Bell Canyon, California | |
|---|---|
 Location of Bell Canyon in Ventura County, California. | |
  Bell Canyon, California Position in California. | |
| Coordinates:34°12′29″N118°41′15″W / 34.20806°N 118.68750°W /34.20806; -118.68750 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Ventura |
| Government | |
| • Type | Homeowner Association |
| Area | |
• Total | 3.62 sq mi (9.38 km2) |
| • Land | 3.62 sq mi (9.38 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 1,368 ft (417 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,946 |
| • Density | 540/sq mi (210/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP Code | 91307 |
| Area codes | 747 and 818 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2585403 |
| Website | http://www.bellcanyon.com/ |
| U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bell Canyon, California | |
Bell Canyon is anunincorporated community in easternVentura County, California, United States.[2] Bell Canyon is agated community in theSimi Hills with the main access through theLos Angeles community ofWest Hills and the westernSan Fernando Valley. Bell Canyon sits at an elevation of 1,368 feet (417 m).[2] The2020 census reported Bell Canyon's population was 1,946.[3] For statistical purposes, theCensus Bureau has defined Bell Canyon as acensus-designated place (CDP). According to a 2016 study, Bell Canyon is the seventh wealthiest community in the state of California with an annual median income of $230,000.[4]
Chumash Native Americans lived in the canyon for around 8,000 years B.P.[5][6] The Chumash had the village of Hu'wam here in the canyon on Bell Creek upstream from Escorpión Peak.[7] It was multi-cultural, where Chumash,Tongva, andTataviam peoples lived and traded together.[8] Nearby is theBurro Flats Painted Cave. Escorpión Peak (aka: Castle Peak) is one of nine alignment points in Chumash territory and is considered essential to maintaining the balance of the natural world.[9]
In 1845 the Mexican land grant forRancho El Escorpión, named for the peak and located beside it at the mouth of Bell Canyon, was given by Mexican GovernorPío Pico. Chumash-Ventureño Chief Odón Eusebia (1795–), his brother-in-law Urbano, and Urbano's son Mañuel were the grantees of theRancho grant, formerlyMission San Fernando Rey de España (Mission San Fernando) lands.[10][11] After California U.S. statehood, as required by the Land Act of 1851,[12] a claim for Rancho El Escorpión was filed with the United StatesPublic Land Commission in 1852,[13] and the grant was patented to Odón Eusebia, Urbano, and Mañuel in 1876.[14][15] In 1871, Miguel Leonis acquired Odón Eusebia's holdings of Rancho El Escorpión, along with an adobe on the adjacent southern ranch lands in Calabasas. He used the land for cattle and sheep herds.[16] Through various landowners that use continued at the Rancho until 1959 and Bell Canyon until 1967.
In 1967 the Spruce Land Corporation andBoise Cascade joined in a partnership to purchase the Bell Canyon area to develop the community of Bell Canyon. In the fall of 1968, the Bell Canyon Equestrian Center, designed by 'Southern California modern ranch style' architectCliff May, was built and began operation.[citation needed] In 1969 a new subdivision called "Woodland Hills Country Estates" was developed and opened for sales. It was a success, selling nearly all the 800 home site lots within ten days. In the fall of 1969 the new residential property owners took leadership of the community association and renamed the development "Bell Canyon," after Charles A. Bell, the original homesteader here and son of pioneerHorace Bell. He was a leading late 1880s newspaper publisher, Los Angeles attorney winning many cases for clients against neighbor Miguel Leonis, and the 1906Justice of the Peace forCalabasas.[17] Legend says he lost a right arm in an 1887 shootout when raiding a moonshiner.[18] TheRancho El Escorpión compound adobes, from the 1840s to the 1960s at the mouth of Bell Canyon, were actually outside the land grant and on Bell's property.[19][20]
In the early 20th century there were at least two sulphured artesian springs in Bell Canyon.[21]
Bell Creek, a tributary to theheadwaters of theLos Angeles River, winds its way through the community. Bell Canyon is an important part of the crucialSimi HillsWildlife corridor linking migrations between theSanta Monica Mountains andSanta Susana Mountains.
There are many hiking and riding trails around the community, some of which border theUpper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve Park connecting to the south and west. The Bell Canyon Trail extends 4.5 miles (7.2 km) north fromBell Canyon Park.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2,049 | — | |
| 2020 | 1,946 | −5.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[22] 1850–1870[23][24] 1880-1890[25] 1900[26] 1910[27] 1920[28] 1930[29] 1940[30] 1950[31] 1960[32] 1970[33] 1980[34] 1990[35]2000[36] 2010[37] | |||
The2020 United States census reported that Bell Canyon had a population of 1,946. The population density was 534.6 inhabitants per square mile (206.4/km2). The racial makeup of Bell Canyon was 74.3%White, 2.1%African American, 0.4%Native American, 10.2%Asian, 0.0%Pacific Islander, 2.3% fromother races, and 10.7% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.1% of the population.
The census reported that 100.0% of the population lived in households, 0.0% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.0% were institutionalized.
There were 651 households, out of which 31.2% included children under the age of 18, 73.6% were married-couple households, 3.4% werecohabiting couple households, 13.2% had a female householder with no partner present, and 9.8% had a male householder with no partner present. 8.9% of households were one person, and 4.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.99. There were 564families (86.6% of all households).
The age distribution was 19.7% under the age of 18, 9.9% aged 18 to 24, 14.4% aged 25 to 44, 32.3% aged 45 to 64, and 23.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males.
There were 677 housing units at an average density of 186.0 units per square mile (71.8 units/km2), of which 651 (96.2%) were occupied. Of these, 95.1% were owner-occupied, and 4.9% were occupied by renters.[38][39]
The Bell Canyon Community Services District, an independent government agency provides services such as waste removal, community recreation programs and security services to the residents in its boundaries. The independent government agency was established in 1984.[40]
Bell Canyon is served by theLas Virgenes Unified School District, with students bused each day to attend the schools of Round Meadow Elementary School,Alice C. Stelle Middle School, andCalabasas High School.[41]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) SSPSHP ethnohistory Accessed 2/28/2010Municipalities and communities ofVentura County, California,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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