Santa Paula visitor information
With an exceptional combination of climate, location, and charm,
Santa Paula is a favorite destination for visitors all year! Rich in
history and culture, there are perennial attractions and annual
events for every interest and all ages. Pleasant sunny days are the
rule year-round, moderated by nearby coastal waters but without the
fog common at the beach. The community is conveniently located in
southern California along the 126 Freeway, less than an hour from
Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Santa Clarita. With a population of
nearly 30,000, Santa Paula is a thriving mix of tourism,
agriculture, and Main Street business, with plenty of warmth and
welcome for visitors!
Directions
The City of Santa Paula is located in southern California's
beautiful Heritage Valley, just forty-five miles north of Los
Angeles. Santa Paula is easily reached via the 126 Freeway, which
connects the I-5 and 101 Freeways between Santa Clarita and Ventura.
Click the map on this page and select a route for your visit to
Santa Paula!
Visitor Resources
Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce
200 N. 10th Street, Santa Paula, CA 93060
805.525.5561
info@santapaulachamber.com
Santa Paula Chamber
Discover Santa Paula
Success Santa Paula
City of Santa Paula
The City website has more information about the demographics,
governance, and economy of Santa Paula.
970 Ventura St.
Santa Paula, CA 93060
805.525.4478
info@ci.santa-paula.ca.us
ci.santa-paula.ca.us
Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau
Serving the communities of Santa Paula, Fillmore and Piru
PO Box 501
Fillmore, CA 93016
805.524.7500
HeritageValley.net
History
The Santa
Paula area was first settled by the Chumash tribe of Native
Americans around 10,000 years ago. European exploration of the
region began with the arrival of Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez
Cabrillo, who sailed the California coast in 1542. Gaspar de
Portala, former Spanish governor of Baja California, led an
expedition through the area for the Spanish Crown in 1769 and
recorded the presence of the
Chumash village of Mupu at the site of present-day Santa Paula.
The Santa Paula area was incorporated into a series of Spanish and
Mexican land grants beginning in 1795, the last being Rancho Santa
Paula y Saticoy. In 1862 ownership of the rancho passed into the
hands of George Briggs, who began to subdivide it and sell it in
parcels to farmers. The Santa Paula townsite was laid out by Nathan
Blanchard and E. L. Bradley in 1873 (later incorporated in 1902).
The following year, Blanchard planted the first orange trees west of
town. When the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1887, he began
shipping oranges by rail around the country. Oil pioneers Wallace
Hardison and Lyman Stewart moved to town in 1886 and began
California's earliest oil production in nearby canyons. This began
Santa Paula's long history in oil and agriculture. The early wealth
created by these industries built many of the historic and cultural
attractions of the city. |
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