About Me
---History---Simi Valley was once inhabited by Chumash Indians. They lived on what nature provided. Along the coast they had an abundant supply of fish from the ocean, while inland in valleys like our Simi Valley, they ate the seeds from sage, acorns from the oak trees, and whatever small game animals were available.The Chumash were among the most advanced California native peoples. Cave paintings (pictographs) help us to realize how much they knew before contact with the white man. We have a very famous pictograph at Burro Flats near the Rocketdyne facilities. It has been just within the last few years that we learned the importance of this pictograph. This particular cave with its pictographs is now known to have been an astronomical observatory where celebrations were held at the time of the winter solstice. The Chumash would celebrate the "return of the sun" because they knew their existence depended upon it.The Chumash built plank canoes, using only their stone age implements. The canoes were seaworthy enough for trips to all the Santa Barbara Channel Islands. In addition they created fine basketry and were skilled in making wooden bowls, so perfect that they looked as if they had been turned out on a modern lathe.There are many Chumash sites within the Simi Valley and much more to be learned about the Chumash. Some writers contend the name Simi came from the Chumash word "Shimiji", meaning little white clouds (the kind you find during the East Wind or Santa Ana's.)The Spaniards regarded the Chumash as superior to the other Indian tribes of California.El Rancho Simi was the earliest Spanish colonial land grant within Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. in 1795 it was given to members of the Pico family, likely to Santiago Pico and a partner, Luis Pena. It was one of the largest land grants ever made, approximately 113,000 acres. Later when Mexico became independent from Spain, land was handed out much more freely. The most prominent name in connection with El Rancho Simi was that of Don Jose de la Guerra y Noriega of Santa Barbara, who at one time owned about one quarter of a million acres in the two counties. He was captain of the presidio at Santa Barbara and was also a good friend of the mission fathers.Our Simi Adobe was built at the beginning of the Spanish period, likely soon after the grant in 1795, as the local residents had to have some place to live while they operated the rancho. A part of that adobe still exists and is the focal point of our historical park. This was a stopover place between the Missions San Fernando Rey and San Buenaventura. In later years there was a stage stop nearby as well. There is little doubt this adobe was on the main route throughout all those early years.The Pioneer Period in Simi Valley began as easterners began to look around Southern California for land to farm, In the 1860's and 1870's a few Americans began to trickle in; first they continued the raising of sheep and cattle, much as the Spanish had done, and then raising grain. In the late 1880's the real settlement began. Simi Land and Water Company was formed to dispose of the land in the first real estate promotion. A large hotel was built in which persons investigating the real estate could stay while in the valley. The company advertised extensively and some of their ads in other areas reached Chicago, Cincinnati, and the New England states. A group of Chicago doctors, noting the promises of fine weather, etc., decided to come out and start a health resort or sanatorium on the banks of Simi Arroyo, for the ads had shown a river of considerable size, large enough to accommodate a paddle wheel steamer! The group of doctors arranged to have twelve prefab or ready cut houses sent west by rail to Saticoy, and then hauled to Simi by wagon, while the settlers themselves took advantage of the low rates on the railroad. At one time passage west was as low as $1 on one railroad line and $8 on the other line, as they competed for trade!The colony of doctors, called the California Mutual Benefit Company of Chicago, did not really materialize and many returned to their former homes in the Chicago area, but the name stuck. For many years, the little town was referred to as "The Colony", and the houses have always been known as "Colony Houses". Two of them still exist. One is preserved here in our park and the other is still occupied on the corner of 2nd and Pacific.Eventually there were four small settlements or centers of activity in the valley. First was the Colony, or town of Simi. For a brief time, its postal address was known as Simiopolis, though it was soon shortened again to Simi.Talk of a railroad for the next decade or so finally resulted in the decision by Southern Pacific Railroad to build a tunnel through the Santa Susana Mountains. This made a depot necessary in the area, and the town of Santa Susana came into being. The depot was completed first at the crossroads of Tapo Street and Los Angeles Avenue. While the tunnel was being worked on, trains would come up from the west and then return the same way. Finally in 1904 the tunnel was ready for use and this became the main line of the railroad.Santa Susana rapidly became a center for agriculture and railroad activity. Stores, warehouses, lumberyards, section houses for the railroad crews, and a little later, a walnut processing plant and a citrus house went in nearby. None of these buildings are now in existence.By the early 1920's Mortimer Park, later changed to Santa Susana Knolls, was started. Mr. Mortimer had a idea for vacation size lots on which people from the city could build country homes. This area has always been one of the most picturesque in the valley.In the mid 1920's a Community Center was created. A large cement church was built and the Simi Women's Club building was moved nearby in the middle of the valley. Until the later population boom began, this area truly was the center for most of the social and cultural activities in the community and was known as "Community Center". These street names came into being: Church Street, School Street, Deodora Street and others.
