History of Oak View, CA 93022
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Click here for pictures of old Oak View and surrounding areas. Click here to go straight to articles about Oak View in years past.
According to research by Patricia L. Fry, Ojai resident and author of
The Ojai Valley: an illustrated history, and who contributed to some about Oak View in an article A History of Oak View
Here are some key points of interest:
- Watermelons were once grown where OV Ranch Market (formerly Dahl’s Market) is now.
- A Sears store used to exist in the OV Ranch Market mall (formerly Dahl’s mall).
- Apricot orchards covered much of the remaining land (see Apricot Street). This area was once called Oak View Gardens, developed primarily for oil workers. (See Percy Watkins’ article The Road to Ojai in the Oak View Sentinel.
- Hiram and Allie Belle Watkins owned 75 acres east of Hwy 33, operated an apricot orchard, and later opened a gasoline service station/grocery store at Hwy 33 and Watkins Way.
- Mrs. Jessie R. Caldwell ran a gas station and grocery in Oak View Gardens (1927), at today's Shell station at Hwy 33 and Santa Ana Blvd.
- Rumor has it the Oak View Library started in 1930 in a garage.
- Glenn Memorial Park, created in memory of Captain Glenn A. Loban and others who lost their lives in the war, sits at the corner of West Apricot and Mahoney Avenue.
- At Rancho Arnaz, Dr. Don Jose de Arnaz (b.1821 Spain) built the adobe home with bricks made by local Indians. In 1930, Thomas Langford’s family developed the land, growing up to 43 apple varieties.
- See some Oak View Sentinel (1958) writings by Percy Watkins.
