Valencia, Santa Clarita, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Valencia
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Welcome sign
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Awesometown
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 Valencia
Location in Santa Clarita
Valencia
Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Valencia
Location in California
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County |  Los Angeles |
| City |  Santa Clarita |
| Elevation | 1,125 ft (343 m) |
| Population
(2019)
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| • Total | 63,070 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP Code |
91354, 91355, 91385
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| Area code(s) | 661 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1661608 |
Valencia is a neighborhood in Santa Clarita located within Los Angeles County, California. It is one of the four unincorporated communities (along with Saugus, Newhall, and Canyon Country) that merged to create the city of Santa Clarita in 1987. It is situated in the western part of Santa Clarita, stretching from Lyons Avenue to the south (on the border with Newhall) to north of Copper Hill Drive, and from Interstate 5 east to Bouquet Canyon and Seco Canyon Roads. Valencia was founded as a master-planned community with the first development, Old Orchard I, built on Lyons Avenue behind Old Orchard Elementary School.
History
In 1769, the Spanish Portola expedition, first Europeans to see inland areas of California, came up and over the pass from the San Fernando Valley and camped near the river on August 8–9. They found a large native village there and witnessed a wedding celebration. Fray Juan Crespi, a Franciscan missionary travelling with the expedition, named the river Santa Clara and noted in his diary that the place would be a good location for a mission. On the return trip, however, the party found a less strenuous trail through Conejo Valley. Later travelers also preferred that route, and Mission San Fernando Rey de España was established down in the valley.
The master planned portion of Valencia was first planned in the 1960s by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. Development began in 1967, continues to the present day, and is nearing completion. Valencia is notable for its landscaped boulevards connecting a mix of apartment buildings, single-family detached homes, shopping centers, office parks and industrial warehouses. Major schools in Valencia include California Institute of the Arts, College of the Canyons, West Ranch High School, and Valencia High School.
Community
Valencia's residential areas are separated into villages, each with its own lifestyle (see List of Valencia, California residential villages). Almost all of Valencia's villages are close to schools, shopping, etc. In many of the villages, homeowner associations oversee the quality and upkeep of housing developments ranging in size from a few dozen homes to over a thousand. Many villages also have a Neighborhood Watch program in force.
Valencia also has a system of paved pathways over or under the streets and boulevards. The pathways are called paseos. They connect the entire community, making it possible to travel throughout nearly all of Valencia on foot or by bicycle without crossing a street at grade level. The paseo network is connected to the Santa Clara River Trail which runs east along the Santa Clara River to Canyon Country. Landowners in the Valencia area pay special taxes to maintain landscaping and the paseo system.
As of 2010, the estimated population of the 91354 ZIP code was 28,722 and the estimated median household income was $111,098; the estimated population of the 91355 ZIP code was 32,605 and the estimated median household income was $89,596. ZIP code 91385 is a Post Office box ZIP and has no population or median income.
Attractions
Valencia is home to the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park.
Economy
Companies based in Valencia include Princess Cruises, Honda Performance Development, Precision Dynamics Corporation, condomman.com, Newhall Land and Farming Company, U.S. HealthWorks, and the American division of Advanced Bionics. Sunkist, Mechanix Wear, Remo, and WayForward are headquartered in unincorporated Valencia.
Education
At the elementary school level, northern Valencia is served by the Saugus Union School District, southern Valencia is served by the Newhall School District, and a small portion of western Valencia is served by the Castaic Union School District. The boundary between the Saugus and Newhall School Districts follows Valencia Boulevard (from The Old Road to Magic Mountain Parkway) and Magic Mountain Parkway (from Valencia Boulevard to Bouquet Canyon Road/Railroad Avenue).
Junior high and high school students in Valencia attend schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District. Valencia includes Rio Norte and Arroyo Seco Junior High Schools, and Valencia High School. Hart, Saugus, West Ranch, and Castaic High Schools; Placerita and Rancho Pico Junior High Schools; and Castaic Middle School also serve parts of Valencia. Castaic Middle School is part of the Castaic Union School District, not the Hart District.
Valencia is home to College of the Canyons, a community college, and California Institute of the Arts, an arts university.
Notable people
- Annett Davis, beach volleyball player
- Jeff Draheim, film editor
- Anthony Ervin, Olympic gold medalist swimmer
- Taylor Lautner, actor
- Dee Dee Myers
- Naya Rivera (1987-2020), actress
- Michael Trevino, actor
- Shane Vereen, professional football player
- Tamara Witmer, model
- Paul Walker (1973-2013), actor
See also
In Spanish: Valencia (California) para niños
