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Northridge is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles. The community is home to California State University, Northridge, and the Northridge Fashion Center.
Originally named Zelzah by settlers in 1908, the community was renamed North Los Angeles in 1929 but the appellation sometimes caused confusion between North Hollywood and Los Angeles. In 1938, civic leader Carl S. Dentzel decided to rename the community to Northridge Village, which morphed into modern-day Northridge.
The Northridge area can trace its history back to the
Mapping L.A., ''Los Angeles Times'' The neighborhood was considered "highly diverse" ethnically within Los Angeles, with a high percentage of Asian people for the county. The breakdown was whites, 49.5%; Latinos, 26.1%; Asians, 14.5%; blacks, 5.4%; and others, 4.6%. Mexico (24.7%) and the Philippines (9.8%) were the most common places of birth for the 31.8% of the residents who were born abroad—an average figure for Los Angeles. The median yearly household income in 2008 dollars was $67,906, considered high for the city. Renters occupied 46.4% of the housing stock, and house- or apartment-owners held 53.6%. The average household size of 2.7 people was considered average for Los Angeles. In 2000 there were 3,803 military veterans, or 8.5% of the population, a high percentage compared to the rest of the city.
Northridge touches Porter Ranch and Granada Hills on the north, North Hills on the east,
Tongva
The Tongva ( ) are an Indigenous people of California from the Los Angeles Basin and the Southern Channel Islands, an area covering approximately . Some descendants of the people prefer Kizh as an endonym that, they argue, is more historica ...
people and later to Spanish explorers. It was sold by the Mexican governor Pio Pico to Eulogio de Celis, whose heirs divided it for resale.
Population
The 2000 U.S. census counted 57,561 residents in the Northridge neighborhood—or , among the lowest population densities for the city. In 2008, the city estimated that the population had increased to 61,993. In 2000 the median age for residents was 32, about average for city and county neighborhoods; the percentage of residents aged 19 to 34 was among the county's highest."Northridge"Mapping L.A., ''Los Angeles Times'' The neighborhood was considered "highly diverse" ethnically within Los Angeles, with a high percentage of Asian people for the county. The breakdown was whites, 49.5%; Latinos, 26.1%; Asians, 14.5%; blacks, 5.4%; and others, 4.6%. Mexico (24.7%) and the Philippines (9.8%) were the most common places of birth for the 31.8% of the residents who were born abroad—an average figure for Los Angeles. The median yearly household income in 2008 dollars was $67,906, considered high for the city. Renters occupied 46.4% of the housing stock, and house- or apartment-owners held 53.6%. The average household size of 2.7 people was considered average for Los Angeles. In 2000 there were 3,803 military veterans, or 8.5% of the population, a high percentage compared to the rest of the city.
Geography
Northridge touches Porter Ranch and Granada Hills on the north, North Hills on the east, Van Nuys
Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.
History
In 1909, ...
on the southeast, Lake Balboa
Lake Balboa is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. The area was previously part of Van Nuys. Reseda on the south and Winnetka and Chatsworth on the west.Colored map, Mapping L.A., ''Los Angeles Times (PDF)
/ref>
In 1962, Nobel Junior High School in Northridge became the first air-conditioned school in the Los Angeles school district.
In 1982 the board considered closing Prairie Street Elementary School in Northridge.Faris, Gerald.
Closing of 8 Schools Recommended, One Near Airport
" ''
L.A. Board to Close 5 More Schools
" ''
California State University, Northridge, or CSUN, part of the
. City of Los Angeles. Retrieved on March 23, 2010. The Northridge Pool, on the recreation center grounds, is an outdoor heated seasonal pool. Dearborn Park, located at 17141 Nordhoff St., is an unstaffed, unlocked park has lighted outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, picnic tables, and lighted tennis courts. Vanalden Park, located at 8956 Vanalden Ave., is an unstaffed pocket park, has a horseshoe pit, a jogging path, and picnic tables.
/ref> * Bob Brunner, producer and screenwriter * Champ Butler, singer *
North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Northridge East Neighborhood Council
Northridge West Neighborhood Council
Northridge South Neighborhood Council
DONE:Neighborhood Council Database
Comments about living in Northridge
Northridge crime map and statistics
{{Authority control Communities in the San Fernando Valley Neighborhoods in Los Angeles Populated places established in 1910
/ref>
History
Indigenous peoples
The area now called Northridge was first inhabited about 2,000 years ago by the Native American Gabrielino (or Tongva) people. Among their tribal villages Totonga was nearby Northridge. The Gabrielino-Tongva people, who lived in dome-shaped houses, are sometimes referred to as the "people of the earth". They spoke a Takic Uto-Aztecan (Shoshonean) language. Their pictographs are very hard to find nowadays, and those not public, nor protected, many destroyed by the development of Greater Los Angeles; there are no public rock art sites in Los Angeles County. A replica can be seen atThe Southwest Museum
The Southwest Museum of the American Indian is a museum, library, and archive located in the Mt. Washington neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, above the north-western bank of the Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County) canyon and stream. The muse ...
and there are archeological exhibits at Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Rancho Los Alamitos, Louis Robidoux Nature Center and El Dorado Nature Center.
Mexican land grant
In the late 1840s, Mexican Governor Pio Pico broke with the tradition of "granting" land and, instead, sold it, without the usual area limitations, to Eulogio de Celis, a native of Spain. By 1850, de Celis was in the Los Angeles census as an agriculturist, 42 years old, and the owner of real estate worth $20,000.Land division
A few years later, the land was split up. The heirs of Eulogio de Celis sold the northernly half - - to Senator George K. Porter, who had called it the "Valley of the Cumberland" and Senator Charles Maclay, who exclaimed: "This is the Garden of Eden." Porter was interested in ranching; Maclay in subdivision and colonization. Francis Marion ("Bud") Wright, an Iowa farm boy who migrated to California as a young man, became a ranch hand for Senator Porter and later co-developer of the Hawk Ranch, which is now Northridge land.Education
Thirty-four percent of Northridge residents aged 25 and older had earned afour-year degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
by 2000, an average percentage for the city but high for the county. The percentages of the same-age residents with a bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
and a master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
or higher were high for the county.
Primary and secondary schools
In 1962, Nobel Junior High School in Northridge became the first air-conditioned school in the Los Angeles school district.
In 1982 the board considered closing Prairie Street Elementary School in Northridge.Faris, Gerald.Closing of 8 Schools Recommended, One Near Airport
" ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
''. April 17, 1983. South Bay SB2. Retrieved on January 16, 2012. It was located on the California State University, Northridge campus, and that university used Prairie as a laboratory school.Savage, David G.L.A. Board to Close 5 More Schools
" ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
''. February 7, 1984. Part II C2. Retrieved on January 16, 2012. In April 1983 an advisory committee of the LAUSD recommended closing eight LAUSD schools, including Prairie Street School. In August 1983 the board publicly considered closing Prairie, which had 280 students at the time. In 1984 the board voted to close the Prairie Street School. In 1985 some parents were trying to have Prairie Street School re-opened.
Secondary and lower-grade schools within the Northridge boundaries are:
Public
* Andasol Avenue Elementary School, 10126 Encino Avenue * Alfred Bernhard Nobel Middle School, 9950 Tampa Avenue * Topeka Drive Elementary School, 9815 Topeka Drive * Balboa Gifted / High Ability Magnet Elementary School, alternative, 17020 Labrador Street *Northridge Academy High School
Northridge Academy High School is a public high school located in Northridge, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Overview
Northridge Academy High School is administered by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The school opened as a partner ...
, 9601 Zelzah Avenue
* Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle School, 9351 Paso Robles Avenue
* Dearborn Street Elementary School, 9240 Wish Avenue
* Calahan Street Elementary School, 18722 Knapp Street
* Napa Street Elementary School, 19010 Napa Street
* Northridge Middle School, 17960 Chase Street
* Parthenia Street Elementary School, 16825 Napa Street
Private
* Casa Montessori, 17633 Lassen Street * Our Lady of Lourdes, 18437 Superior Street *Highland Hall Waldorf School
Highland Hall Waldorf School is an independent alternative school located on a campus in Northridge, Los Angeles, California. It serves children from nursery through grade twelve with additional Parent and Child classes. Established in 1955, the ...
, K-12, 17100 Superior Street
* Art of Learning Academy, 9535 Alden Avenue
* St. Nicholas School, elementary, 9501 Balboa Boulevard
* First Presbyterian Church of Granada Hill, elementary, 10400 Zelzah Avenue
* Cornerstone Christian Academy, 11031 Yolanda Avenue
* East Valley Academy, K-12, 20212 Londelius Street
* Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School, Elementary and Middle, 17701 Devonshire Street
Colleges
California State University, Northridge, or CSUN, part of the California State University
The California State University (Cal State or CSU) is a public university system in California. With 23 campuses and eight off-campus centers enrolling 485,550 students with 55,909 faculty and staff, CSU is the largest four-year public univer ...
system, offers bachelor's and master's degrees in a number of disciplines. The school is a major producer of K12 teachers in the region and the nation as a whole. CSUN also has engineering, business, and film programs.
CSUN had its beginnings as a college on Nordhoff Street and Etiwanda Avenue and officially opened in 1956 as "San Fernando Valley Campus of Los Angeles State College of Applied Arts and Sciences." Two years later it separated from its parent and became "San Fernando Valley State College." By the early 1970s, however, this institution became known as "California State University, Northridge." By fall of 2016, CSUN had reached enrollment of almost 40,000 students.
A 2004 study revealed that CSUN is a major contributor to the local economy: between $663 million and $686 million annually. Additionally, CSUN employs 5,800 people directly through the university and adds another 5,700 to 6,000 jobs into the local economy.
Entertainment
Motion pictures and television
Silent star Janet Gaynor and her costume-designer husband Adrian were the first owners of a spacious estate in Northridge, which was later sold toBarbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...
and Robert Taylor. Later, actor Jack Oakie owned the property and lived on it. The Oakie house was set for the wrecking ball, but in 2010 the city agreed to buy the Tudor-style stone landmark and its ranch estate.
Marion Marx, wife of Zeppo Marx, and Barbara Stanwyck started Marwyck Ranch as a horse breeding farm. The original house and a small portion of the ranch still exist, and is managed by the city as Oakridge Estate Park. Northridge was known as the "Horse Capital of the West," with regular Sunday horse shows, annual stampedes, and country fairs.
Devonshire Downs
In the late 1960s, Devonshire Downs was the site of two major rock music festivals. The little-known two-day 1967 ''Fantasy Faire and Magic Music Festival'' (at "Devonshire Meadows") featuredThe Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts ...
, Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, that became one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to ach ...
, Country Joe and the Fish, The Grass Roots, Canned Heat, Iron Butterfly and several other bands. The better-known but confusingly named 1969 ''Newport Pop Festival
The Newport Pop Festival, held in Costa Mesa, California, on August 3–4, 1968, was the first music concert ever to have more than 100,000 paid attendees. Its sequel, billed as Newport 69, was held in Northridge, California, on June 20–22, 196 ...
'' was a massive three-day event that featured Jimi Hendrix and many other top acts. It took place in June and was briefly the largest music festival ever held before losing that distinction to Woodstock
Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...
the following August. Like its famous successor, it had problems with large numbers of gate-crashers, and some young attendees far from home camped out nearby in sleeping bags. Unlike Woodstock, "nearby" included parts of suburban Northridge, where most of the local residents were horrified to find their neighborhoods invaded by "hippies". A ban on rock music festivals soon followed.
Earthquakes
The 1994 Northridge earthquake was named for Northridge based on early estimates of the location of the quake's epicenter; however, further refinements showed it to be technically in neighboring Reseda. The earthquake, which occurred on ablind thrust fault
A thrust fault is a break in the Earth's crust, across which older rocks are pushed above younger rocks.
Thrust geometry and nomenclature
Reverse faults
A thrust fault is a type of reverse fault that has a dip of 45 degrees or less.
If ...
, was one of the strongest ground motions ever recorded in North America. Freeways collapsed, and many buildings suffered irreparable damages. Vertical and horizontal accelerations lifted structures off their foundations. During the 1994 quake, the Northridge Hospital Medical Center remained open and treated more than 1,000 patients who came to the facility during the first few days after the magnitude 6.7 quake.
This was the second time in 23 years that the area had been affected by a strong earthquake. On February 9, 1971 the San Fernando earthquake (also known as the Sylmar earthquake) struck, having a magnitude of 6.5.
Points of interest
* Brent's Deli, famous deli in Northridge * CSUN Botanic Garden * California State University, Northridge (CSUN) * Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium at CSUN * Northridge Fashion Center, Regional shopping mall. * Northridge Hospital Medical Center * Studio 606 West, the recording studio of rock bandFoo Fighters
Foo Fighters are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana (band), Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the Foo Fighters (album), epony ...
* U.S. Metric Association
The US Metric Association (USMA), based in Windsor, Colorado, is a non-profit organization that advocates for total conversion of the United States to the International System of Units (SI). Founded on 27 December 1916 at Columbia University in ...
is based in Northridge.
Hospital
Northridge Hospital Medical Center consists of a 411-bed hospital and serves 2 million residents of the Valley. The hospital is one of only two facilities in the Valley certified as a trauma center for treating life-threatening injuries.Parks, recreation and sports
The Northridge Recreation Center, located at 18300 Lemarsh St., has an indoor gymnasium, without weights, which may also be used as an auditorium. Its capacity is 400. The park also has barbecue pits, a lighted baseball diamond, lighted indoor basketball courts, lighted outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, a community room, picnic tables, a lighted soccer field, and lighted tennis courts.Northridge Recreation Center. City of Los Angeles. Retrieved on March 23, 2010. The Northridge Pool, on the recreation center grounds, is an outdoor heated seasonal pool. Dearborn Park, located at 17141 Nordhoff St., is an unstaffed, unlocked park has lighted outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, picnic tables, and lighted tennis courts. Vanalden Park, located at 8956 Vanalden Ave., is an unstaffed pocket park, has a horseshoe pit, a jogging path, and picnic tables.
Government and infrastructure
Local government
Los Angeles Fire Department
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD or LA City Fire) provides emergency medical services, fire cause determination, fire prevention, fire suppression, hazardous materials mitigation, and technical rescue services to the city of Los Angel ...
Station 70 (Northridge) and Station 103 (Northridge/CSUN) serve the community.
City of Los Angeles neighborhood councils that cover Northridge:
* Northridge East Neighborhood Council
* Northridge West Neighborhood Council
* Northridge South Neighborhood Council
The Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal Police, police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the thir ...
operates two police stations that serve Northridge:
* Devonshire Community Police Station serves residents north of Roscoe Boulevard.
* West Valley Community Police Station serves residents south of Roscoe Boulevard.
County, state, and federal representation
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Pacoima Health Center in Pacoima, serving Northridge. TheUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the Federal government of the Uni ...
Northridge Post Office is located at 9534 Reseda Boulevard.
* Northridge is represented in the United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and ...
by California's Senators Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein ( ; born Dianne Emiel Goldman; June 22, 1933) is an American politician who serves as the senior United States senator from California, a seat she has held since 1992. A member of the Democratic Party, she was ...
and Alex Padilla
Alejandro Padilla ( ; born March 22, 1973) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from California since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Padilla served as the 30th secretary of state of California from ...
.
* In the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...
, Northridge is located within California's 30th congressional district
California's 30th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The 30th district takes in the Linda Vista neighborhood of Pasadena, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Tujunga, Burbank, Glendale, Holl ...
represented by Democrat Brad Sherman
Bradley James Sherman (born October 24, 1954) is an American accountant and politician serving as the U.S. representative for California's 30th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he first entered Congress in 1 ...
.
* In the State Assembly
State Assembly is the name given to various legislatures, especially lower houses or full legislatures in states in federal systems of government.
Channel Islands
States Assembly is the name of the legislature of the Bailiwick of Jersey. The Baili ...
, Northridge is located within California's 45th State Assembly district represented by Democrat Jesse Gabriel.
* In the California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
...
, Northridge is split between California's 18th State Senate district represented by Democrat Robert Hertzberg, and California's 27th State Senate district represented by Democrat Henry Stern.
* Northridge is located within the City of Los Angeles’ 12th City Council District represented by Councilmember Mitchell Englander.
Notable people
* Brooke Abel, Olympic synchronized swimmer * Ariane Andrew, professional wrestler * Hal Bernson, Los Angeles City Council member, 1979-2003Los Angeles Public Library reference file/ref> * Bob Brunner, producer and screenwriter * Champ Butler, singer *
Matt Cassel
Matthew Brennan Cassel (born May 17, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. A member of seven NFL teams, Cassel's most notable stints were with the New England Patriots an ...
, professional football
* Jarron Collins, professional basketball
* Jason Collins, professional basketball
* Jim Davis, actor
* Bobbi Fiedler
Roberta Frances "Bobbi" Fiedler (née Horowitz; April 22, 1937 – March 3, 2019) was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Representative from California.
Early life and education
Born Roberta Frances Horowitz in Santa Monica, ...
, Congress member
* Linda Fratianne, figure skater at the 1980 Winter Olympics
* Brian Grazer, film and television producer
* Jackie Earle Haley, actor
* Mike Houghton, professional football
* Travis Kalanick, Co-founder of Uber
* Ryan Kalish, professional baseball
*Antonia Lofaso
Antonia Lofaso (born 1976) is an American celebrity chef and restaurateur. She has appeared on the reality television shows ''Top Chef'', ''Chopped (TV series), Chopped'', ''Cutthroat Kitchen'' and ''Restaurant Startup'', among others. Lofaso own ...
, celebrity chef
*Casey Matthews
Casey Christopher Matthews (born January 16, 1989) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon. He is the brother of Clay Matt ...
, professional football
* Kyle, entertainer
* Clay Matthews, professional football player
*John H. Meier
John H. Meier (born September 28, 1933) is an American financier and business consultant now living in Vancouver, Canada. He is noted for playing a key role in a controversial mine acquisition project for Howard Hughes and for his behind-the-scene ...
, business adviser to Howard Hughes
* Lynn Carey Saylor, singer, guitarist and composer
*Bob Skube
Robert Jacob Skube (born October 8, 1957) is an American former professional baseball player whose career spanned seven seasons, two of which were spent in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Milwaukee Brewers (1982–83). Skube has also served ...
, professional baseball
* Malcolm Smith, professional football
* Eric Steelberg, cinematographer
* Brian Vranesh, professional golfer
* Duffy Waldorf, professional golfer
* Jeff Weaver, Major League Baseball
* Jered Weaver, Major League Baseball
* Danny Worth, professional baseball
See also
* Reseda BoulevardReferences
External links
North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Northridge East Neighborhood Council
Northridge West Neighborhood Council
Northridge South Neighborhood Council
DONE:Neighborhood Council Database
Comments about living in Northridge
Northridge crime map and statistics
{{Authority control Communities in the San Fernando Valley Neighborhoods in Los Angeles Populated places established in 1910