.The council is responsible for establishing policy, enacting laws and making legal and financial decisions for the city. A city manager, hired by the council and answerable to it, is responsible for the day to day operation of the city. He is charged with overall management of the five city departments and 97 full time employees. Services such as water, sewer, trash collection, street maintenance and traffic engineering are provided by a combination of contractors and city employees.
Police services are provided by the Ventura County Sheriff's Department under contract to the city, headquartered in a police station owned by the city. The Sheriff's department helicopter fleet is hangared at Camarillo Airport
Camarillo Airport
Camarillo Airport is a public airport located three miles west of the central business district of Camarillo, a city in Ventura County, California, United States. It is roughly equidistant from Los Angeles, CA and Santa Barbara, CA although it is inland...
. Ventura County Fire Department
Ventura County Fire Department
The Ventura County Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency response services for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, and for six other cities within the county. Together, these areas compose the Ventura County Fire Protection District in the state of California,...
provides fire protection, with four stations within the city limits.
The major source of city funding is sales tax revenue. The mix of retail and commercial businesses in the city provides a stable tax base. The recent addition of a Factory Outlet Center and a new shopping center has added significantly to the sales tax revenues.
Pre-Columbian
The Chumash Indians were the first known settlers in what is now known as Ventura County. Fishermen built their villages along the Pacific Coast near the mouths of the Calleguas Creek and Santa Clara River. Artifacts from their settlements are on display in the Ventura County Historical Museum and their paintings are still visible on canyon walls and in caves in the area.European exploration
The Portuguese navigator Juan Cabrillo, while exploring the Pacific coast for the king of SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, came upon the Chumash in an area near Point Mugu. He explored the surrounding region and claimed it in the name of Spain in 1542. Cabrillo was followed in 1602 by Sebastian Viscaino on a mapping expedition for the King of Spain. The Chumash continued to inhabit the coast until 1768 when Russians, having established a settlement 800 miles (1,287.5 km) to the north, launched expeditions challenging the Spanish land claims. In the 18th century, the Spanish began settling California and built the first of what would become a chain of 21 missions
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
in San Diego. Father Junípero Serra establish the ninth mission in Ventura
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
in 1782 bringing more settlers to the area and exposing the Indians who had settled around the mission to many European diseases to which they had no immunity. Their numbers diminished until the Chumash, once the largest Indian nation in California, had largely vanished by 1839.
Mexican independence
By the early 1820s, Mexico had gained independence from Spain, and shortly afterward California allied itself with Mexico. The Mexican land grant system was liberalized in 1824 resulting in many large grants in California and the proliferation of Ranchos north of the border. One grant to José Pedro Ruiz created Rancho CalleguasRancho Calleguas
Rancho Calleguas was a Mexican land grant in present day Ventura County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José Pedro Ruiz. The grant was south of Rancho Las Posas, and east of Rancho El Rio de Santa Clara o la Colonia, north of the Rancho Guadalasca, and west of Rancho El...
in 1837, in the area that is now Camarillo. The grant was later sold to Juan Camarillo, who had arrived in 1834 as a member of the Hijar-Padres Expedition; it was his sons Adolfo and Juan that are credited with the founding of the town that was to bear their name. The earlier proposed name of Calleguas was rejected as too difficult to pronounce.
Springville
At about same time the town of Springville had begun to form just to the west of the emerging town of Camarillo but when the Southern PacificSouthern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
railroad was built and chose Camarillo as the location for a depot, Springville's existence was threatened. It is now only a dot on the map in an area south of the freeway at the western end of the current Camarillo city limits.
St. John's Seminary
Don Juan Camarillo, brother of Adolfo, donated 100 acre (0.404686 km²) to be used as a seminary to be named in honor of Saint John the Evangelist. The Roman Catholic seminary was founded in 1927 as St. John's SeminarySt. John's Seminary (California)
St. John's Seminary is a Roman Catholic seminary located in Camarillo, California. It is within the Santa Barbara Pastoral Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The seminarians prepare for assignments in dioceses as well as religious orders. St. John's offers the Master of Divinity degree as a...
.
Early growth
Camarillo's growth was slow from founding through World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the late 1940s, building lots on Ventura Boulevard
Ventura Boulevard
Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east–west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley, USA; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real , Ventura Boulevard is one of the oldest routes in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S...
, the main downtown street, were being offered for $450 and home lots on the adjoining streets were $250, with few buyers. Travel to and from Los Angeles was difficult, owing to the narrow, tortuous road climbing the Conejo Grade to the east of the city.
Ventura freeway ("The 101")
In the mid-1950s, the Ventura FreewayVentura Freeway
The Ventura Freeway is a freeway in southern California running from Ventura to Pasadena. It is the principal east-west route through Ventura County and in the southern San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. From Ventura to its intersection with the Hollywood Freeway in the southeastern San...
, which bisects the town, was completed from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to points north, making it an easy one-hour trip to Camarillo. The freeway was originally planned to follow the path of Potrero Road, south of Camarillo, which would have completely by-passed the soon-to-be city. However, after much debate, city officials persuaded Caltrans to lay the freeway parallel to Ventura Boulevard, creating the infamously steep descent from the Santa Monica Mountains
Santa Monica Mountains
The Santa Monica Mountains are a Transverse Range in Southern California, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the United States.-Geography:...
, known as the Conejo Grade. The grade is about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) and posted as a 7% grade—which translates as about one thousand feet of elevation change in less than three miles (70 meters per kilometer). There is a California Highway Patrol
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol is a law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and also acts as the state police....
brake inspection station at the top of the grade and a stop is mandatory for all 18-wheel trucks. The completion of the freeway facilitated the growth that followed. In 1962, the population was 7,500 and 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
began construction for the Mincom
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
and Magnetic Tape Divisions, which would ultimately employ 900 people, becoming the largest local employer. That plant currently houses a factory for 3M spinoff Imation
Imation
Imation is a US based multi-national technology corporation that designs, manufactures and sells recordable data storage media, consumer electronics products and accessories.The company is a 1996 spin off of 3M and is headquartered in Oakdale, Minnesota...
. Housing tracts were built where orchards once stood. House prices were $14,000 to $65,000.
Incorporation in 1964
At this time plans were made for the incorporation of the city to control the rapid expansion. Camarillo became a city in 1964 and soon put into place a General Plan and building codes that were to lead to an attractive city environment. In 1964 the closest traffic signal was 2 miles (3.2 km) from the City center on the road to Point Mugu, and the first shopping center and supermarket were under construction. Because of the late date of city incorporation, the local telephone exchange is still listed as part of Oxnard. Much of the city was expected to be developed to the south of Ventura Blvd, however it was to the north that the new city grew, and the land south of Ventura Blvd remains reserved for agricultural use to this day.Many of the home buyers during the 1960s were military veterans, who had been stationed at one of the local bases during their service. The temperate climate and the living conditions lured them back. With the establishment of both the Pacific Missile Range and the Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory at Port Hueneme many found employment that utilized their military training. Other newcomers were those who worked and lived in the San Fernando Valley and were willing to endure the commute for the opportunity to raise their families in a smog-free, semirural environment. Still others relocated here with their employers, like 3M, and Harbor Freight Tools
Harbor Freight Tools
Harbor Freight Tools is an American privately held company that runs a chain of discount tool retail stores. The company was founded in 1968 by Allan Smidt, primarily selling through its mail order catalog, which still exists today. The Calabasas, California based company offers a large variety of...
who built facilities in and around the city to take advantage of the large workforce. Technicolor
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
Video Services Inc. is the largest DVD duplicator in the world.
Camarillo State Hospital & CSUCI
Camarillo State Mental HospitalCamarillo State Mental Hospital
Camarillo State Mental Hospital, also known as Camarillo State Hospital, was a psychiatric hospital for both developmentally disabled and mentally ill patients in Camarillo, California. The hospital closed in 1997. The site has been redeveloped as the California State University, Channel Islands...
was established near the city in the 1930s so that persons suffering from mental illnesses or tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
could recover in Ventura County's balmy climate. Jazzman Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
's "Relaxin' at Camarillo," written while he was detoxing from heroin addiction, is a tribute to the facility. The song "Camarillo" by punk outfit Fear
Fear (band)
Fear is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1977. The band is credited for helping to shape the sound and style of American hardcore punk, the group started out as part of the early California punk rock scene, and gained national prominence after an infamous 1981...
is also written about the facility. The band Ambrosia
Ambrosia (band)
Ambrosia is an American rock band formed in southern California in 1970. Ambrosia had five Top Forty hit singles between 1975 and 1980.-Formation and inspiration:...
released a song called "Ready for Camarillo" on their 1978 Life Beyond L.A. album. "Ready for Camarillo" also appeared as the single B side of their hit "How Much I Feel." Perhaps the most famous song associated with the facility was "Hotel California
Hotel California (song)
"Hotel California" is the title song from the Eagles' album of the same name and was released as a single in February 1977. It is one of the best-known songs of the album-oriented rock era. Writing credits for the song are shared by Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey...
", by The Eagles, which is widely rumored to be about lead singer Don Henley's brother's struggles to overcome a mental disorder, but Henley claims this connection is false. The former hospital is the now the site of California State University, Channel Islands
California State University, Channel Islands
California State University Channel Islands is a four-year public university located in Camarillo, California, in Ventura County. CSUCI opened in 2002 as the 23rd campus in the California State University system, succeeding the Ventura County branch campus of CSU Northridge...
. The University has retained the distinctive Mission Revival Style architecture
Mission Revival Style architecture
The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style's revivalism and reinterpretation, which drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions in California....
bell tower in the South quad. The band Brazzaville released a video called "Camarillo" in 2007, with mental hospital-like imagery and lyrics concerning lead singer David Brown's relatives' stay in the institution.
Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
famously, and perhaps deliberately, mispronounced the city's name in the song Camarillo Brillo
Camarillo brillo
"Camarillo Brillo" is a song by Frank Zappa and was first included on his 1973 LP Over-Nite Sensation. The song's lyrics make use of many colloquialisms and made-up words. The title itself is a pun; Zappa incorrectly pronounces Camarillo, the name of a city in California, to rhyme with Brillo, a...
, also about a stay in the institution, but in this case to get clean.
The Camarillo State Hospital was closed in the 1990s and remained vacant until the site was converted into California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI). CSUCI officially opened in August 2002 and is now accredited by the WASC.
Mission Oaks
Mission Oaks is the name given by developer Pardee HomesPardee Homes
Pardee Homes is a residential real-estate company founded in 1921 by George Pardee Sr. He was joined by his three sons in the Los Angeles housing boom after World War II. They began building in southern Nevada in 1952, selling affordable homes to veterans for...
to a 1312 acres (530.9 ha) parcel of land located in the north-eastern portion of the city. This parcel was developed as a planned community
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
over the span of 35 years, and was completed in October 2004. The area developed by Pardee Homes makes up approximately 15% of Camarillo's total land. Due to the decades-long timescale of the project, many residents are unaware of Mission Oaks' proprietary nature, and the area east of Lewis Road (State Route 34
California State Route 34
State Route 34 is a short state highway in the U.S. state of California.-Route description:SR 34 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System....
), south of Somis and north of the 101 Freeway is generally thought of as Mission Oaks regardless of which company built the buildings in the area.
Camarillo Premium Outlets
In the mid-1990s, multiple large retail centers, including one of California's largest outlet malls and movie theater were built south of US 101 and west of Carmen Drive. These new retail centers have provided a large influx of cash to the city; from 1993 to 1998 sales tax revenues nearly doubled from approximately $3.5 million to approximately $6.5 million. On April 23, 2009, several new shops and restaurants opened at the Camarillo Premium OutletsStrip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...
, designated "The Promenade". The Promenade is 220000 square feet (20,438.7 m²), while the Premium Outlets is 454,000. The new center has 45 stores and restaurants, bringing the total to about 160
Top employers
According to the city's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WellPoint WellPoint WellPoint, Inc. is the largest health plan company in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. It was formed when WellPoint Health Networks, Inc. merged into Anthem, Inc., with the surviving Anthem adopting the name, WellPoint, Inc... |
1,191 |
| 2 | Pleasant Valley School District | 658 |
| 3 | Harbor Freight Tools Harbor Freight Tools Harbor Freight Tools is an American privately held company that runs a chain of discount tool retail stores. The company was founded in 1968 by Allan Smidt, primarily selling through its mail order catalog, which still exists today. The Calabasas, California based company offers a large variety of... |
556 |
| 4 | St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital is a hospital in Camarillo, California, USA, and is operated by Catholic Healthcare West, along with its sister hospital Saint John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA.... |
532 |
| 5 | Hi-Temp Insulation | 480 |
| 6 | Zebra Technologies Zebra Technologies Zebra Technologies is a manufacturer of thermal bar code label and receipt printers, RFID smart label printer/encoders, card and kiosk printers, based in Vernon Hills, Illinois. Zebra has products in 100 countries around the world... |
418 |
| 7 | Technicolor | 404 |
| 8 | Ventura County Star Ventura County Star -History and Ownership:It was founded in 1925 by the John P. Scripps Newspaper Group, which merged with E. W. Scripps in 1986.Around 1936, the Star acquired the Ventura Free Press , and began publishing as the Ventura County Star-Free Press in 1938. It dropped the Free-Press addition in November... |
280 |
| 9 | SolarWorld SolarWorld SolarWorld is a German company dedicated to the manufacture and marketing photovoltaic products worldwide by integrating all components of the solar value chain, from feedstock to module production, from trade with solar panels to the promotion and construction of turn-key solar power plants... |
254 |
| 10 | Vitesse Semiconductor | 252 |
| 11 | Teledyne Scientific & Imaging | 188 |
| 12 | Data Exchange | 165 |
Camarillo Airport
Camarillo Airport is a public airportAirport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located three miles (5 km) west of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Camarillo. The airport has one runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
and exclusively serves privately-operated general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and executive aircraft with no scheduled commercial service.
The airport was originally established in 1942 when the California State Highway Department constructed an auxiliary landing field with a 5000 ft (1,524 m) runway, which was later extended to 8000 ft (2,438.4 m) in 1951 to accommodate what by then had developed into Oxnard Air Force Base
Oxnard Air Force Base
Oxnard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located within current city limits, approximately west of central Camarillo, California...
. The airport runway was further extended in 1959 to accommodate jet fighter aircraft such as the Northrop F-89
F-89 Scorpion
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
and McDonnell F-101B
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
, used as part of the Los Angeles area Air Defense network. In Mid-1960s the base received 17 new F-106 Delta Dart
F-106 Delta Dart
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
s. On January 1, 1970, Oxnard AFB was deactivated and the base became surplus property. Oxnard had 99 Officers and 990 enlisted assigned prior to its closing. The last commanding officer of the 414th Fighter Group was Colonel Paul D. Cofer.
Camarillo Airport now serves as the current base of operations of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department Aviation Unit and the home of the VCSD's Training Facility and Academy, the Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center. The Camarillo Airport also serves as the base of operations for the Ventura County Fire Department
Ventura County Fire Department
The Ventura County Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency response services for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, and for six other cities within the county. Together, these areas compose the Ventura County Fire Protection District in the state of California,...
and facilitates the Oxnard College Regional Fire Academy and the Ventura County Reserve Officers Training Center.
Rail
Camarillo has one train station, served by both Amtrak's Pacific SurflinerPacific Surfliner
The Pacific Surfliner is a Amtrak regional passenger train route serving communities on the coast of Southern California between San Diego and San Luis Obispo....
from San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
to San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
and Metrolink's Ventura County Line
Metrolink Ventura County Line
Metrolink's Ventura County Line is a commuter rail line serving Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. Service on this line began in 1992 as one of Metrolink's original three lines, with service from Moorpark to Los Angeles Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles...
from Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
Union Station
Union Station (Los Angeles)
Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los Angeles, California. The station has rail services by Amtrak and Amtrak California and Metrolink; light rail/subways are the Metro Rail Red Line, Purple Line, Gold Line. Bus rapid transport runs on the Silver Line...
to Montalvo. Nine Pacific Surfliner trains serve the station daily and six Metrolink trains serve the station each weekday. This limited Metrolink service runs only at peak hours in the peak direction of travel (i.e. three morning departures to Los Angeles and three evening arrivals from Los Angeles).
Buses
CAT operates one scheduled bus line on Monday through Friday within Camarillo, and Dial-A-Ride services for the disabled on Monday through Saturday.VISTA operates buses between Camarillo and several nearby cities, including the Conejo Express to the Warner Center area in western Los Angeles County.
Camrosa, or Santa Rosa, area
A rural region northeast of Camarillo, California may be referred to as Santa Rosa or Camrosa. Camrosa is believed to be a contraction of Camarillo and Santa Rosa. The area includes just over a five mile (8 km) distance along Santa Rosa Road from the city limit east to Moorpark Road. The area is unincorporated as of 2007. Wired telephone service to the area appears comes from the Camarillo telephone exchangeTelephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
, while homes on the hillside overlooking the valley (from the south) are from Thousand Oaks. Geographic features supporting these names include:
- Santa Rosa ValleySanta Rosa ValleyThe Santa Rosa Valley is a small valley in Ventura County, California about long and wide containing the rural community of Santa Rosa, which is sometimes considered to an outlying neighborhood of Camarillo, although not within its territorial limits. It is bordered on the south by the...
, USGS feature ID 249122. - Camrosa Water Treatment Plane, part of the Calleguas Water District, 7385 Santa Rosa Road.
- Santa Rosa Elementary, 13282 Santa Rosa Rd., Pleasant Valley Elementary School Dist., USGS feature ID 249119.
- Arroyo Santa Rosa, a stream with USGS feature ID 238765.
This Santa Rosa is not the same as the Sonoma County city
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
of the same name.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Camarillo include, in alphabetical order:- Bob and Mike BryanBob and Mike BryanTwin brothers Robert Charles Bryan and Michael Carl Bryan are American professional tennis double players. They have been the World No. 1 doubles player for over 270 weeks and have finished the ATP year-end number 1 doubles team a record 7 times...
, brothers and professional tennis players - Brandon CruzBrandon CruzBrandon Edwin Cruz is an American former child actor and currently a punk rock musician, and also works in drug and alcohol rehabilitation. In the late 1960s, the freckled-faced Cruz came to prominence by playing Tom Corbett's charming and conniving son, Eddie Corbett, in the comedy-drama The...
, actor and musician - Cyrus NowrastehCyrus NowrastehCyrus Nowrasteh , born September 19, 1956, is an American screenwriter and director of theatrical films, television shows, and made-for-TV movies. He is best known for his involvement in the controversial docudrama The Path to 9/11.- Biography :...
, screenwriter, producer and director - Kaley CuocoKaley CuocoKaley Christine Cuoco is an American film and television actress. She first came to attention for her role as Bridget Hennessy on the Emmy Award-winning sitcom 8 Simple Rules. She later starred as Billie Jenkins on the final season of the supernatural drama series Charmed...
, actress - Scott FujitaScott FujitaScott Anthony Fujita is an American football linebacker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
, linebacker for the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Bobby KimballBobby Kimball (American football)Bobby Kimball is a former wide receiver in the National Football League. He was a member of the Green Bay Packers for two seasons....
, wide receiver for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Emil SitkaEmil SitkaEmil Sitka was a veteran American actor who appeared in hundreds of movies, short films, and television shows, and is best known for his numerous appearances with the Three Stooges—nearly 40...
, actor - Patrick WarburtonPatrick WarburtonPatrick John Warburton is an American actor of television, film, and voice. He is best known for his several TV roles, including the title role of The Tick, David Puddy on Seinfeld, the evil Johnny Johnson on NewsRadio, and anchorman Jeb Denton on Less Than Perfect...
, actor - Jason WadeJason WadeJason Michael Wade is the lead vocalist, main songwriter, and guitarist of the American alternative rock band Lifehouse.-Biography:...
, musician - Marcus Young, actor
- Mad Mike, musician
- Jessica MendozaJessica MendozaJessica Mendoza , is an American softball player of Mexican descent, who played for the United States women's national softball team from 2004-2010 and a four-time first team All-American at Stanford University from 1999-2002. Mendoza wears number two and plays outfield...
, usa softball team , usssa pride - Delmon YoungDelmon YoungDelmon Damarcus Young is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He is the younger brother of former major league outfielder and first baseman Dmitri Young. He was born in Montgomery, Alabama.Young is known for having a strong and accurate...
, left fielder for the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
In popular culture
- The motion pictures Coming Home, Pearl HarborPearl Harbor (film)Pearl Harbor is a 2001 American action drama war film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Randall Wallace, who wrote the screenplay...
, Jay and Silent Bob Strike BackJay and Silent Bob Strike BackJay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a 2001 American action adventure comedy film written, directed by, and starring Kevin Smith as Silent Bob, the fifth to be set in his View Askewniverse, a growing collection of characters and settings that developed out of his cult favorite Clerks...
, Iron EagleIron EagleIron Eagle is a 1986 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Jason Gedrick and Louis Gossett, Jr. While it received mixed reviews, the film earned US$24,159,872 at the U.S. box office. Iron Eagle was followed by three sequels: Iron Eagle II, Aces: Iron Eagle III and Iron Eagle on the...
, Romy and Michele's High School ReunionRomy and Michele's High School ReunionRomy and Michele's High School Reunion is a 1997 comedy film starring Lisa Kudrow, Mira Sorvino, Janeane Garofalo, Camryn Manheim, and Alan Cumming directed by David Mirkin. The plot revolves around two 28-year-old women who appear to have achieved very little success in life and decide to invent...
, and Friday the 13th: A New BeginningFriday the 13th: A New BeginningFriday the 13th: A New Beginning is a 1985 slasher film. It was released on March 22, 1985. It is the fifth film in the Friday the 13th film series...
were filmed in Camarillo. The well used in the film The Ring is also located in Camarillo
External links
- Official city web site
- Camarillo @ The Official Conejo Valley Website, a Web site with local history, events, and community information.
- Camarillo Wiki
- Camarillo Acorn Newspaper