Moorpark, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Moorpark, California
City
The Moorpark station for the Metrolink Ventura County Line and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner
Flag Seal
Location in Ventura County and the state of California
Moorpark, California Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Moorpark, California Location in California Show map of California Moorpark, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Ventura
Founded	1887
Incorporated	1983-07-01
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	12.47 sq mi (32.28 km2)
• Land	12.28 sq mi (31.80 km2)
• Water	0.19 sq mi (0.49 km2)  1.72%
Elevation	515 ft (157 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	36,284
• Density	2,963.0/sq mi (1,144.01/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
Zip Code	93021-2804 (General Delivery), 93020 (P.O. Box)
Area code(s)	805
FIPS code	06-49138
GNIS feature ID	1652754

Moorpark is a city in Ventura County in Southern California. It was founded in 1900. The town grew quickly, from just over 4,000 people in 1980 to more than 25,000 by 1990. In 2006, Moorpark was one of the fastest-growing cities in Ventura County. By the 2010 census, its population reached 34,421.

What's in a Name? The Story of Moorpark

Moorpark likely got its name from the Moorpark apricot. This type of apricot used to grow a lot in the area. That's why you can see an apricot flower on the city's seal and flag! The apricot itself was named after a large estate in England called Moor Park.

Before it was called Moorpark, the area had other names. Some of these were Epworth, Fremontville, Penrose, Fairview, and Little Simi.

Moorpark's Past: A Look at History

Moorpark was once part of Rancho Simi, owned by Don José de la Guerra y Noriega.

The first people to live in the Moorpark area were the Chumash people. They had a village called Quimisac (Kimishax) in what is now Happy Camp Canyon Regional Park. The Chumash were hunters and gatherers. They often traveled to trade with other villages. Quimisac was important for trading a special type of rock called fused shale.

Later, in 1795, the land became part of a huge Rancho Simi land grant. This grant was given to the Pico brothers by Governor Diego de Borica of Alta California.

How Moorpark Grew

Robert W. Poindexter helped create the town of Moorpark. A map for the town was made in November 1900. A post office was approved in August 1900, and the town already had a train station. Moorpark grew even more after 1904. That's when the Santa Susana rail tunnel, which is about 7,369 feet (2,246 meters) long, was finished. This tunnel went through the Santa Susana Mountains. After this, Moorpark was on the main train route for the Southern Pacific Railroad between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The train station stayed open until 1958 and was torn down around 1965.

Early Use of Nuclear Power

Moorpark was one of the first cities in the world to use commercial nuclear power. It was the second city in the United States, after Arco, Idaho, to be lit by atomic power. For one hour on November 12, 1957, this amazing fact was shown on a TV show called See It Now. The nuclear reactor, called the Sodium Reactor Experiment, was built nearby. It worked from 1957 to 1964 and produced enough electrical power for the city.

Recent History and Events

Moorpark College opened its doors on September 11, 1967. It's special because it has a program to train people to work with exotic animals. Moorpark officially became a city on July 1, 1983.

In 1996, Moorpark's Little League All-Star team played in the Little League World Series.

In 2005, a Siberian tiger that had escaped from a local home was killed in a Moorpark park. This caused a lot of discussion. People wondered why a tranquilizer wasn't used instead of a gun. The tiger's owners had moved the animal from a licensed place to an unlicensed one.

Just a month later, in March 2005, scientists found the almost complete skeleton of a very old mammoth in the Moorpark foothills. This mammoth might have been a rare southern mammoth. It is thought to be between 800,000 and 1.4 million years old and weighed about ten tons.

In 2006, Moorpark decided to manage its own library system. The library, which first opened in 1912, celebrated its 100th birthday in 2012.

Egg City: A Giant Chicken Farm

In 1961, a huge chicken farm called Egg City opened north of Moorpark. It was the largest chicken farm in the United States at the time. Millions of chickens lived in coops spread over many acres. Sometimes, the smell from the farm would reach Moorpark and even the nearby town of Fillmore. In 1972, many chickens had to be removed because of a disease threat. The farm closed in 1996. In December 2006, a wildfire destroyed the old buildings of Egg City.

Moorpark's Location and Landscape

A view of western Moorpark.

Central Moorpark is in a valley formed by the Arroyo Simi river. It sits on flat areas and raised lands at the bottom of many hills. It is located just west of Simi Valley, California.

Highway 118, also known as Los Angeles Avenue, divides the city. Old Town Moorpark (Downtown) is north of this highway. Many newer homes are found south of Highway 118.

Moorpark's Neighborhoods

• Downtown is on High Street. This is the historic center of the city. The pepper trees along High Street were planted by Robert Poindexter, who helped plan the town. You can also find the High Street Arts Center here, which is a performing arts venue.
• The Peach Hill and Mountain Meadows neighborhoods are south of the Arroyo Simi. Moorpark High School is in this area, along with many parks. These areas have a large part of the city's population.
• Campus Park is named after Moorpark College. There are also new homes being built north of the city, near the Moorpark Country Club.

Moorpark's Climate

Moorpark has a Subtropical-Mediterranean climate. This means it has mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. It gets just enough rain each year to avoid being a desert-like climate.

Local Wildlife

Sometimes, Mountain lions come down from the hills and wander through the city.

Moorpark's Population

Population in 2010

The 2010 United States Census showed that Moorpark had 34,421 people. Most of the people (75.1%) were White. About 10.8% were from other races, and 6.8% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 31.4% of the population.

There were 10,484 households in Moorpark. In 46.4% of these homes, there were children under 18. About 66.4% of households were married couples. The average household had 3.28 people.

The population included 27.5% under 18 years old and 7.1% who were 65 or older. The average age in Moorpark was 34.7 years.

Population in 2000

In the 2000 census, Moorpark had 31,416 people. The city had 8,994 households. About 54.7% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average household size was 3.49 people.

The population was spread out, with 34.2% under 18 years old and 4.5% who were 65 or older. The average age was 32 years.

In 2007, the average income for a household in Moorpark was about $90,109.

Moorpark's Economy

In 2017, Moorpark had 12,235 jobs. The city also had $281 million in retail sales. Most of the stores and businesses are along Los Angeles Avenue. The historic downtown area, called Historic High Street, is another important shopping area.

Some famous chefs have opened businesses in Moorpark. These include Fabio Viviani from Top Chef and Damiano Carrara from Food Network Star.

Top Employers in Moorpark

Here are the biggest employers in Moorpark in 2021:

Arts and Culture in Moorpark

The High Street Arts Center, a theater in downtown Moorpark.

Moorpark hosts several fun events throughout the year:

• Moorpark Country Days: This is a parade and festival held in late September or early October. It includes vendors, entertainment, and games for families. Children march with their schools and sports teams.
• Apricot Festival: Usually held in the spring or summer.
• Annual Fireworks Celebration: This happens every year on July 3rd. Many people from other parts of Ventura County come to see these fireworks.
• Moorpark Film Festival: Held in August.

The City of Moorpark also has an "Arts in Public Places" (AIPP) program. It helps support art in the city.

Parks and Recreation in Moorpark

Parks to Explore

Moorpark has 20 parks, each with different things to do. Most parks are open from 6:00 a.m. to sunset. Parks with lights stay open until 10:00 p.m. The city's Dog Park and Skatepark have their own specific hours.

You can reserve park facilities like picnic areas, ball fields, soccer fields, and tennis courts for private events.

Here is a list of Moorpark's parks:

• Arroyo Vista Community Park
• Campus Canyon
• Campus Park
• College View Park
• Community Center Park
• Country Trail Park
• Dog Park
• Glenwood Park
• Magnolia Park
• Mammoth Highlands Park
• Miller Park
• Monte Vista Nature Park
• Mountain Meadows Park
• Peach Hill Park
• Poindexter Park
• Tierra Rejada Park
• Veterans Memorial Park
• Villa Campesina Park
• Virginia Colony Park
• Walnut Acres Park

Education in Moorpark

Moorpark is part of the Moorpark Unified School District. This district includes Moorpark High School.

There is also The High School at Moorpark College. This is a special program where students take high school classes and college classes at the same time. They can earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree.

Moorpark College: A Place to Learn

Moorpark is home to Moorpark College. This is a public community college. It is known for its high rate of students completing their degrees. Moorpark College also has America's Teaching Zoo, the Charles Temple Observatory, and the Moorpark College Performing Arts Center. These are used for classes and community events.

Getting Around Moorpark

• Train Services: Moorpark has a train station on High Street. You can take Amtrak California's Pacific Surfliner or Metrolink's Ventura County Line from here. These trains can take you to Los Angeles.
• Bus Services: Moorpark has its own bus system called Moorpark City Transit. There are also intercity bus services by VCTC Intercity that connect Moorpark to other parts of Ventura County.

Main Roads

SR 118 near SR 23 in Moorpark.

The main highways in Moorpark are:

• California State Highway 118
• California State Highway 23

Famous People from Moorpark

Many notable people have connections to Moorpark:

• Brian Blechen, a professional football player
• Kelli Berglund, an actress
• Walter Brennan, a screen actor
• John Chester, a documentary filmmaker
• Jan Ebeling, an equestrian who competed in the Olympics
• Sean Gilmartin, an MLB pitcher
• Tim Hanshaw, a former NFL player
• Rick Jason, an actor
• Drake London, a wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons
• Zach Penprase, an Israeli-American baseball player
• Dennis Pitta, a former professional football player
• Dillon "Attach" Price, a professional Call of Duty player
• Gary Sinise, an actor
• Paul Winchell, a ventriloquist, inventor, and the voice of Tigger

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See also

In Spanish: Moorpark para niños