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Reproduced
essentially verbatim (some spelling corrections) from a copy of the
article
found in The Sentinel. The Sentinel was an Oak View newspaper
whose address was:
P.O. Box 504 - MI 9-1754 It was published weekly on Thursday by
Chuck and Faye Hill,
with advertising by Joe Colville
Thursday,
September 11, 1958, THE OAK VIEW SENTINEL
HISTORY OF THE VALLEY
THE ROAD TO OJAI
by Percy G. Watkins
(continued from last week)
THE ROADS AT THE ARNAZ GRADE
As the road to Nordhoff (Ojai) in 1900 passed La
Crosse, (near Casitas Springs), it followed the railroad tracks to
pass the home of Ed Goodyear, son of the man who owned part of the
Arnaz Ranch at that time.
Here the road split. The Nordhoff Road turned to cross
the railroad to go up the San Antonio Creek Valley. The other road
went straight up the Ventura River Valley.
After passing the Goodyear home ( built like so many of
the houses that were here at that time ) the traveler passes a large
barn which was across highway 399 from the present Rancho Arnaz
Cider Mill. West of it, the road wound up to the top of the hill to
the farm land of Ed Goodyear (which now belongs to Henry Olivas).
Mr. Goodyear was killed on this grade a few years later after being
run over by a wagon loaded with corn.
After passing the barn, the road passed some buildings
of the Arnaz Ranch. The road then went past the old adobe house to
again cross the San Antonio Creek.
The road then proceeded up the Creek past a house which
belonged to a many named Amesbury. He was, I think, one of the
members of the crew who was drilling the oil well van Epps managed.
This house, and the land which belonged to it was sometimes known as
the Harmison Ranch. Alfalfa grew on this land. ( It's now known as
the Littlefield Ranch ).
The road again leads to Ranch No. 1, with its No. 1
well flowing sulphur water. Beyond the barn and shop stood the house
Tom Bard built to house and feed the men associated with him in
drilling California's first drilled oil well.
Across the Creek was the Arnaz School ( Oak View's
first school ), which was built in 1883 and is still standing. ( It
is now occupied by the N. Amescua's ). Not far from this point, the
road forked and the Creek Road continued on up the San Antonio Creek
Valley. And the other one went up the old grade to what is now the
central part of Oak View.
At this point was a row of mail boxes which marked the
end of the Ventura Star Route. An old-fashioned steel-perforated
sign indicated the distance to Ventura and to Nordhoff by both
routes. A US Geodetic Survey marker stood at this point.
(to be continued) |
