Topanga, California Topaa'nga (Tongva) | |
|---|---|
 View of Topanga Canyon from one of the hiking trails | |
 Location of Topanga in California andLos Angeles County | |
  Topanga Location in the United States Show map of the United States Topanga Topanga (California) Show map of California Topanga Topanga (the Los Angeles metropolitan area) Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area | |
| Coordinates:34°05′23″N118°36′16″W / 34.08972°N 118.60444°W /34.08972; -118.60444 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Los Angeles |
| Named after | Topaa'nga, a Tongva word perhaps meaning "where the mountain meets the sea" or "the place above" |
| Government | |
| • Senate | Ben Allen (D)[1] |
| • Assembly | Jacqui Irwin (D)[1] |
| • U. S. Congress | Brad Sherman (D)[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 19.134 sq mi (49.558 km2) |
| • Land | 19.127 sq mi (49.538 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0077 sq mi (0.020 km2) 0.04% |
| Elevation | 1,084 ft (330 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,560 |
| • Density | 448/sq mi (173/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 90290 |
| Area codes | 310/424,747/818 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2583164[4] |
| FIPS code | 06-78960 |
Topanga (Tongva:Topaa'nga) is anunincorporated community in westernLos Angeles County, California, United States.[4] Located in theSanta Monica Mountains, the community exists in Topanga Canyon and the surrounding hills. The narrow southern portion of Topanga at the coast is between the city ofMalibu and the Los Angeles neighborhood ofPacific Palisades. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Topanga as acensus-designated place (CDP). As of the2020 census the population of the Topanga CDP was 8,560.[5] TheZIP code is 90290 and thearea code is primarily310, with818 only at the north end of the canyon. It is in the 3rd County Supervisorial district.
Topanga is the largest unincorporated area in Los Angeles County by area, although a majority of it is undeveloped. The2025 Palisades Fire severely impacted the community with the devastation of structures destroyed, forcing evacuations, and multiple road closures.
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Topanga is the name given to the area by the Native American indigenousTongva tribe,[6] and may mean "where the mountain meets the sea"[7] or "a place above". The name in theTongva language,Topaa'nga, has a roottopaa'- that likely comes from theChumash language.[8] It was the western border of their territory, abutting theChumash tribe that occupied the coast from Malibu northward. Bedrock mortars are carved into rock outcroppings in many locations.
Topanga was colonized byMexicans in 1839.[9] In the 1920s, Topanga Canyon became a weekend getaway for Hollywood stars, with several cottages built for that purpose. The rolling hills and ample vegetation served to provide both privacy and attractive surroundings for the rich and famous. During the 1960s, Topanga Canyon became a magnet to many new artists.
In 1965,Wallace Berman settled in the area. For a time,Neil Young lived in Topanga, first living with producerDavid Briggs, then buying his own house. He recorded most ofAfter the Gold Rush in his basement studio in 1970.Charles Manson lived for a time in Topanga, where he briefly befriended Young andDennis Wilson ofThe Beach Boys. Members of theManson Family began their campaign of murder on July 31, 1969, with the murder of Topanga resident Gary Hinman, a music teacher who had opened his home to anyone needing shelter.
On January 10, 2005, after heavy rains, a 25-foot, 300-ton boulder rolled down a hillside and landed on Topanga Canyon Blvd.[10] Photos of the boulder made the news internationally.[11] The boulder blocked traffic for most of a week, cutting off thru traffic between theSan Fernando Valley and the Pacific Coast Highway.[12] Six-foot holes were drilled into the boulder, then low-yield explosives were used to partially blow it up. A previous attempt with dynamite failed due to heavy saturation by rain.[10]
TheJanuary 2025 Southern California wildfires, particularly thePalisades Fire, ravaged through the Topanga State Canyon and parts of the community during extremely highdrought conditions and very severeSanta Ana Winds.[13] The Palisades Fire devastated the lower portion of the community, with most homes near the Topanga State Beach destroyed,[14] along withTopanga Ranch Motel[15] andTopanga State Park. The entirety of Topanga was put under an evacuation order.
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Topanga Creek drains Topanga Canyon and is the third-largestwatershed entering theSanta Monica Bay.[16] The creek is one of the area's few remaining undammed waterways, and is a spawning ground forsteelhead trout.[17] The area averages about 22 inches (560 mm) of rain annually.[18] Topanga Beach[19] lies on the coast at the outlet of Topanga Creek.Topanga Canyon Boulevard, State Route 27, is the principal thoroughfare, connecting theVentura Freeway (US 101) to the north withPacific Coast Highway (SR 1) on the south. The southern portion of the boulevard largely follows Topanga Creek. North of the Old Topanga Canyon Road intersection, the boulevard traverses the Santa Monica Mountains.
Topanga Canyon contains lands ofTopanga State Park, the largest park in the Santa Monica Mountains and one of the world's largestopen space preserves surrounded by a city,[citation needed] as well as theSanta Monica Mountains Conservancy. It is part of theSanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. It primarily represents aCalifornia coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion, with large areas of theCalifornia oak woodlandplant community and a variety ofCalifornia native plants.[20]
This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Topanga has awarm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.[21]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 8,289 | — | |
| 2020 | 8,560 | 3.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[22] 2000[23] 2010[24] 2020[25] | |||
Topanga first appeared as acensus designated place in the2010 U.S. census.[24]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010[26] | Pop 2020[25] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 7,002 | 6,656 | 84.47% | 77.76% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 112 | 112 | 1.35% | 1.31% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 22 | 24 | 0.27% | 0.28% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 343 | 411 | 4.14% | 4.80% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 6 | 0.01% | 0.07% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 24 | 69 | 0.29% | 0.81% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 251 | 523 | 3.03% | 6.11% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 534 | 759 | 6.44% | 8.87% |
| Total | 8,289 | 8,560 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The2020 United States census reported that Topanga had a population of 8,560. The population density was 447.5 inhabitants per square mile (172.8/km2). The racial makeup of Topanga was 79.4%White, 1.5%African American, 0.5%Native American, 4.9%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 2.9% fromother races, and 10.8% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.9% of the population.[27]
The census reported that 99.7% of the population lived in households, 0.3% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.[27]
There were 3,474 households, out of which 26.5% included children under the age of 18, 50.3% were married-couple households, 7.4% werecohabiting couple households, 24.6% had a female householder with no partner present, and 17.7% had a male householder with no partner present. 25.4% of households were one person, and 10.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.46.[27] There were 2,314families (66.6% of all households).[28]
The age distribution was 18.2% under the age of 18, 5.4% aged 18 to 24, 22.1% aged 25 to 44, 33.1% aged 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males.[27]
There were 3,758 housing units at an average density of 196.5 units per square mile (75.9 units/km2), of which 3,474 (92.4%) were occupied. Of these, 76.0% were owner-occupied, and 24.0% were occupied by renters.[27]
The bottom of Topanga Canyon, where it meets Pacific Coast Highway andTopanga Beach, was owned for many years[when?] by theLos Angeles Athletic Club, a wealthy private club in downtown Los Angeles. The 1,659-acre (6.71 km2) parcel was rented out to various businesses and residents for decades at relatively low rents, considering that it bordersMalibu. Lower Topanga became unique as one of the last outposts of the classic Topanga Canyon bohemianhippie lifestyle.
TheChumash people considered Lower Topanga a sacred, economic, and cultural meeting place for tribes all along the coast. One of the main neighborhoods, the "Rodeo Grounds", takes its name from a rodeo arena that existed there on a Mexican ranch in the 1800s.
In the early 1900s, Lower Topanga was a Japanese fishing village.William Randolph Hearst owned the property for a time and turned it into a weekend getaway spot with beach shacks for his andMarion Davies's guests.
In the '60s, a lively community of artists and surfers sprang up in Lower Topanga. They maintained their houses without assistance, sometimes digging them out of the mud after floods or settingbackfires to prevent a spreading wildfire from burning down the neighborhood. The roads remained unpaved.[29]
In 2001, Lower Topanga was sold toCalifornia State Parks. The Lower Topanga community occupied less than 2% of the total purchased land. State Parks relocate residents and bulldozed the houses. (State Parks had already evicted residents who lived directly on Topanga Beach in the late '70s).[30]
A group of 10 Lower Topanga poets calling themselves the "Idlers of the Bamboo Grove" published a book of the same name in 2002, celebrating their community and lamenting the prospect of having to leave. Their publisher,Brass Tacks Press, continued publishing works about Lower Topanga, as well as maintaining an onlineLower Topanga Photo Archive.
Even though Lower Topanga residents were given money to leave, some fought bitterly against their relocation in court. The last holdouts were forced off the land in March 2006.[29]TreePeople and Mountains Restoration Trust are working to restore the area to its condition before development.
Topanga is known as abohemian enclave attracting artists, musicians, filmmakers, and others. Many music festivals have been organized in the canyon, including the Topanga Days Festival and Topanga Earth Day. The Topanga Film Institute[31] hosts the annual Topanga Film Festival.
In the 1950s,blacklisted actorWill Geer sold his large Santa Monica home and moved his family to a small plot in the canyon, where they could grow their own produce. Geer's friendWoody Guthrie had a small shack on the property. They unintentionally founded what became anartists' colony. Since its founding in 1973, the Geer family has continued to operate theWill Geer Theatricum Botanicum. It has grown into anEquity theater, and occupies a natural outdoor amphitheater. It features Shakespearean plays, modern classics, original productions, and concerts. Performers have includedPete Seeger,Arlo Guthrie,Della Reese, andBurl Ives.[citation needed]Odetta was part of the early music scene in the 1960s.[32]
A famous venue in the canyon was theElysium Institute, also known as Elysium Fields, anudist club started byEd Lange in 1967.[33] After surviving extended battles withcounty officials the 9-acre (3.6 ha) property was sold in 2002 by Lange's heirs.[34]
EveryMemorial Day weekend on the grounds of the Topanga Community House, Topanga has a fair and parade called Topanga Days. Topanga Days Country Fair features music, belly dancing, over 80 unique craft vendors, and a variety of food from Cajun to Mexican to vegan. A parade is held on Memorial Day.[citation needed]
Topanga Canyon also hosts an annual reggae festival, Reggae on the Mountain,[35] that has become one of the area's biggest events. Like Topanga Days, it serves as a fundraiser for the Topanga Community Club.[citation needed]
The Topanga Film Institute presents the Topanga Film Festival each July. The festival endeavors to bridge cultures, create and expand community, and provide cultural exchange and networking opportunities.[31][36][37]
Two outdoor shopping centers featuring local businesses form the hub of local commerce. Topanga has no hotels, motels, gas stations, or chain or big-box stores.
Topanga's location in the Santa Monica Mountains makes the natural surroundings an important part of the culture. Streams, waterfalls, cliffs of exposed bedrock, landmark rock outcroppings, and overlooks with panoramic views of the mountains, Pacific Ocean, and Los Angeles are attractions. There are many trails for short walks, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, birdwatching, and rock climbing, all of which are important parts of the local community.
TheCounty of Los Angeles Public Library operates the Topanga Library, at 122 N Topanga Canyon Blvd.[38]
TheLos Angeles County Fire Department operates Fire Station No. 69 in Topanga as a part of Battalion 5.[39] During the 1960s and '70s, "problematic firefighters" were placed here under the supervision ofJames O. Page.[40]
TheLos Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Malibu/Lost Hills Station inCalabasas, serving Topanga.[41][42]
TheUnited States Postal Service Topanga Post Office is at 101 S Topanga Canyon Blvd.[43]
The California Highway Patrol, West Valley Area, handles the traffic on the State Route and in the unincorporated areas.[citation needed]
The Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (T-CEP) operates an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) near the Topanga Town Center.[citation needed]
Most Topanga residents are zoned to schools in theLos Angeles Unified School District.[44] LAUSD schools with attendance boundaries including most of Topanga include:[45]
The area is in Board District 4.[48] As of 2025, Nick Melvoin represents the district.[49]
Some portions are in theSanta Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD),[44] zoned to Webster Elementary School andMalibu High School.[50] Some are in theLas Virgenes Unified School District.[44]
Private schools:
TheCounty of Los Angeles Public Library operates the Topanga Library.[51]
The popular television seriesBoy Meets World and its sister seriesGirl Meets World both prominently feature a character namedTopanga Matthews (née Lawrence). In episode 9 ofGirl Meets World's first season,"Girl Meets 1961", it is revealed she is named for Topanga Canyon. Her daughter, Riley, learns that Topanga's grandmother, Rosie, was told about the canyon in a chance meeting with a stranger who was headed there. Rosie then wrote in her journal: "Topanga: What a beautiful name for something that you want to love."
Tongva Valley, which appears in the 2013 videogameGrand Theft Auto V, is based on Topanga Canyon.[52]
American rapperTrippie Redd released the single "Topanga" in 2018, referencing the community.[53]
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