Tarzana () is a suburban neighborhood in the

San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the Municipal corpo ...

region of

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, California. Tarzana is on the site of a former ranch owned by author

Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American writer, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best known for creating the characters Tarzan (who appeared in ...

. It is named after Burroughs' fictional jungle hero,

Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, a feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer. Creat ...

History

The area now known as Tarzana was occupied in 1797 by settlers and missionaries from

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( ; Nahuatl: ''Yankwik Kaxtillan Birreiyotl''), originally the Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain. It was one of several ...

who established the San Fernando Mission. The region was later absorbed by

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, and then surrendered to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in 1848 in the

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). It was signed on 2 February 1848 in the town of Villa de Guadalupe, Mexico City, Guadalupe Hidalgo. After the defeat of its army and the fall of the cap ...

following the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...

. As part of the U.S., it evolved into a series of large cattle ranches. Investors in the region turned grazing fields into large-scale wheat farms during the 1870s. The area was purchased in 1909 by the Los Angeles Suburban Homes Company. ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' founder and publisher General Harrison Gray Otis invested in the company and also personally acquired in the center of modern-day Tarzana. In February 1919,

, author of the popular ''

'' novels, relocated to California from

Oak Park, Illinois Oak Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, adjacent to Chicago. It is the List of municipalities in Illinois, 26th-most populous municipality in Illinois, with a population of 54,318 as of the 2020 census. Oak Park was first se ...

. He and his family had wintered in

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...

twice before, and he found the climate ideal. On March 1, 1919, Burroughs purchased Otis's tract and established Tarzana Ranch. Burroughs subdivided and sold the land for residential development, some parcels of which were utilized as small farms.

Geography

Boundaries

Tarzana, which measures , is bounded on the south by

Topanga State Park Topanga State Park () is a California state park located in the Santa Monica Mountains, within Los Angeles County, California. It is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The park is located adjacent to the Topanga neigh ...

, on the east by Encino, on the north by Reseda and on the west by Woodland Hills. Victory Boulevard marks the northern edge of the neighborhood; Lindley Avenue, the eastern; Corbin Avenue, with a jog to Oakdale Avenue, the western; and Topanga State Park, the southern.

Climate

Tarzana experiences a

hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

. Due to its inland location, there is a higher degree of

diurnal temperature variation In meteorology, diurnal temperature variation is the variation between a high air temperature and a low temperature that occurs during the same day. Temperature lag Temperature lag, also known as thermal inertia, is an important factor in diur ...

than more coastal areas of Los Angeles.

Demographics

The U.S. Census counted 35,502 people living in Tarzana in 2000, and Los Angeles estimated the neighborhood's population at 37,778 in 2008. There were 4,038 people per square mile, among the lowest population densities in the city. According to the 2000 Census, the racial composition was predominantly

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

(70.7%), followed by Asian (5%), and black or

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

(3.6%). The ''Los Angeles Times'' considered the area as "moderately diverse". 35.1% of the population was foreign-born, with Iranian (10.3%) and Russian (9.1%) as the most common ancestries. Iran (24.2%) and Mexico (12.1%) were the most common foreign places of birth. The percentage of divorced men and women was among the county's highest. Some 9% of the residents were military veterans. The percentages of residents aged 50 and older were among the county's highest. The median age is 38. The median household income in 2008 dollars was considered high, at $73,195.

Notable people

* Paul Abrahamian, reality television participant *

Paul Thomas Anderson Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970), also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. Often described as one of the most preeminent writer-directors of his generation, List of awards and nominations received by Paul Thomas Anders ...

, filmmaker *

Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...

, singer *

Ed Asner Eddie Asner (; November 15, 1929 – August 29, 2021) was an American actor. He is most notable for portraying Lou Grant on the sitcom ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977) and drama '' Lou Grant'' (1977–1982), making him one of the few ...

, actor *

Banks A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. As banks ...

, singer * Judy Blumberg, competitive ice dancer *

, author and founder of the neighborhood * Cindy Bortz, 1987 World Junior Champion figure skater *

Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...

, singer *

Doja Cat Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini (born October 21, 1995), known professionally as Doja Cat (), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she began making and releasing music on SoundCl ...

, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer * Shavahn Church, American-British gymnast * Jordan Cohen (born 1997), American-Israeli basketball player *

Mike Connors Krekor Ohanian (August 15, 1925 – January 26, 2017), known professionally as Mike Connors, was an American actor. He was best known for playing private detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series ''Mannix'' from 1967 to 1975. This role ...

, actor *

Kaley Cuoco Kaley Christine Cuoco ( ; born November 30, 1985) is an American actress. She starred as Bridget Hennessy on the ABC sitcom '' 8 Simple Rules'' (2002–2005), Penny on the CBS sitcom ''The Big Bang Theory'' (2007–2019), and as the title ch ...

, actress and producer *

Jason Derulo Jason Joel Desrouleaux (born September 21, 1989), known professionally as Jason Derulo (; formerly stylized as Derülo), is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Since the start of his solo recording career in 2009, he has sold over 250 m ...

, singer *

Jordan Farmar Jordan Robert Farmar (born November 30, 1986) is an American-Israeli former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In high school, he was named the ''Los Angeles Times'' High School Player of the Y ...

(born 1986), American-Israeli basketball player * Amanda Fink, tennis player *

Selena Gomez Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. Gomez began her career as a child actress, appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), a ...

, actress, singer * David Gregory, television journalist *

Chubby Johnson Charles Randolph "Chubby" Johnson (August 13, 1903 – October 31, 1974) was an American film and television supporting character actor with a genial demeanor and warm, country-accented voice. Early years Johnson was the son of entertaine ...

, actor; served as honorary mayor of Tarzana *

Gabe Kapler Gabriel Stefan Kapler (born July 31, 1975), nicknamed "Kap", is an American former professional baseball outfielder and manager who serves as the assistant general manager of the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). Kapler was a 57th- ...

(born 1975), Major League Baseball outfielder, and manager (

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

) *

Khloé Kardashian Khloé Alexandra Kardashian (; born June 27, 1984) is an American media personality and socialite. She rose to fame starring with her family in the reality television series ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'' from 2007 to 2021. Its success le ...

, television personality * Luke Kennard, NBA player with the Los Angeles Clippers, lives in Tarzana *

Lisa Kudrow Lisa Valerie Kudrow ( ; born July 30, 1963) is an American actress. She rose to international fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the American television sitcom ''Friends'', which aired from 1994 to 2004. The series earned her Primetime Emmy A ...

, actress, grew up in Tarzana *

Blake Lively Blake Ellender Brown (born August 25, 1987), known professionally as Blake Lively, is an American actress. A daughter of actor Ernie Lively, she made her professional debut in his directorial project ''Sandman'' (1998). She had her breakthrou ...

, actress, born in Tarzana *

Jon Lovitz Jonathan Michael Lovitz ( ; born July 21, 1957) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1985 to 1990 for which he was nominated for two Pr ...

, comedian and actor, born in Tarzana *

Ron Masak Ronald Alan Masak (July 1, 1936 – October 20, 2022) was an American actor best known for playing the recurring role of Sheriff Mort Metzger of Cabot Cove in the CBS mystery series ''Murder, She Wrote'' starring Angela Lansbury, who predecea ...

, actor, was honorary sheriff of the Tarzana neighborhood for 35 years * Heather McDonald, comedian *

David Oyelowo David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo ( ; ; born 1 April 1976) is a British actor, director and producer. His accolades include a Critics' Choice Award and two NAACP Image Awards as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awar ...

, actor, lives in Tarzana *

Rosanna Pansino Rosanna Jeanne Reardon (born June 8, 1985), known professionally as Rosanna Pansino, is an American YouTuber, actress, author, businesswoman, and singer. She is known for hosting her baking series ''Nerdy Nummies'' on YouTube (2011–present). ...

, YouTube personality * Lyndsey Parker, entertainment journalist * Paul Rodriguez, skateboarder, born in Tarzana *

Jim Rome James Phillip Rome (born October 14, 1964) is an American sports radio host. His talk show, '' The Jim Rome Show'', is syndicated by Westwood One. Broadcasting from a studio near Los Angeles, California, Rome hosts ''The Jim Rome Show'' on r ...

, radio personality, born in Tarzana * Eric Schwartz, comedian, musician, and actor *

JoJo Siwa Joelle Joanie "JoJo" Siwa ( ; born May 19, 2003) is an American singer, dancer, actress, and media personality. From 2015 to 2016, she appeared as a dancer on two seasons of the reality television show '' Dance Moms'' alongside her mother, Jess ...

, YouTube personality and reality television star *

Hailee Steinfeld Hailee Steinfeld (born December 11, 1996) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She had her breakthrough with the western film ''True Grit (2010 film), True Grit'' (2010), which earned her List of awards and nominations received by H ...

, actress and singer * Brody Stevens, comedian *

Benny Urquidez Benny Urquidez (born June 20, 1952) is an American former professional kickboxer, martial arts choreographer and actor. Nicknamed "The Jet", Urquidez was a non-contact karate competitor who later pioneered full-contact fighting in the United St ...

, kickboxer, martial arts choreographer, and actor *

Wilmer Valderrama Wilmer Eduardo Valderrama ( ; born January 30, 1980) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Fez in the sitcom '' That '70s Show'' (1998–2006), his current role as Special Agent Nick Torres in '' NCIS'' (2016–present), and Agu ...

, actor *

David Was David Jay Weiss, known as David Was, is an American musician, music producer and journalist. With his life-long friend and stage-brother Don Was, he was the founder of the 1980s pop group Was (Not Was). Career Was was born in Detroit, Michiga ...

, composer, musician, journalist *

Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne Womack ( ; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's ...

, soul singer-songwriter * Anton Yelchin, actor

Education

A total of 40.3% of Tarzana residents aged 25 and older have earned a four-year degree. Percentages of those residents with a bachelor's degree or with a master's degree are also high for the county.

Elementary and secondary schools

Schools within Tarzana are: * Gaspar de Portola Middle School,

LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is a State school, public school district in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. It is the largest public school system in California in terms of number of students and the List ...

, 18720 Linnet Street * Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (4–12), LAUSD alternative, 18605 Erwin Street * Vanalden Avenue Elementary School, LAUSD, 19019 Delano Street * Tarzana Elementary School, LAUSD, 5726 Topeka Drive * CHIME Institute's Schwarzenegger Community School, LAUSD charter, 19722 Collier Street * Wilbur Charter for Enriched Academics, LAUSD K–5, 5213 Crebs Avenue * Nestle Avenue Elementary School, LAUSD, 5060 Nestle Avenue Zoned high schools serving Tarzana include: *

Birmingham High School Birmingham Community Charter High School (formerly Birmingham High School) is a charter high school in the neighborhood/district of Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was founded in 1953 ...

in (

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 High School (in Reseda area) * Taft High School (in Woodland Hills area) Private schools include: *

Lycée International de Los Angeles The International School of Los Angeles (, LILA) is a private, international school for students aged 4 to 18. The International School of Los Angeles holds accreditation by the French Ministry of Education, the Western Association of Schools an ...

West Valley Campus

Postsecondary schools

Columbia College Hollywood California College of ASU (Arizona State University) is a private college in Los Angeles, California. Until 2023, it was known as Columbia College Hollywood. It is one of only 20 film institutions in the United States that have been awarded fu ...

, a private nonprofit film school on Oxnard Street.

Public libraries

The

Los Angeles Public Library The Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) is a public library system in Los Angeles, California, operating separate from the Los Angeles County Public Library system. The system holds more than six million volumes, and with around 19 million resid ...

operates the Encino-Tarzana Branch on

Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east–west thoroughfares in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Ventura Boulevard is one of the oldest routes in the San Fernando Valley as it is along the commem ...

in Tarzana.

Recreation and parks

The Tarzana Recreation Center has a gymnasium that also is used as an auditorium; the building's capacity is 600. The park also has barbecue pits, a lighted baseball diamond, lighted outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, a community room, an indoor gymnasium without weights, picnic tables, and lighted volleyball courts. Caballero Canyon, located on the north side of the Santa Monica mountains in Tarzana offers multiple trails for hiking, mountain biking and unobstructed views of the San Fernando Valley. There is a loop trail located here that is moderately trafficked and allows dogs on a leash. At the top of the trail hikers and mountain bikers will see signs leading the entrance of Topanga State Park. There are no fees or permits required to hike Caballero Canyon.

References

External links

* * * * * Elementary schools: , , {{Authority control Communities in the San Fernando Valley Edgar Rice Burroughs Neighborhoods in Los Angeles Populated places in the Santa Monica Mountains Populated places established in 1927 Tarzan 1927 establishments in California