Santa Paula, California
Encyclopedia
Santa Paula is a city within Ventura County
, California
, United States
. The population was 29,321 at the 2010 census, up from 28,598 at the 2000 census. It has been dubbed the "Citrus
Capital of the World." As the initial headquarters of the Union Oil Company of California, Santa Paula was one of the early centers of California's enormous petroleum
industry.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²), 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²) of it land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (2.41%) water.
people. Father Junipero Serra
became active in the area during the Spanish mission period; the town takes its name from the Catholic Saint Paula
. Santa Paula is located on the 1843 Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy
Mexican land grant.
In 1872 Nathan Weston Blanchard purchased 2700 acres (10.9 km²) and founded the town of Santa Paula. Several small oil companies owned by Wallace Hardison
, Lyman Stewart
and Thomas R. Bard
combined to become the Union Oil Company in 1890.
In April 1911, Gaston Melies
moved his Star Film Company
from San Antonio, Texas
to a site just north of Santa Paula.
The large South Mountain Oil Field
southeast of town, just across the Santa Clara River, was discovered by the Oak Ridge Oil Company in 1916, and developed methodically through the 1920s, bringing further economic diversification and growth to the area. While the field peaked in production in the 1950s, Occidental Petroleum
continues to extract oil through its Vintage Production subsidiary and remains a significant local employer.
In 1928, the town was devastated by the failure of William Mulholland
's St. Francis Dam
.
was 6,230.3 people per square mile (2,405.5/km²). The racial makeup of Santa Paula was 18,458 (63.0%) White, 152 (0.5%) African American, 460 (1.6%) Native American, 216 (0.7%) Asian, 24 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 8,924 (30.4%) from other races
, and 1,087 (3.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23,299 persons (79.5%).
The Census reported that 29,188 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 44 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 89 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 8,347 households, out of which 4,087 (49.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,767 (57.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 1,267 (15.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 650 (7.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 540 (6.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 45 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,331 households (15.9%) were made up of individuals and 678 (8.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.50. There were 6,684 families
(80.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.85.
The population was spread out with 8,722 people (29.7%) under the age of 18, 3,295 people (11.2%) aged 18 to 24, 8,012 people (27.3%) aged 25 to 44, 6,193 people (21.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,099 people (10.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.1 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.5 males.
There were 8,749 housing units at an average density of 1,859.1 per square mile (717.8/km²), of which 4,694 (56.2%) were owner-occupied, and 3,653 (43.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%. 15,528 people (53.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 13,660 people (46.6%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 28,598 people, 8,137 households, and 6,435 families residing in the city. The population density
was 6,214.6 inhabitants per square mile (2,400.4/km²). There were 8,341 housing units at an average density of 1,812.6 per square mile (700.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.2% White, 5.41% African American, 1.02% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, .37% from other races
, and 4.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 61.2% of the population.
There were 8,136 households out of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples
living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.49 and the average family size was 3.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 103.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,651, and the median income for a family was $45,419. Males had a median income of $32,165 versus $25,818 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,736. About 12.2% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
s have also been grown, and an avocado was added to the city's official seal (Calavo Growers, Inc. is headquartered here.) Santa Paula's mediterranean climate combined with an estimated 20 feet (6.1 m) of topsoil have made it one of the best locations for growing citrus.
Santa Paula has very few large retail stores, the largest of which are Kmart
and Vons
. Many residents travel to neighboring cities to purchase hard goods. Santa Paula's Main Street area consists mostly of clothing shops, specialty shops, novelty shops, 99-cent stores
, restaurants, service-oriented businesses and office space. The city is home to a smattering of neighborhood stores and small grocery markets. Many of these small shops and markets have a distinct Latin-American flavor, often selling myriad imported items. In addition some markets also have a meat department which sells a variety of beef, poultry, and seafood.
The California Oil Museum, within the historic Union Oil building is located downtown, and the Santa Paula Museum of Art and Farm Heritage Museum are in the planning stages in the same area. The Santa Paula Mural Project has completed numerous murals depicting the city's history.
brought his Star Film Company
to the city in 1911, filming movies such as "The Ghost of Sulphur Mountain".
Santa Paula has been featured in Hollywood media on numerous occasions, some examples include:
On the television drama The West Wing
, Santa Paula is the hometown of fictional Presidential candidate Arnold Vinick
(Alan Alda
). In early 2005, Santa Paula Mayor Mary Ann Krause began a lobbying campaign to have Santa Paula declared Vinick's hometown. In a publicity move for the town, city officials officially "claim[ed] Senator Arnold Vinick as a resident of Santa Paula," in April 2005, and opened an official campaign headquarters for the fictional Republican Senator
in the town's train depot. (Santa Paula for Vinick) On October 14, 2005, NBC
released Vinick's official biography
and revealed Santa Paula as the town in which he was raised. http://www.nbc.com/The_West_Wing/Campaign/Vinick_Sullivan/
The Santa Paula Train Depot was one of the locations for the Thornbirds mini-series starting Richard Chamberlain.
Parts of the movie "Disorganized Crime
" 1989 starring Fred Gwynne
of the Munsters, was filmed downtown on Main Street.
Santa Paula also served as one of the locations for the motion picture "Mr. Woodcock
" (2007) starring Billy Bob Thornton
.
A good portion of "Joe Dirt
" (2001) starring David Spade
was filmed downtown as well as at the popular restaurant Mary B's.
The Lindsay Lohan
movie Georgia Rule
(2007) was filmed in Santa Paula.
The majority of the 1997 film Leave It to Beaver
was filmed in Santa Paula, with many Santa Paula residents being cast in minor character roles and as extras. The famous scene of Beaver trapped in the giant coffee cup had Main Street Santa Paula blocked off for almost a week while filming continued.
Dennis DeYoung, former lead singer of the popular 1970s rock group Styx
, filmed the music video for Desert Moon
, also the title of his first solo album, at the Santa Paula train depot in 1984.
Also, parts of the Brian De Palma
movie "Carrie
" (1976) starring Sissy Spacek
were filmed in the small town.
Other movies that were filmed partially in Santa Paula include The Philadelphia Experiment (film)
(1984), "For Love of the Game
" (1999) "Bubble Boy" (2001) starring Jake Gyllenhaal
and "Bedtime Stories
" (2008) starring Adam Sandler
.
The James M. Sharp House is an historical Italian Villa style house built in 1890. It is located on West Telegraph Road, just outside of Santa Paula, and has been the setting for several movies including "Amityville 4
" (1989), and The Black Gate (1995), and How To Make An American Quilt
(1995).
Various commercials, including a Super Bowl Budweiser commercial, have been filmed in downtown Santa Paula.
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 29,321 at the 2010 census, up from 28,598 at the 2000 census. It has been dubbed the "Citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
Capital of the World." As the initial headquarters of the Union Oil Company of California, Santa Paula was one of the early centers of California's enormous petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
industry.
Geography
Santa Paula is located at 34°21′21"N 119°4′6"W (34.355792, -119.068425).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 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²), 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²) of it land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (2.41%) water.
History
The vicinity of Santa Paula was originally inhabited by the Chumash, a Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
people. Father Junipero Serra
Junípero Serra
Blessed Junípero Serra, O.F.M., , known as Fra Juníper Serra in Catalan, his mother tongue was a Majorcan Franciscan friar who founded the mission chain in Alta California of the Las Californias Province in New Spain—present day California, United States. Fr...
became active in the area during the Spanish mission period; the town takes its name from the Catholic Saint Paula
Saint Paula
Saint Paula was an ancient Roman saint and early Desert Mother. A member of one of the richest "senatorial" families which frivolously claimed descent from Agamemnon, Paula was the daughter of Blesilla and Rogatus, from the great clan of the Furii Camilli...
. Santa Paula is located on the 1843 Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy
Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy
Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy was a Mexican land grant in the Santa Clara River Valley, in present day Ventura County, California, and granted in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Manuel Jimeno Casarin. The rancho lands include the present day cities of Saticoy and Santa Paula along the...
Mexican land grant.
In 1872 Nathan Weston Blanchard purchased 2700 acres (10.9 km²) and founded the town of Santa Paula. Several small oil companies owned by Wallace Hardison
Wallace Hardison
Wallace Libby Hardison was one of the founders of Union Oil.Hardison was born in Caribou, Aroostook County, Maine, the youngest of eleven children. He followed his brother, James Henry Hardison, to the oil fields of Western Pennsylvania. At first, they worked as field hands, but eventually...
, Lyman Stewart
Lyman Stewart
Lyman Stewart was a U.S. businessman and cofounder of Union Oil, which eventually became Unocal. Stewart was also a significant Christian philanthropist and cofounder of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles...
and Thomas R. Bard
Thomas R. Bard
Thomas Robert Bard was a political leader in California who assisted in the organization of Ventura County and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1900 to 1905 as a Republican. He is known as the "Father of Port Hueneme" for his efforts in building and expanding the city, as...
combined to become the Union Oil Company in 1890.
In April 1911, Gaston Melies
Gaston Méliès
Gaston Méliès was the brother of the more-famous French film director Georges Méliès. He also produced and directed a large number of early films in the United States....
moved his Star Film Company
Star Film Company
The Star Film Company was the American film production division of Georges Méliès' French company Star-Film. The company was managed by Méliès' older brother Gaston Méliès and produced films in New York City, San Antonio, Texas and Santa Paula, California. Star Film Company existed from 1902 to 1913...
from San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
to a site just north of Santa Paula.
The large South Mountain Oil Field
South Mountain Oil Field
The South Mountain Oil Field is a large and productive oil field in Ventura County, California, in the United States, in and adjacent to the city of Santa Paula. Discovered in 1916, and having a cumulative production of over of oil, it is the 37th largest oil field in California and the second...
southeast of town, just across the Santa Clara River, was discovered by the Oak Ridge Oil Company in 1916, and developed methodically through the 1920s, bringing further economic diversification and growth to the area. While the field peaked in production in the 1950s, Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum Corporation is a California-based oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, the Middle East, North Africa, and South America...
continues to extract oil through its Vintage Production subsidiary and remains a significant local employer.
In 1928, the town was devastated by the failure of William Mulholland
William Mulholland
William Mulholland was the head of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, in Los Angeles. He was responsible for building the water aqueducts and dams that allowed the city to grow into one of the largest in the world. His methods of obtaining water for the city led to disputes collectively...
's St. Francis Dam
St. Francis Dam
The St. Francis Dam was a concrete gravity-arch dam, designed to create a reservoir as a storage point of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. It was located 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, California, near the present city of Santa Clarita....
.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Santa Paula had a population of 29,321. 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 6,230.3 people per square mile (2,405.5/km²). The racial makeup of Santa Paula was 18,458 (63.0%) White, 152 (0.5%) African American, 460 (1.6%) Native American, 216 (0.7%) Asian, 24 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 8,924 (30.4%) 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 1,087 (3.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23,299 persons (79.5%).
The Census reported that 29,188 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 44 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 89 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 8,347 households, out of which 4,087 (49.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,767 (57.1%) 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, 1,267 (15.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 650 (7.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 540 (6.5%) 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 45 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,331 households (15.9%) were made up of individuals and 678 (8.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.50. There were 6,684 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...
(80.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.85.
The population was spread out with 8,722 people (29.7%) under the age of 18, 3,295 people (11.2%) aged 18 to 24, 8,012 people (27.3%) aged 25 to 44, 6,193 people (21.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,099 people (10.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.1 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.5 males.
There were 8,749 housing units at an average density of 1,859.1 per square mile (717.8/km²), of which 4,694 (56.2%) were owner-occupied, and 3,653 (43.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%. 15,528 people (53.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 13,660 people (46.6%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the 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...
of 2000, there were 28,598 people, 8,137 households, and 6,435 families residing in the city. 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...
was 6,214.6 inhabitants per square mile (2,400.4/km²). There were 8,341 housing units at an average density of 1,812.6 per square mile (700.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.2% White, 5.41% African American, 1.02% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, .37% 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 4.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 61.2% of the population.
There were 8,136 households out of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were 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, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.49 and the average family size was 3.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 103.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,651, and the median income for a family was $45,419. Males had a median income of $32,165 versus $25,818 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 was $15,736. About 12.2% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Santa Paula's economy is primarily agriculturally based, originally focusing on the growing of oranges and lemons. Recently, however, avocadoAvocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
s have also been grown, and an avocado was added to the city's official seal (Calavo Growers, Inc. is headquartered here.) Santa Paula's mediterranean climate combined with an estimated 20 feet (6.1 m) of topsoil have made it one of the best locations for growing citrus.
Santa Paula has very few large retail stores, the largest of which are Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
and Vons
Vons
Vons is a southern California and southern Nevada supermarket chain and a division of Safeway Inc. It is headquartered in Arcadia, California, and operates stores under the Vons and Pavilions banners.-Beginning:...
. Many residents travel to neighboring cities to purchase hard goods. Santa Paula's Main Street area consists mostly of clothing shops, specialty shops, novelty shops, 99-cent stores
Dollar store
A variety store or price-point retailer is a retail store that sells inexpensive items, often with a single price for all items in the store...
, restaurants, service-oriented businesses and office space. The city is home to a smattering of neighborhood stores and small grocery markets. Many of these small shops and markets have a distinct Latin-American flavor, often selling myriad imported items. In addition some markets also have a meat department which sells a variety of beef, poultry, and seafood.
Quality of life
Santa Paula has often been described as a quaint town, boasting a main street reminiscent of Middle America but with a Mexican flavor. In contrast to many Southern California cities which have grown into massive metropolitan areas teeming with people, highways, and buildings, Santa Paula is an oasis of tranquility nestled between large greenbelts of citrus and avocado orchards. Unlike neighboring cities such as Oxnard and Ventura, Santa Paula suffers from very little traffic. City roads are free of congestion, and drivers on the Santa Paula Freeway (SR 126) only experience traffic in the event of a major accident. However, despite the city's lower population and semi-rural setting, Santa Paula is generally bustling with life. People are always out and about, walking, socializing, or playing sports at the city's public parks.The California Oil Museum, within the historic Union Oil building is located downtown, and the Santa Paula Museum of Art and Farm Heritage Museum are in the planning stages in the same area. The Santa Paula Mural Project has completed numerous murals depicting the city's history.
Popular media
Santa Paula was the early film capital of California. Gaston MeliesGaston Méliès
Gaston Méliès was the brother of the more-famous French film director Georges Méliès. He also produced and directed a large number of early films in the United States....
brought his Star Film Company
Star Film Company
The Star Film Company was the American film production division of Georges Méliès' French company Star-Film. The company was managed by Méliès' older brother Gaston Méliès and produced films in New York City, San Antonio, Texas and Santa Paula, California. Star Film Company existed from 1902 to 1913...
to the city in 1911, filming movies such as "The Ghost of Sulphur Mountain".
Santa Paula has been featured in Hollywood media on numerous occasions, some examples include:
On the television drama The West Wing
The West Wing (TV series)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 14, 2006...
, Santa Paula is the hometown of fictional Presidential candidate Arnold Vinick
Arnold Vinick
Arnold Vinick is a fictional character on the television series The West Wing played by Alan Alda.-Biography:A Republican senator from California and Republican presidential nominee, he is narrowly defeated by Democrat Matt Santos in the 2006 presidential election, with Vinick winning the popular...
(Alan Alda
Alan Alda
Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo , better known as Alan Alda, is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV series M*A*S*H...
). In early 2005, Santa Paula Mayor Mary Ann Krause began a lobbying campaign to have Santa Paula declared Vinick's hometown. In a publicity move for the town, city officials officially "claim[ed] Senator Arnold Vinick as a resident of Santa Paula," in April 2005, and opened an official campaign headquarters for the fictional Republican Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in the town's train depot. (Santa Paula for Vinick) On October 14, 2005, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
released Vinick's official biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
and revealed Santa Paula as the town in which he was raised. http://www.nbc.com/The_West_Wing/Campaign/Vinick_Sullivan/
The Santa Paula Train Depot was one of the locations for the Thornbirds mini-series starting Richard Chamberlain.
Parts of the movie "Disorganized Crime
Disorganized Crime
Disorganized Crime is a 1989 heist/comedy film set in Montana. It was written and directed by Jim Kouf and released through Touchstone Pictures...
" 1989 starring Fred Gwynne
Fred Gwynne
Frederick Hubbard "Fred" Gwynne was an American actor. Gwynne was best known for his roles in the 1960s sitcoms Car 54, Where Are You? and The Munsters, as well as his later roles: Pet Sematary and My Cousin Vinny...
of the Munsters, was filmed downtown on Main Street.
Santa Paula also served as one of the locations for the motion picture "Mr. Woodcock
Mr. Woodcock
Mr. Woodcock is a 2007 comedy film directed by Craig Gillespie, and starring Seann William Scott, Billy Bob Thornton, Susan Sarandon, Amy Poehler, and Ethan Suplee. The film was released on September 14, 2007.-Plot:...
" (2007) starring Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
.
A good portion of "Joe Dirt
Joe Dirt
Joe Dirt is a 2001 American comedy film starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Christopher Walken, Brian Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Jaime Pressly, Erik Per Sullivan, Adam Beach and Kid Rock. The film was written by Spade and Fred Wolf.-Plot:...
" (2001) starring David Spade
David Spade
David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
was filmed downtown as well as at the popular restaurant Mary B's.
The Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
movie Georgia Rule
Georgia Rule
Georgia Rule is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Garry Marshall and starring Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan, Felicity Huffman, Dermot Mulroney, Garrett Hedlund, and Cary Elwes. The original music score was composed by John Debney.-Plot:...
(2007) was filmed in Santa Paula.
The majority of the 1997 film Leave It to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver (film)
Leave It to Beaver is a 1997 film that is a remake of the TV series of the same name. There are many in-jokes related to the original series within the movie.-Plot:...
was filmed in Santa Paula, with many Santa Paula residents being cast in minor character roles and as extras. The famous scene of Beaver trapped in the giant coffee cup had Main Street Santa Paula blocked off for almost a week while filming continued.
Dennis DeYoung, former lead singer of the popular 1970s rock group Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
, filmed the music video for Desert Moon
Desert Moon
Desert Moon is the debut solo album from former Styx keyboard player/singer/songwriter Dennis DeYoung. It was released in 1984 by A&M Records.The album reached #24 on the Billboard album charts in the fall of 1984...
, also the title of his first solo album, at the Santa Paula train depot in 1984.
Also, parts of the Brian De Palma
Brian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
movie "Carrie
Carrie
Carrie may refer to:* Carrie , a given name and those with it* Carrie , a novel by Stephen King** Carrie , a 1976 film adaptation*** Carrie , a 2002 remake** Carrie , a musical adaptation...
" (1976) starring Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek is an American actress and singer. She came to international prominence for her for role as Carrie White in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film Carrie for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination...
were filmed in the small town.
Other movies that were filmed partially in Santa Paula include The Philadelphia Experiment (film)
The Philadelphia Experiment (film)
The Philadelphia Experiment is a 1984 science fiction film. It is directed by Stewart Raffill and stars Michael Paré, Bobby Di Cicco, and Nancy Allen.-Overview:...
(1984), "For Love of the Game
For Love of the Game
For Love of the Game is a novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Shaara, published posthumously in 1991. The book tells the story of fictional baseball great Billy Chapel, thirty-seven years old and nearing the end of his career.-Plot summary:...
" (1999) "Bubble Boy" (2001) starring Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Gyllenhaal is an American actor. The son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, Gyllenhaal began acting at age ten...
and "Bedtime Stories
Bedtime Stories
A bedtime story is a popular form of storytelling.Bedtime story or Bedtime stories may also refer to:*Bedtime Story , a 1964 comedy film*Bedtime Stories , a 2008 family fantasy comedy starring Adam Sandler...
" (2008) starring Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
.
The James M. Sharp House is an historical Italian Villa style house built in 1890. It is located on West Telegraph Road, just outside of Santa Paula, and has been the setting for several movies including "Amityville 4
Amityville 4
Not to be confused with: Amityville: The Evil Escapes Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes was released in 1989 as a television film by NBC. It is the fourth installment in the Amityville Horror saga...
" (1989), and The Black Gate (1995), and How To Make An American Quilt
How to Make an American Quilt
How to Make an American Quilt is a 1995 movie which was directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse and stars Winona Ryder, Maya Angelou, Ellen Burstyn and Anne Bancroft...
(1995).
Various commercials, including a Super Bowl Budweiser commercial, have been filmed in downtown Santa Paula.
Notable natives and residents
- Jim ColbornJim ColbornJames William Colborn is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The right-handed Colborn pitched for the Chicago Cubs , Milwaukee Brewers , Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners ....
: Former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and current pitching coach with the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. - Laura Diaz: Southern California newscaster. Most notably with KABC-TVKABC-TVKABC-TV, channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Los Angeles, California. KABC-TV's studios are located in Glendale, California...
from 1983–2002 and KCBS-TVKCBS-TVKCBS-TV, channel 2, is an owned-and-operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Los Angeles, California. KCBS-TV shares its offices and studio facilities with sister station KCAL-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter...
from 2002–present. - Dana ElcarDana ElcarDana Elcar was an American television and movie character actor. Although he appeared in about 40 films, his most memorable role was on the 1980s and 1990s television series MacGyver as Peter Thornton, an administrator working for the Phoenix Foundation...
: Actor, played Pete Thornton in the MacGyverMacGyverMacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry Winkler and John Rich were the executive producers. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC in the United States and various other networks abroad from 1985 to 1992. The series was filmed in Los Angeles...
television series from 1985-1992. Spent his later years at his home on Laurel Road in Santa Paula. - Nola FairbanksNola FairbanksNola Fairbanks is the granddaughter of Mormon pioneers Ralph Jacobus Fairbanks and Celestia Adelaide Johnson Fairbanks from Payson, Utah and Death Valley, California and has done film and Broadway work...
: Born Nola Jo Modine, had a notable singing career on BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. - Eric FlemingEric FlemingEric Fleming was an American actor, known primarily for his role as Gil Favor in the long running CBS television series Rawhide.-Early life:...
: Actor, born as Edward Heddy, Jr., July 4, 1925. - Danny FloresDanny FloresDaniel Flores was the singer on his self-written song, "Tequila", an American Billboard number one hit in 1958 for The Champs....
: Musician, a.k.a. Chuck Rio, wrote and played sax on the 1958 song “Tequila”. Also became known as the "Godfather of Latino Rock ‘n’ Roll". - Steve McQueenSteve McQueenTerrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
: Actor, spent the last two years of his life (1979–1980) in Santa Paula where he spent some of his time flying his biplane from the Santa Paula AirportSanta Paula AirportSanta Paula Airport is a privately owned public-use airport located one mile southeast of the central business district of Santa Paula, a city in Ventura County, California, USA...
. He and his soon-to-be wife Barbara actually lived in his airplane hangar at the Santa Paula Airport for a time until they moved into a home on South Mountain Road just outside of town.
External links
- Official website
- Santa Paula @ The Official Conejo Valley Website, a Web site with local history, events, and community information.
- Santa Paula city profile