Canoga Park, California is a district of the city of Los Angeles, located within the San Fernando Valley. The area's zoning was rural/agricultural and its industry was small farms involved in production of fruits, vegetables, melons, some livestock, horses, movie/television studio and stunt location work.
The area was originally named Owensmouth by Los Angeles Times publisher Harrison Gray Otis due to its proximity to the Los Angeles Aqueduct that brought water from the Owens Valley. The town was founded on March 30, 1912, by the Janss Corporation , major developers. The lack of an independent water supply made annexation to the City of Los Angeles inevitable, and on February 26, 1917 it joined with its larger neighbor. The name was changed to Canoga Park in 1930.
In 1955 the Rocketdyne, then a spinoff of North American Aviation, moved into the area. It became a major employer and other aerospace companies followed, including North American Aviation, Hughes Aircraft (Now Boeing), Atomics International , and Teledyne. Small machine shops and other ancilliary businesses also sprang up to service the aerospace industry.
Much of Canoga Park has been renamed West Hills. Most of the area is now suburban communities with small industrial areas, however some of the area is still rural; film production, stunt, equine, and feed businesses still exist.
Last updated: 07-24-2005 22:06:16
