Sylmar, Los Angeles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sylmar
Neighborhood of Los Angeles
View of western Sylmar, facing north
Nickname(s):  The Top of Los Angeles
Sylmar, as delineated by the Los Angeles Times
Sylmar Location in San Fernando Valley Show map of San Fernando Valley Sylmar Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
City	Los Angeles
Named for	portmanteau of silva and mare, Latin words meaning "forest" and "sea" respectively
Elevation	1,270 ft (390 m)
Population  (2008)
• Total	79,614

Sylmar is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. It's the northernmost part of Los Angeles. Sylmar is famous for its many olive trees, which gave the area its name. The name "Sylmar" comes from two Latin words: silva (forest) and mare (sea).

The area's history goes back to the 1700s with the Mission San Fernando Rey de España. Olive farming started in a big way around 1890. Sylmar's climate was also thought to be good for health. This led to hospitals being built there. Today, Sylmar has many public and private schools.

History of Sylmar

How Sylmar Got Its Name

In 1874, this area was first called Morningside. Then, in 1893, its name changed to "Sylmar." This name is a mix of two Latin words: silva (forest) and mare (sea). It was chosen because of the huge number of olive trees that grew there.

In 2018, a part of Sylmar in the northwest was named "Rancho Cascades." Sylmar is also known as "The Top of Los Angeles." This is because it's the neighborhood furthest north in the city.

Sylmar's Olive Groves

In the late 1890s, the San Gabriel Mountains foothills were changed by the Los Angeles Olive Growers Association. By 1894, about 1,700 acres of land were covered with olive trees. By 1906, this became the largest olive grove in the world!

During the olive picking season in the early 1900s, many workers helped. In 1927, the olive packing plant hired about 500 people during its busiest time.

Major Events and Disasters

Sylmar has faced some big challenges over the years.

Earthquakes and Fires

The 1971 San Fernando earthquake caused a lot of damage. Homes were ruined, and many people had to live in tents. There was no water, gas, or heat for a while. People felt like their community was forgotten.

Four months after the 1971 earthquake, a methane gas explosion happened. This was in a water tunnel being built under Sylmar. Sadly, 17 workers died. This was the worst tunneling disaster in California's history. Because of this, California made very strict rules for mining and tunneling. A memorial for the victims was built in 2013.

23 years later, Sylmar was hit again by the 1994 Northridge earthquake. This earthquake caused fires that destroyed over 70 homes.

In 2008, the Sayre Fire caused a huge loss. It destroyed 489 homes in or near Sylmar. This was the worst loss of homes from fire in Los Angeles's history. In 2016, the Marek Fire also destroyed 41 homes.

The remains of the Oakridge mobile home park in Sylmar after the 2008 Sayre Fire.

Other Accidents

In 2000, two pilots died when two small airplanes crashed. This happened over the Newhall Pass, and the planes landed near the Cascades Golf Club in Sylmar.

How Land Was Used in Sylmar

Early Development Plans

In 1898, the Olive Growers association planned to divide the area. They wanted to create 40-acre blocks with wide roads. Inside these, there would be 5-acre blocks, each on a street. They planned to plant about 100 olive trees on each acre.

In 1922, the Taft Realty Company bought 300 acres. They wanted to turn it into a town called Sylmar. Some of this land had orange and lemon trees. Other parts were used for farming vegetables.

In 1938, the Sylmar Packing Corporation offered its land for sale. It was planted with olives, lemons, oranges, and figs. A part of it was set aside for a new town called Olive View. The rest was divided into smaller farm lots.

Growth After World War II

After the war, Sylmar started to grow more. In 1962, city planners wanted to build more homes and apartments. They also wanted more industrial areas and shopping centers. Residents were not happy about these plans.

Sylmar grew a lot after new freeways were finished. The Golden State Freeway and San Diego Freeway interchange was done in 1963. The Foothill Freeway and 118 Freeway were finished in 1981. These made it much easier to get to Sylmar.

In 1971, city planners wanted to keep Sylmar's look of "houses, horses, and orchards." They aimed for a smaller population than first expected. By 1986, the population was about 53,392 people.

By 1984, Sylmar was still mostly rural. But it also had some industrial areas. In 1986, it still had large areas of undeveloped land. Even with more people and apartments, it was still one of the least crowded parts of the city. Between 1980 and 1990, Sylmar was the fastest-growing area in the San Fernando Valley.

The reopening of the Olive View–UCLA Medical Center in 1986 also brought more people and businesses. By 2006, Sylmar's open spaces were quickly being divided for new homes. Many long-time residents worried this would change their horse-riding lifestyle. They wanted to keep the rural feel of the community.

Geography of Sylmar

Land Features

Sylmar's land gently slopes upwards. It's like a natural ramp from about 1,100 feet (340 m) (335 m) above sea level near San Fernando Road. It rises to over 1,700 feet (520 m) (518 m) at Hubbard Street. The total change in height is about 600 feet (180 m) (183 m). The land gets steeper as it goes into the San Gabriel Mountains. This means some streets have homes built on man-made flat areas.

Where Sylmar Is Located

Sylmar is next to several other areas:

• North: Unincorporated Tujunga Canyons, Lopez and Kagel canyons.
• Southeast: San Fernando.
• South: Mission Hills.
• Southwest and West: Granada Hills.

Sylmar's Climate

The San Fernando Valley, where Sylmar is, has dry, sunny weather. It gets about 17 inches (430 mm) of rain each year. Snow is very rare in the Valley. However, the nearby Angeles National Forest gets snow every winter.

Even though Sylmar is only about 20 miles (32 km) from the Pacific Ocean, its weather can be very different. Summers are much hotter than in the Los Angeles Basin. Winters can be cooler. In summer, the average high temperature is 95 °F (35 °C). It drops to 68 °F (20 °C) at night. In winter, the average high is 66 °F (19 °C), and the average low is 40 °F (4 °C).

People of Sylmar

Population Growth

Sylmar's population has grown a lot over the years:

• Around 3,500 people in 1940.
• About 10,000 in 1950.
• 31,000 in 1962.
• 40,000 in 1972.
• 41,922 in 1980.
• 53,392 in 1986.

By 2000, Sylmar saw many new families move in. This led to a shortage of homes. In 2000, there were 69,499 residents in Sylmar. This means about 5,579 people per square mile. In 2008, the population was estimated to be 79,614. By 2021, it reached 80,155.

Diversity in Sylmar

In 1980, most people in Sylmar were white. By 2000, the neighborhood became more diverse. A large percentage of residents were Latino. In 2000, the breakdown was:

• Latinos: 69.8%
• Whites: 20.7%
• Blacks: 4.1%
• Asians: 3.4%
• Others: 2.0%

Many residents were born outside the U.S. The most common birthplaces were Mexico (71.7%) and El Salvador (8.4%). The average age of residents in 2000 was 28. This is considered young for Los Angeles neighborhoods.

In 2000, about 29.2% of homes were rented. The rest (70.8%) were owned by residents. The average household had 3.6 people, which is high for Los Angeles.

Arts and Culture in Sylmar

Sylmar is home to the Nethercutt Collection. This museum is famous for its collection of classic cars. It also has old musical instruments, antique furniture, and a historic train.

Important Historical Places

• The Cascades: This is a special channel that marks the end of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. This system brings water from the Owens Valley over 338 miles (544 km) away. The Cascades is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and a California Historical Landmark.
• The San Fernando Pioneer Memorial Cemetery: Located at 14400 Foothill Boulevard, this is the oldest non-religious cemetery in the San Fernando Valley. The first burial was in 1892. It is also a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and a California Historical Landmark.

Public Libraries

The Los Angeles Public Library has a branch in Sylmar. It's on the corner of Polk Street and Glenoaks Boulevard.

Parks and Recreation in Sylmar

Sylmar has several great places for fun and sports.

• Sylmar Recreation Center: This city park has auditoriums, a baseball field, basketball courts, and a playground. It also has a community room, a gym, picnic tables, a soccer field, and tennis courts. It even works as a police stop-in center.
• Stetson Ranch Park: This is one of the city's two parks for horse riding.

• El Cariso Community Regional Park: This county park is 79-acre (32 ha). It was named to honor firefighters who died in the Loop Fire in 1966. The park has a baseball field, basketball and tennis courts, and playgrounds. It also has a community building, picnic areas, and a swimming pool.

• Veterans Memorial Park: This 96.5-acre (39.1 ha) county park is just outside Los Angeles city limits. It used to be a veterans hospital. The hospital closed in 1971 after an earthquake. The park opened in 1979. It has barbecue areas, group camping, a community building, and a disc golf course.

• Sylmar Hang Gliding Association: This group runs the Sylmar Flight Park. You can often watch people hang gliding there in the afternoons.

Education in Sylmar

In 2000, about 11% of Sylmar residents over 25 had a four-year college degree. This was one of the lower percentages for the city.

Schools in Sylmar

Sylmar has many schools for students of all ages.

Public Schools

• Los Angeles Mission College, 13356 Eldrige Avenue
• Sylmar Senior High School, 13050 Borden Avenue (opened in 1961)
• PUC Triumph Charter High School, 13361 Glenoaks Boulevard
• Evergreen Continuation School, 13101 Dronfield Avenue
• Olive Vista Middle School, 14600 Tyler Street (opened in 1958)
• PUC Triumph Academy, charter middle school, 13361 Glenoaks Blvd.
• PUC Lakeview Charter High School, 13361 Glenoaks Boulevard
• PUC Community Charter Elementary School, 14019 Sayre Street
• Hubbard Street Elementary School, 13325 Hubbard Street
• Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall, 16350 Filbert Street
• Herrick Avenue Elementary School, 13350 Herrick Avenue
• Sylmar Elementary School, 13291 Phillippi Avenue (opened in 1946)
• Harding Street Elementary School, 13060 Harding Street
• El Dorado Avenue Elementary School, 12749 El Dorado Avenue
• Dyer Street Elementary School, 14500 Dyer Street
• Osceola Street Elementary School, 14940 Osceola Street
• Vista del Valle Dual Language Academy, 12441 Bromont Avenue
• Sylmar Biotech Health Academy, 13050 Borden Avenue (established 2012)
• Options for Youth (OFY), 13752 Foothill Blvd
• Discovery Charter Preparatory School, 13570 Eldridge Avenue (moved here in 2016)

Private Schools

• First Lutheran High School, 13361 Glenoaks Boulevard
• Concordia Junior-Senior High School, 13570 Eldridge Avenue. This school was formed by two schools joining together.
• St. Anne's Academy, 13982 Tucker Avenue
• Our Lady of Victory School, K–12, 14024 Bridle Ridge Road
• Sunland Christian School, K–12, 13216 Leach Street
• Poverello of Assisi Preschool, 13367 Borden Avenue
• Park Montessori Children's Center, 13130 Herrick Avenue
• St. Didacus Elementary School, 14325 Astoria Street

Infrastructure in Sylmar

Police Services

The Los Angeles Police Department's Mission Community Police Station serves Sylmar.

Healthcare

Olive View–UCLA Medical Center is located in Sylmar. It first opened as a special hospital for people needing long-term care.

Highways

Sylmar is served by major freeways:

• Golden State Freeway (Interstate 5)
• Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210)
• San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405)

Public Transportation

You can get around Sylmar using public transportation:

• Buses: Provided by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro Rapid, Los Angeles Metro Bus) and Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DASH).
• Trains: Metrolink offers commuter rail service on the Antelope Valley Line at the Sylmar/San Fernando station.

Notable People from Sylmar

• Mark Foster: Lead singer of the band Foster the People.
• Tor Johnson: A Swedish-American wrestler and actor.
• Alex Mejia: A professional baseball player who was born in Sylmar.
• Pete Redfern: A professional baseball player.

Images for kids

• 

  The remains of the Oakridge mobile home park in Sylmar after the 2008 Sayre Fire.

See also

In Spanish: Sylmar para niños