Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Benedict Canyon
Neighborhood of Los Angeles
Benedict Canyon Location in Western Los Angeles
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
City	Los Angeles
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)

Benedict Canyon is a beautiful area located in the Westside of Los Angeles, California. It's known for its stunning natural setting.

This neighborhood is surrounded by other interesting places. To the north, you'll find Sherman Oaks. To the west is Beverly Glen. On the east, there are Beverly Park and Franklin Canyon. And just to the south is the famous city of Beverly Hills.

What is Benedict Canyon Like?

Benedict Canyon is a natural ravine (a deep, narrow valley). It stretches from the high points of the Santa Monica Mountains down towards the south. Nearby are two similar canyons: Franklin Canyon and Coldwater Canyon.

Rainwater soaks into the ground in these canyons. It then comes out as springs at the lowest points. These springs feed Franklin's Lake and Creek. If you could look underground, you'd see layers of volcanic rock (granite) mixed with old river rocks and ocean mud.

A Look Back: History of Benedict Canyon

Benedict Canyon was once part of a large ranch called Rancho de las Aguas, which means "Ranch of the Waters." This ranch also included the area that is now Beverly Hills.

The canyon got its name from Edson A. Benedict. He was a store owner from Boonville, Missouri. In 1868, he started a homestead (a piece of land given to settlers) in the canyon. Edson and his family were very successful at beekeeping. They had an apiary (a place where bees are kept) that produced a lot of honey. One year, they reportedly shipped 45,000 pounds (20,000 kg) of honey from the Santa Monica Pier!

Edson's son, Pierce E. Benedict, later became a leader in the city of Beverly Hills. He was elected to its Board of Trustees when the city was first formed.

A famous writer named Timothy Leary lived in Benedict Canyon during his last years. He passed away there in 1996.

Homes in the Canyon

The homes in Benedict Canyon are quite varied. You can find smaller, one-story houses and also very large properties. Most homes are owned by the people who live in them. They usually have two or more bedrooms. Many of the houses were built around 1960.

In 2000, people living in Benedict Canyon won a legal case against the city of Los Angeles. The city had planned to allow a huge 45,000 square feet (4,200 m²) house to be built on the highest peak. But the residents successfully argued against it.

Plants and Trees of Benedict Canyon

Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon

Benedict Canyon has many types of plants and trees that naturally grow in Southern California. On the lower slopes, you'll see oaks and grasses. Higher up, there's chaparral (dense shrubs) and lupine (a type of flowering plant). Along Franklin's Creek, you can find sycamores, ferns, and vines.

As people moved into the area and built homes, they planted evergreens like pines, cypresses, deodars, and eucalyptus.

The plants in the Santa Monica Mountains are affected by the Pacific Ocean. This creates a special climate with cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. This is called a Mediterranean-type ecosystem.

The most common plant type is chaparral. These are shrubs that can handle dry weather and fires. They usually grow between four and ten feet tall. Another unique plant community is sage scrub. It has more delicate plants and open spaces.

Many of the original grasslands in the valleys were replaced by farms long ago. Now, these areas are developed. Most of the native grasslands have been taken over by plants that are not from this area.

Near streams, you'll find trees like willows, coast live oak, California sycamore, and Fremont's cottonwood. In areas where rainfall collects, there are many groves of evergreen coast live oaks. These trees provide food and shelter for many animals.

Amazing Wildlife

The animals in Benedict Canyon are mostly the same as they were 10,000 years ago. The only big change is that grizzly bears are no longer here. They were hunted by early settlers.

Common medium and large animals include coyotes, mule deer, bobcats, raccoons, and skunks. Further away from the city, you might see grey foxes, mountain lions, American badgers, and ringtailed cats. Mountain lions are the top predators, but they are rarely seen because they avoid people.

There are also many smaller animals like rabbits, squirrels, rats, and mice. Many birds of prey hunt these animals, including seven types of hawks and eight types of owls. You might also spot peregrine falcons and golden eagles.

Benedict Canyon is part of the Pacific Flyway, a route for migrating birds. So, local birds share the area with birds that travel from other places, like Canadian geese.

You can find over eighteen types of snakes and eight types of lizards here. The most common snakes are the pacific rattlesnake, gopher snake, and California king snake. The rattlesnake is the only venomous snake in California. They hide in the shade during hot summer days and sleep during winter.

The area also has five types of frogs, three types of toads, and five types of newts and salamanders. Sadly, frog populations have decreased, possibly due to climate change and pollution.

Some streams still have unique native fish. For example, Topanga and Malibu Creeks have tidewater gobies and arroyo chub. The Santa Clara River also has these fish, plus the endangered unarmored three spine stickleback.

Community Spirit

The Benedict Canyon Association (BCA) was started in 1948. It's a great example of how neighbors can work together. The BCA works hard to keep the canyon beautiful, safe, and a good place to live. Because of their efforts, Benedict Canyon is the only canyon in the area that is completely residential.

The Association helped create the Hillside Ordinance. This rule limits how tall buildings can be (to 36 feet (11 m)) and sets rules for how close buildings can be to property lines or roads. This ordinance helped stop the plan for the very large house on the Mark Hughes hilltop, which made many residents happy.

The Association also helps with projects like fixing roads, repainting guardrails, and clearing plants from roadways.

Another group, "Adopt Fire Station 99," represents about 9,000 residents. They worked with the BCA to get public support and stop a city plan to reduce the number of paramedics at local fire stations.

Famous Residents

Many well-known people live or have lived in Benedict Canyon. Here are some of them:

Fire Safety in the Canyon

One big concern in Benedict Canyon is how narrow the roads are. This can cause traffic jams, especially during emergencies. To help with this, the Department of Transportation tows cars that are parked illegally on narrow streets during "red flag days."

Red flag days happen when the risk of fire is very high. This means winds are 25 mph (40 km/h) or faster, and the air is very dry (humidity below 15%). On these days, illegally parked cars that block access are ticketed and towed. Fire departments let residents know by raising red flags over fire stations in Los Angeles. Over the past decade, there have been about 4 to 7 red flag days each year, with a maximum of 12 days in some years.

Homeowners in Benedict Canyon are responsible for clearing brush (dry plants) around their homes all year. Fire officials are concerned about the amount of plant growth and the lack of recent fires. They remember the Oakland Hills fire in October 1991, which killed 25 people and destroyed many homes under similar conditions.

Emergency Services

The Los Angeles Police Department helps keep Benedict Canyon safe. The West Los Angeles Community Police Station serves the neighborhood.

The Los Angeles Fire Department also serves the area. Fire Station 71 and Fire Station 99 are the main stations for Benedict Canyon.

Schools in the Area

Warner Avenue School

Emerson Middle School

University High School

Students living in Benedict Canyon attend schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District. The schools they are assigned to are:

• Warner Avenue Elementary School
• Emerson Middle School
• University High School

Images for kids

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  Sunset in Benedict Canyon