Moorpark, California
Encyclopedia
Moorpark is a city in Southern California
. It was founded in 1900 by Robert Poindexter, presumably named after the moorpark apricots that grew in the area. The city has experienced a great amount of growth since the late 1970s. The population was 34,421 at the 2010 census, up from 31,415 at the 2000 census.
It is mainly believed that the city of Moorpark is named after the Moorpark Apricot, which used to grow in the area. This was confirmed by Robert Poindexter, the founder of Moorpark, in 1927.
One other theory of the name is that when the Southern Pacific Railroad
was surveying the local land in the 1800s for its railway, someone in the party said that the area, with its sloping hills, looked like the Scottish Moors. Hence the name Moorpark.
land grant
given in 1795 to the Pico brothers (Javier, Patricio, and Miguel) by Governor Diego de Borica
of Alta California
.
Robert W. Poindexter, the secretary of the Simi Land Company, received the land that made up the original townsite of Moorpark when the association was disbanded in 1887. Moorpark was founded in 1900 when the application for a post office was submitted. The application lists that there was already a railroad depot in the town. The town grew after the 1904 completion of a 7369 feet (2,246 m) tunnel through the Santa Susana Mountains
, which allowed the Southern Pacific Railroad
to establish a depot there, a depot which lasted until 1965.
Moorpark College
opened on September 11, 1967. Moorpark College
is one of the few colleges that features an Exotic Animal Training and Management Program.
Twenty years later, Moorpark was incorporated as a city on July 1, 1983.
In February 2005, a Siberian Tiger named Tuffy that escaped from a local residence was shot and killed in one of Moorpark's parks. This created a great deal of uproar, because the Animal Control officers used a gun instead of a tranquilizer
to kill the tiger, primarily because the tiger could not be shot from the proper angle for a tranquilizer
to prove effective. Candlelight vigils
were held for the late Tuffy. The couple that owned the tiger had moved from a licensed facility in Temecula, California
, to an unlicensed facility in the Moorpark area of Ventura County. They lost their U.S. Department of Agriculture exhibitor license because they failed to notify the department of the move within 10 days. The wife pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor count of failing to maintain records of exotic felines. The husband pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, making false statements and failing to maintain proper records. Each was sentenced to home detention, three years probation
, and fined $900.
Just a month later, in March 2005, the fairly complete remains (about 75%) of an unusually old mammoth
, possibly the rare Southern mammoth (Mammuthus meridionalis), were discovered in the foothills of Moorpark at the site of a housing development.
In 2006, the Moorpark city council seceded from the Ventura County library
system to create their own city library
system, much like nearby Thousand Oaks.
On February 28, 2006, a housing proposal, North Park Village, which would have added 1,680 houses on 3586 acres (15 km²) in the north-east area of the city, was defeated by a landslide in a city election.
Central Moorpark lies in a valley created by the Arroyo Simi river.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 12.8 square miles (33.2 km²). 12.6 square miles (32.6 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.72% water.
was 2,689.4 people per square mile (1,038.4/km²). The racial makeup of Moorpark was 25,860 (75.1%) White, 533 (1.5%) African American, 248 (0.7%) Native American, 2,352 (6.8%) Asian, 50 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 3,727 (10.8%) from other races
, and 1,651 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10,813 persons (31.4%).
The Census reported that 34,421 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 10,484 households, out of which 4,863 (46.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,966 (66.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 1,113 (10.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 507 (4.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 483 (4.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 58 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,337 households (12.8%) were made up of individuals and 434 (4.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.28. There were 8,586 families
(81.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.55.
The population was spread out with 9,459 people (27.5%) under the age of 18, 3,631 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 8,825 people (25.6%) aged 25 to 44, 10,051 people (29.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,455 people (7.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.7 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
There were 10,738 housing units at an average density of 839.0 per square mile (323.9/km²), of which 8,182 (78.0%) were owner-occupied, and 2,302 (22.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.9%. 26,688 people (77.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 7,733 people (22.5%) lived in rental housing units.
, there are 31,416 people in the city, organized into 8,994 households and 7,698 families. The population density
is 1,651.9 inhabitants per square mile (637.7/km²). There are 9,094 housing units at an average density of 478.2 per square mile (184.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 74.42% White, 5.63% Asian, 1.52% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 13.95% from other races, and 3.87% from two or more races. 27.81% of the population are Hispanic
of any race.
There are 8,994 households out of which 54.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.0% are married couples
living together, 9.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 14.4% are non-families. 9.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 2.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.49 and the average family size is 3.71.
In the city the population is spread out with 34.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.1 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city is $90,109, and the median income for a family is $96,532. Males have a median income of $55,535 versus $35,790 for females. The per capita income
for the city is $25,383. 7.0% of the population and 4.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
founded Egg City, which was a massive chicken farm north of Moorpark, with many chicken coops spread over acres of concrete with millions of chickens in them. The main building had a giant chicken statue on the top of it. Local residents were somewhat irked by the farm, when the smell of it wafted to Moorpark on windy days. The business suffered a setback in 1972, when more than 3 million chickens were slaughtered because of the threat of Newcastle disease
. The farm finally closed in 1996. In early December 2006, a wildfire destroyed the dilapidated remains of Egg City.
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. It was founded in 1900 by Robert Poindexter, presumably named after the moorpark apricots that grew in the area. The city has experienced a great amount of growth since the late 1970s. The population was 34,421 at the 2010 census, up from 31,415 at the 2000 census.
The name
The origin of the name "Moorpark" is not known, but several sources have been suggested. However, most sources agree that its origin was Admiral Lord Anson's estate Moor Park in Hertfordshire where he introduced the apricot in 1688.It is mainly believed that the city of Moorpark is named after the Moorpark Apricot, which used to grow in the area. This was confirmed by Robert Poindexter, the founder of Moorpark, in 1927.
One other theory of the name is that when the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
was surveying the local land in the 1800s for its railway, someone in the party said that the area, with its sloping hills, looked like the Scottish Moors. Hence the name Moorpark.
History
The valley where Moorpark is located was originally inhabited by the Chumash. The area was part of the large Rancho SimiRancho Simi
Rancho Simi, also known as Rancho San José de Nuestra Senora de Altagarcia y Simi, was a Spanish land grant in eastern Ventura and western Los Angeles counties given in 1795 to Francisco Javier Pico and his two brothers, Patricio Pico and Miguel Pico by Governor Diego de Borica...
land grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
given in 1795 to the Pico brothers (Javier, Patricio, and Miguel) by Governor Diego de Borica
Diego de Borica
Diego de Borica was a Spanish explorer and the seventh Governor of Las Californias from 1794 to 1800, and is credited with defining Alta- and Baja-California's official borders.-Biography:...
of Alta California
Alta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
.
Robert W. Poindexter, the secretary of the Simi Land Company, received the land that made up the original townsite of Moorpark when the association was disbanded in 1887. Moorpark was founded in 1900 when the application for a post office was submitted. The application lists that there was already a railroad depot in the town. The town grew after the 1904 completion of a 7369 feet (2,246 m) tunnel through the Santa Susana Mountains
Santa Susana Mountains
The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west separating the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south, from Santa Clara River Valley to the north, and Santa Clarita...
, which allowed the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
to establish a depot there, a depot which lasted until 1965.
Moorpark College
Moorpark College
Moorpark College is a California state college located on a property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. It was established in 1967 and as of 2006, had an enrollment of 16,580 students and 175 full-time faculty members....
opened on September 11, 1967. Moorpark College
Moorpark College
Moorpark College is a California state college located on a property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. It was established in 1967 and as of 2006, had an enrollment of 16,580 students and 175 full-time faculty members....
is one of the few colleges that features an Exotic Animal Training and Management Program.
Twenty years later, Moorpark was incorporated as a city on July 1, 1983.
In February 2005, a Siberian Tiger named Tuffy that escaped from a local residence was shot and killed in one of Moorpark's parks. This created a great deal of uproar, because the Animal Control officers used a gun instead of a tranquilizer
Tranquilizer
A tranquilizer, or tranquilliser , is a drug that induces tranquility in an individual.The term "tranquilizer" is imprecise, and is usually qualified, or replaced with more precise terms:...
to kill the tiger, primarily because the tiger could not be shot from the proper angle for a tranquilizer
Tranquilizer
A tranquilizer, or tranquilliser , is a drug that induces tranquility in an individual.The term "tranquilizer" is imprecise, and is usually qualified, or replaced with more precise terms:...
to prove effective. Candlelight vigils
Vigil
A vigil is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance...
were held for the late Tuffy. The couple that owned the tiger had moved from a licensed facility in Temecula, California
Temecula, California
Temecula is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States with a population of 100,097 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it the lowest populated American city over 100,000 population. It was incorporated on December 1, 1989...
, to an unlicensed facility in the Moorpark area of Ventura County. They lost their U.S. Department of Agriculture exhibitor license because they failed to notify the department of the move within 10 days. The wife pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor count of failing to maintain records of exotic felines. The husband pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, making false statements and failing to maintain proper records. Each was sentenced to home detention, three years probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
, and fined $900.
Just a month later, in March 2005, the fairly complete remains (about 75%) of an unusually old mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
, possibly the rare Southern mammoth (Mammuthus meridionalis), were discovered in the foothills of Moorpark at the site of a housing development.
In 2006, the Moorpark city council seceded from the Ventura County library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
system to create their own city library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
system, much like nearby Thousand Oaks.
On February 28, 2006, a housing proposal, North Park Village, which would have added 1,680 houses on 3586 acres (15 km²) in the north-east area of the city, was defeated by a landslide in a city election.
City divisions and neighborhoods
- "Old Town Moorpark" is the area surrounding High StreetHigh StreetHigh Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
, and is the historic center of the city. A feature of the downtown area are the pepper trees that line High Street, planted by Robert Poindexter who was responsible for the plotting and mapping of the town. This area also features; an art gallery, the landmark breakfast place. The Cactus Patch, the Secret Garden Restaurant, and was home of the now closed The HUB "hoagies 'n more" which created the California Cheese Steak sandwich.
- The Peach Hill and Mountain Meadows neighborhoods are south of the Arroyo Simi, and most of the homes here were built within the last 30 years. Moorpark High SchoolMoorpark High SchoolMoorpark High School, located in Moorpark, California, is a public high school in the Moorpark Unified School District and currently has an enrollment of 2,478 students.-History:...
is in this area, as well as many parks, including the Arroyo Vista Park and Recreation Center, the city's largest park. This area contains a large part of the city's population.
- Campus Park is dominated by Moorpark CollegeMoorpark CollegeMoorpark College is a California state college located on a property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. It was established in 1967 and as of 2006, had an enrollment of 16,580 students and 175 full-time faculty members....
. An additional substantial development is occurring to the north of the existing city, in the area of the Moorpark Country Club.
- Moorpark was also one of the first cities to run off nuclear powerNuclear powerNuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
in the entire world, and the first in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. For one hour on November 12, 1957 this fact was featured on Edwin R. Murrow's "See It NowSee It NowSee It Now is an American newsmagazine and documentary series broadcast by CBS from 1951 to 1958. It was created by Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly, Murrow being the host of the show. From 1952 to 1957, See It Now won four Emmy Awards and was nominated three times...
" television show. The reactor, called the Sodium Reactor ExperimentSodium Reactor ExperimentThe Sodium Reactor Experiment was a pioneering nuclear power plant built by Atomics International at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, nearby Simi Valley, California. The reactor operated from 1957 to 1964...
was built by the Atomics InternationalAtomics InternationalAtomics International was a division of the North American Aviation company which engaged principally in the early development of nuclear technology and nuclear reactors for both commercial and government applications...
division of North American AviationNorth American AviationNorth American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
at the nearby Santa Susana Field LaboratorySanta Susana Field LaboratoryThe Santa Susana Field Laboratory is a complex of industrial research and development facilities located on a 2,668 acre portion of the Southern California Simi Hills in Simi Valley, California, used mainly for the testing and development of Liquid-propellant rocket engines for the United States...
. The Sodium Reactor Experiment operated from 1957 to 1964 and produced 7.5 megawatts of electrical power at a Southern California EdisonSouthern California EdisonSouthern California Edison , the largest subsidiary of Edison International , is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California, USA. It provides 14 million people with electricity...
-supplied generating station. In July, 1959 the reactor suffered a serious incident causing the controlled release of radioactive gasses to the atmosphereAtmosphereAn atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, and that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere may be retained for a longer duration, if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
. The reactor was repaired and restarted in September, 1960 and operated without incident until 1964. The contradictory analysis of the July, 1959 incident has been a source of controversy in the neighboring community leading to concerns of community contamination. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded an evaluation of the nuclear research area the Santa Susana Field LaboratorySanta Susana Field LaboratoryThe Santa Susana Field Laboratory is a complex of industrial research and development facilities located on a 2,668 acre portion of the Southern California Simi Hills in Simi Valley, California, used mainly for the testing and development of Liquid-propellant rocket engines for the United States...
and stated "Radionuclides associated with historic research are not present at concentrations significantly above background in the soils surrounding residential communities."
- Also located at the nearby Santa Susana Field LaboratorySanta Susana Field LaboratoryThe Santa Susana Field Laboratory is a complex of industrial research and development facilities located on a 2,668 acre portion of the Southern California Simi Hills in Simi Valley, California, used mainly for the testing and development of Liquid-propellant rocket engines for the United States...
was the Energy Technology Engineering CenterEnergy Technology Engineering CenterThe Energy Technology Engineering Center , was a government-owned, contractor-operated complex of industrial facilities located within the Santa Susana Field Laboratory , Ventura County, California. The ETEC specialized in non-nuclear testing of components which were designed to transfer heat...
operated by Atomics InternationalAtomics InternationalAtomics International was a division of the North American Aviation company which engaged principally in the early development of nuclear technology and nuclear reactors for both commercial and government applications...
(and later RocketdyneRocketdyneRocketdyne was a Rocket engine design and production company headquartered in Canoga Park, California, United States. The company was related to North American Aviation for most of its history. NAA merged with Rockwell International, which was then bought by Boeing in December, 1996...
) for the United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
. The Energy Technology Engineering Center performed non-nuclear testing and development of nuclear-related liquid metal (i.e., high temperature sodiumSodiumSodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal and is a member of the alkali metals; its only stable isotope is 23Na. It is an abundant element that exists in numerous minerals, most commonly as sodium chloride...
) components such as pumps, flow meters and heat exchangers.
Transportation
- The city is serviced by Amtrak CaliforniaAmtrak CaliforniaAmtrak California is a brand name used by the Caltrans Division of Rail for all state-supported Amtrak rail routes within the U.S. State of California...
's Pacific SurflinerPacific SurflinerThe Pacific Surfliner is a Amtrak regional passenger train route serving communities on the coast of Southern California between San Diego and San Luis Obispo....
and MetrolinkMetrolink (Southern California)Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
's Ventura County Line commuter rail, with a train station located on High Street, in the center of the city.
- The city of Moorpark has a mass transit busBusA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
system, known as the Moorpark City Transit.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kavlico | 1,200 |
| 2 | Moorpark Unified School District | 871 |
| 3 | Pentair Pentair Pentair, Inc. is a Golden Valley, Minnesota based company focused on water technologies and enclosures for electronic products. Its Water Technologies Group provides products and systems used worldwide in the movement, treatment, storage and enjoyment of water... Pool Products |
527 |
| 4 | Waterpik (Teledyne Teledyne Teledyne Technologies Incorporated is an industrial conglomerate primarily based in the United States but with global operations. It was founded in 1960, as Teledyne, Inc., by Henry Singleton and George Kozmetsky.... ) |
451 |
| 5 | Moorpark College Moorpark College Moorpark College is a California state college located on a property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. It was established in 1967 and as of 2006, had an enrollment of 16,580 students and 175 full-time faculty members.... |
315 |
| 6 | CTS | 220 |
| 7 | Special Devices | 190 |
| 8 | Axius/Auto-Shade | 150 |
| 9 | Target Target Corporation Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's... |
150 |
| 10 | Boething Treeland Farms | 145 |
Major highways
California State Highway 118
California State Highway 23
Geography
Moorpark is located at 34°16'52" North, 118°52'25" West (34.281056, -118.873561).Central Moorpark lies in a valley created by the Arroyo Simi river.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 12.8 square miles (33.2 km²). 12.6 square miles (32.6 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.72% water.
Climate
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Moorpark had a population of 34,421. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,689.4 people per square mile (1,038.4/km²). The racial makeup of Moorpark was 25,860 (75.1%) White, 533 (1.5%) African American, 248 (0.7%) Native American, 2,352 (6.8%) Asian, 50 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 3,727 (10.8%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1,651 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10,813 persons (31.4%).
The Census reported that 34,421 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 10,484 households, out of which 4,863 (46.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,966 (66.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 1,113 (10.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 507 (4.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 483 (4.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 58 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,337 households (12.8%) were made up of individuals and 434 (4.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.28. There were 8,586 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(81.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.55.
The population was spread out with 9,459 people (27.5%) under the age of 18, 3,631 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 8,825 people (25.6%) aged 25 to 44, 10,051 people (29.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,455 people (7.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.7 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
There were 10,738 housing units at an average density of 839.0 per square mile (323.9/km²), of which 8,182 (78.0%) were owner-occupied, and 2,302 (22.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.9%. 26,688 people (77.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 7,733 people (22.5%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there are 31,416 people in the city, organized into 8,994 households and 7,698 families. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 1,651.9 inhabitants per square mile (637.7/km²). There are 9,094 housing units at an average density of 478.2 per square mile (184.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 74.42% White, 5.63% Asian, 1.52% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 13.95% from other races, and 3.87% from two or more races. 27.81% of the population are Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
of any race.
There are 8,994 households out of which 54.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.0% are married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 14.4% are non-families. 9.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 2.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.49 and the average family size is 3.71.
In the city the population is spread out with 34.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.1 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city is $90,109, and the median income for a family is $96,532. Males have a median income of $55,535 versus $35,790 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city is $25,383. 7.0% of the population and 4.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Moorpark High School
- The Moorpark High School mascot is the Musketeer.
- The Academic Decathlon team of Moorpark High School has a tradition of success. They have won the national championship four times since 1999 and in 2008 set the record for the highest team score in the history of the competition. The 2009 National Championship team met with President Barack Obama in June 2009.
- Moorpark High School's football team lost 51 consecutive games to Carpinteria High School, a national record that ended in 1997 en route to the school's first football CIF championship. The two teams have not played since.
Events
- A few events are held in the Moorpark area during the year, most notably Moorpark "Country Days", a single day in late September or early October, American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
battle reenactments in early-November, an "Apricot Festival", usually in the Spring or Summer, and an annual fireworks celebration on July 3 every year. The July 3 fireworks are popular around the rest of Ventura County, as people can go to the Moorpark fireworks on the 3, and see their own local city's fireworks on July 4. The rockRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Jefferson StarshipJefferson StarshipJefferson Starship is an American rock band formed in the early 1970s. The group is a spin-off from the iconic 1960s psychedelic/folk group Jefferson Airplane. The band has undergone several major changes in personnel and genres through the years while retaining the same Jefferson Starship name...
played at a previous Moorpark 3 July fireworks celebration.
- Many television shows, movies, and even a few music videos have had short clips filmed on Moorpark's High Street. Its historical charm has compelled some filmmakers and other notable people to film there. Most notably "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
's "Amish ParadiseAmish Paradise"Amish Paradise" is a 1996 single by parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of the hip hop song "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio featuring L.V....
" and The Haunting of Molly HartleyThe Haunting of Molly HartleyThe Haunting of Molly Hartley is a 2008 supernatural horror film written by John Travis and Rebecca Sonnenshine and directed by Mickey Liddell starring Haley Bennett, Chace Crawford, AnnaLynne McCord, Jessica Lowndes and Jake Weber.-Plot:...
were filmed there. In the film Paranormal Activity 3, Moorpark was mentioned.
Egg City
In 1961, Julius GoldmanJulius Goldman
Julius "Goldie" Goldman was a Canadian basketball player....
founded Egg City, which was a massive chicken farm north of Moorpark, with many chicken coops spread over acres of concrete with millions of chickens in them. The main building had a giant chicken statue on the top of it. Local residents were somewhat irked by the farm, when the smell of it wafted to Moorpark on windy days. The business suffered a setback in 1972, when more than 3 million chickens were slaughtered because of the threat of Newcastle disease
Newcastle disease
Newcastle disease is a contagious bird disease affecting many domestic and wild avian species. First found in Newcastle, United Kingdom in 1926, then by Burnet in 1943 in Australia in connection with laboratory infection where the virus was isolated from a ocular discharge of a patient to show the...
. The farm finally closed in 1996. In early December 2006, a wildfire destroyed the dilapidated remains of Egg City.
The American Legion
Moorpark has its own The American Legion Post 502. Meetings are regularly scheduled for the second Tuesday of each month and are located at Moorpark Chamber of Commerce Office.See also
- Moorpark CollegeMoorpark CollegeMoorpark College is a California state college located on a property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. It was established in 1967 and as of 2006, had an enrollment of 16,580 students and 175 full-time faculty members....
- Moorpark High SchoolMoorpark High SchoolMoorpark High School, located in Moorpark, California, is a public high school in the Moorpark Unified School District and currently has an enrollment of 2,478 students.-History:...
- State Route 23California State Route 23State Route 23 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. The route runs roughly from Fillmore to Malibu. This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System.-Route description:...
- State Route 118California State Route 118State Route 118 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that begins running west to east through Ventura and Los Angeles counties in southern California. It travels from Saticoy in Ventura County east to Lake View Terrace in Los Angeles...
- Chaparral Middle School (Moorpark)
- Mesa Verde Middle School (Moorpark)Mesa Verde Middle School (Moorpark)-Facts:*Mesa Verde is one of two public middle schools in Moorpark, California*The school opened in September, 1994*Mesa Verde's mascot is the Puma....
- Moor Park (house) origin of the Moorpark apricot
- List of California public officials charged with crimes, Moorpark
External links
- Official city website
- Moorpark Chamber of Commerce
- Moorpark @ The Official Conejo Valley Website, a Web site with local history, events, and community information.
- Moorpark Acorn Newspaper