Montalvo, Ventura, California facts for kids

Montalvo is a neighborhood in Ventura, California. It started around 1887 as a small town in Ventura County. In 2012, it officially became part of the city of Ventura. Montalvo is located in the southern part of Ventura. It sits on the north side of the Santa Clara River.

Montalvo's Story: How It Grew

Early Days and Founding

J. G. Hill is known for starting Montalvo. He planned the town in 1886. Some people believe the name "Montalvo" comes from Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. He was a Spanish writer who first wrote about the "Island of California" in a 1510 book.

The Railroad Arrives

In 1887, the Southern Pacific Railroad built train tracks through the area. These tracks came from Los Angeles through the Santa Clara River Valley. Montalvo had a train station on Washington Street. For a while, this station was the end of the railroad line in Ventura County. Goods for Ventura and Port Hueneme were unloaded here. They were then taken by cart to their destinations.

A Busy Community in the 1800s

Montalvo also became a place for growing and processing apricots. A school was built on Grand Avenue in 1889. In the late 1800s, Montalvo even had its own newspaper. It was called the Montalvo Courier or the Evening Monitor. It was a busy and growing community back then.

The University of Southern California once planned to build a satellite campus in Montalvo. It was to be called the "Collegiate Institute." People said Montalvo had a "splendid hotel" and a "large depot." The town also had a daily newspaper, a Chinese laundry, and a general store with a post office. People promoting Montalvo called it "the Pasadena of Ventura County."

Moving Houses and Changes

In the early 1900s, the railroad tracks were extended to Oxnard. After this, many homes in Montalvo were actually moved across the Santa Clara River to Oxnard. A person named John Brakey became good at moving houses. He would load them onto rollers and move them across the dry riverbed. During this time, Montalvo also lost its newspaper. By the 1920s, most of Montalvo's people had moved away.

Growth After World War II

After World War II, new neighborhoods were built in Montalvo. In 1952, the community created a special district to help with development. This district built a sewage treatment plant. This helped more homes and buildings to be constructed.

In 1961, experts suggested that Montalvo could become a central area for Ventura County. They thought it could be a hub for government, culture, and transportation. This plan even included building a civic center and a state college.

In 1967, the Ventura Freeway was built through Montalvo. This construction caused some financial difficulties for local businesses.

Places to See in Montalvo

Montalvo had some notable places. These included Sam Korb's Trading Post, Loop's Restaurant, Little Heidelberg Restaurant, and The White Spot.

Montalvo was also home to a natural dirt mound. It was in the northern part of the community. People thought it might have been built by Native Americans. In the 1890s, it was described as being 150 feet high. It had smooth sides and was about a quarter-mile long. Later reports say that large parts of the mound were removed. The dirt was used to fill other areas.