Carmel Valley Village, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carmel Valley Village
Census-designated place
From top down, left to right: Carmel Valley Village panoramio; Carmel River; Carmel Valley Airport; Carmel Valley Village sign
Location in Monterey County and the state of California
Carmel Valley Village, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Monterey
Founded as Airway Village	1946
Founded by	Byington Ford and Tirey L. Ford Jr.
Area
• Total	19.18 sq mi (49.7 km2)
• Land	18.98 sq mi (49.2 km2)
• Water	0.20 sq mi (0.5 km2)  1.02%
Elevation	846 ft (258 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,524
• Density	238.32/sq mi (92.02/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	93924 ("Carmel Valley")
Area code(s)	831
FIPS code	06-11324
GNIS feature ID	1867002

Carmel Valley Village is a small community in Monterey County, California. It's a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's a special area the government uses for counting people.

In 1946, two brothers, Byington Ford and Tirey L. Ford Jr., started developing this area. They planned it to include an airport, shops, and homes. The population of Carmel Valley Village was 4,524 people in 2020. This was a slight increase from 4,407 people in 2010.

History of Carmel Valley Village

Early Land Ownership

The land where Carmel Valley Village now stands was once part of a large Mexican land grant called Rancho Los Laureles. This grant covered about 6,625 acres (26.8 km²) and was given out in 1839. It stretched along the Carmel River and the Carmel Valley.

Later, in 1882, a company called the Pacific Improvement Company (PIC) bought this land. In 1916, Samuel F.B. Morse took charge of the PIC. His job was to sell off the company's large land holdings.

Developing the Village

In 1919, Morse created the Del Monte Properties and bought the PIC. By 1923, the Del Monte Properties divided the land into smaller parts. A developer named Frank B. Porter bought 600 acres (2.4 km²). He later sold some of this land to Byington Ford.

Byington Ford and his wife, Marion, used 400 acres (1.6 km²) as their summer ranch. They called it Moon Trail Ranch.

Birth of Airway Village

In 1946, Byington Ford and his brother, Tirey Ford Jr., started a new project. They developed a community they called "Airway Village." This village was later renamed Carmel Valley Village.

It was designed to be a unique place for people who owned airplanes. The idea was that pilots could live very close to where they landed their planes.

Life in Airway Village

By 1947, Airway Village had many useful shops. These included the Airway General Store, a barbershop, a drug store with a soda fountain, and a beauty shop. There was also a bar called the Stirrup Cup and a liquor store called the Grapevine.

All these places were close to the Airpark. They were decorated to look like a charming Mexican village. An artist named Bruce Ariss painted murals on the stores to give them a Spanish village feel.

The Airpark and Its Changes

The Ford brothers built the Carmel Valley Airfield for plane owners. They wanted people to be "at home a minute or two after getting out of their planes." Tirey Ford even built a special "hangar house" near the airfield. This was a house with a connected airplane hangar, meant to be an example for future airborne communities.

After World War II, it became clear that not everyone would own a plane. So, Byington Ford changed his plans. He started selling land to both plane owners and people just looking for a home. He created ranch-style homes on 1 to 3-acre (0.4 to 1.2 ha) plots. He also imagined homes on hillsides where residents could watch planes land.

During World War II, the airfield was used by military planes. It served as a backup landing spot for planes flying from Watsonville and King City. A clubhouse built for the Airpark later became part of the Blue Sky Lodge, which is still open today.

Geography and Nature

Carmel Valley Village is located in the northern part of Monterey County. It is about 13 miles (21 km) east-southeast of Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is also about 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Monterey.

River and Surrounding Areas

The community includes the main part of Carmel Valley on one side of the Carmel River. It also includes the community of Robles del Rio on the other side of the river. The Carmel River flows northwest through the area and eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean.

Local Ecosystems

The area around Carmel Valley Village has several natural environments. These include California oak woodlands, areas with trees along rivers (riparian woodlands), and chaparral (dense shrubs). You can also find grasslands and savannas. A common tree here is the Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia).

Garland Ranch Regional Park

The Garland Ranch Regional Park is a beautiful natural space in the area. It is managed by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. The park is located at 700 West Carmel Valley Road.

Climate in Carmel Valley

Carmel Valley Village has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers. Average monthly temperatures are usually below 71.6°F (22°C). However, during heat waves, temperatures can reach the upper 70s to over 100°F (38°C), especially further inland.

Population Information

In 2020, the population of Carmel Valley Village was 4,524 people. This was a small increase from the 4,407 people counted in 2010.

Education for Students

Most of Carmel Valley Village is part of the Carmel Unified School District. This district includes Carmel High School. A smaller part of the community is in the Washington Union Elementary School District and the Salinas Union High School District.

Notable People from Carmel Valley Village

Several well-known people have lived in Carmel Valley Village:

• Beverly Cleary, a famous author of children's books.
• Doris Day, a popular singer, actress, and animal activist.
• Jesse Metcalfe, an actor known for his role in the movie John Tucker Must Die.

See also

A friendly robot for kids

In Spanish: Carmel Valley Village para niños