Thousand Oaks, California

Thousand Oaks, California is the second most populous city in Ventura County. The City of Thousand Oaks is located in the eastern portion of Ventura County. The city borders Los Angeles County along its eastern flank. Thousand Oaks lies within Conejo Valley (Conejo is the Spanish word for “rabbit”) at an elevation of roughly 900 feet above sea level. Thousand Oaks is bordered by the rocky Simi Hills on the north and the Santa Monica Mountains on the south. Over 15,000 acres of publicly-owned open space are located within the city boundaries of Thousand Oaks, and the area features more than 150 miles of hiking and biking trials. Thousand Oaks is a Tree City USA community. Tree City USA communities are required to engage in sound urban forestry management, maintain a tree board or department, have a tree ordinance, and spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry. The city’s name reflects that before development the area was largely a Valley Oak savanna. Thousand Oaks is at the extreme southern end of the range for Valley Oaks (Quercus lobata), which are found only in California and are considered by some to be the largest oak species in North America. Valley Oaks were once very common in the inland valleys of central and southern California. The deciduous Valley Oaks are very large trees. The trunks can grow to seven feet in diameter. The trees can exceed 100 feet in height, with roots that can extend 75 feet under the surface. The leaves provide a dense canopy of generous shade, perfect for the hot summer days common to California’s inland valleys, including Thousand Oaks.

Thousand Oaks has a major retail job market thanks to such shopping centers as the Oaks Mall, Janss Marketplace, The Promenade at Westlake, and the lanes at Thousand Oaks.

Thousand Oaks Auto Mall opened in 1967. Over thirty brands are sold at Thousand Oaks Auto Mall, making it one of the largest auto malls in the United States.

Founded in 1959 as California Lutheran College, California Lutheran University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and has over 4,000 students and over 800 faculty and staff. The 225-acre campus opened in 1961. KCLU-FM is a non-commercial radio station owned by California Lutheran University. KCLU-FM is an NPR affiliate.

Los Robles Regional Medical Center is the largest hospital in the area with over 340 staffed beds, over 400 employees, and over $3 billion in annual patient revenue. It also has the only Level II trauma center in the area.

In 1875, the first post office was built in what was a small settlement and stopping point along the stagecoach route from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

In 1927, “Goebel’s Lion Farm” was opened in what was mainly an agricultural community. The site was used to train lions for rental to movie studios. The compound attracted so much interest from passing motorists that in 1929 the site became “Goebel's Wild Animal Farm," a theme park and tourist attraction featuring performing animals. The theme park became very popular, particularly after World War II and the explosive growth of suburban communities in nearby San Fernando Valley. The 170-acre theme park was later renamed “Jungleland.” Animals at the park included lions, tigers, elephants, hippos, camels, llamas, giraffes, chimpanzees, and orangutans. Jungleland offered such attractions as boat and train rides. At one point Jungleland was home to around 1,800 animals. The theme park closed in 1969.

Thousand Oaks features an unusually large and old sycamore, which has been designated as Ventura County Historic Landmark #44.

The restored Pederson House and Water Tower were built around 1913. The structures were donated to California Lutheran University and are used by the school’s music department.

Banning Dam (Lake Eleanor Dam) was built in 1889. It is one of the oldest concrete arched dams in California. The 8-acre lake created by the dam and the 529 acres of surrounding undeveloped land have been fenced off from the public to create a habitat for wildlife.

Thousand Oaks is particularly well suited for outdoor enthusiasts, including hikers and mountain bikers.

Oakbrook Regional Park features oak woodland and hiking trails. A Chumash (once the largest tribal group in Southern California) museum and a Chumash village reproduction is also located in the 428-acre park. Several caves containing pictographs are also located in Oakbrook Regional Park.

The 302-acre Arroyo Conejo Open Space has oak woodlands, a perennial stream, and riparian vegetation. The Hill Canyon Trail parallels Conejo Creek.

Wildwood Regional Park features 14 trails, which cover the diverse landscape of this 1,765 acre park and provide access to a 40 foot waterfall.

Hope Nature Reserve is a 360-acre nature preserve featuring oak woodland and chaparral that famed actor Bob Hope donated to the City of Thousand Oaks. The Los Robles Trial provides the main access to the area. The trail also provides access to neighboring nature preserves such as the Los Robles, Los Padres, and Conejo Ridge Open Space Areas. The preserve connects with other preserves, which encompass over 27,000 acres of open space and stretch all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Nearby Point Magu State Park features five miles of ocean shoreline and over 70 miles of hiking trails and covers 14,000 acres. Located within the state park is the Boney Mountains State Wilderness Area.

Just outside of Thousand Oaks lies the 600-acre Triunfo Creek Park. The main feature of the park is the Pentachaeta Trail, which is named after the Pentachaeta lyonii, a federally-listed endangered wildflower.

The 33-acre Conejo Valley Botanic Garden contains fifteen specialty gardens, including the Australian Garden, Desert Garden, Salvia Garden, and Rare Fruit Garden. A hiking trail borders a stream that runs through the site.

For horse lovers, the Thousand Oaks area also features a surprising number of equestrian centers, training and boarding facilities, horse ranches, and horse-riding trails.

The attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC practice employment law and represent workers throughout the City of Thousand Oaks and neighboring communities such as Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, and Malibu. We represent workers concerning a variety of claims, including Wrongful Termination. We also represent workers concerning Wage and Hour claims. If your employer or former employer has violated your rights, call the experienced employment attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC or Contact Us via our online form.