Oxnard, California

Oxnard, California
General law city
City of Oxnard
Oxnard gateway monument sign. Oxnard gateway monument sign.
Logo
Nickname(s): Gateway to the Channel Islands
Location in Ventura County and the state of California
Oxnard Location in the United States
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	California
County	Ventura
Incorporated	June 30, 1903
Government
• Type	Council–manager
• City council	Mayor Tim Flynn Bryan A. MacDonald Carmen Ramírez Dorina Padilla Bert Perello
• City treasurer	Danielle Navas
• City clerk	Daniel Martinez
• City manager	Greg Nyhoff
Area
• Total	39.208 sq mi (101.548 km2)
• Land	26.894 sq mi (69.656 km2)
• Water	12.314 sq mi (31.893 km2)  31.41%
Elevation	52 ft (16 m)
Population (April 1, 2010)
• Total	205,437
• Rank	1st in Ventura County 19th in California
• Density	7,358/sq mi (2,841/km2)
• Metro density	7,360/sq mi (2,841/km2)
Time zone	Pacific (UTC−8)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC−7)
ZIP codes	93030–93036
Area code	805
FIPS code	06-54652
GNIS feature IDs	1652766, 2411347
Website	cityofoxnard.org

Oxnard /ˈɒksnɑːrd/ is a city in the United States, located along the coast of Southern California. It is the 19th most populous city in California and the most populous in Ventura County. The city lies approximately 30 miles west of the Los Angeles city limits, and is part of the larger Greater Los Angeles area. The population of Oxnard is 203,585 as of the 2012 Financial Report. Oxnard is the most populous city in the Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is listed as one of the wealthiest areas in America, with its residents making well above the average national income. In 2013, Oxnard was ranked as one of the safest cities in America with violent crime rates well below the national average.

Oxnard was incorporated in 1903. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, sitting adjacent to an agricultural center of strawberries and lima beans. Oxnard is also a major transportation hub in Southern California, with Amtrak, Union Pacific, Metrolink, Greyhound, and Intercalifornia stopping in Oxnard. Oxnard also has a small regional airport called Oxnard Airport (OXR). Oxnard is also the location of the National Weather Service forecast office that serves the Los Angeles area.

History

File:Oxnard-1900s.jpg

Downtown Oxnard, early 1900s.

Before the arrival of Europeans, the area that is now Oxnard was inhabited by Chumash Native Americans. The first European to encounter the area was Portuguese explorer João Rodrigues Cabrilho, who claimed it for Spain in 1542. During the mission period, it was serviced by the Mission San Buenaventura, established in 1782.

Ranching began to take hold among Californio settlers, who lost their regional influence when California became a US state in 1850. At about the same time, the area was settled by American farmers, who cultivated barley and lima beans.

Henry T. Oxnard, founder of today's Moorhead, Minnesota-based American Crystal Sugar Company who operated a successful sugar beet factory with his three brothers (Benjamin, James, and Robert) in Chino, California, was enticed to build a $2 million factory on the plain inland from Port Hueneme. Shortly after the 1897 beet campaign, a new town emerged, now commemorated on the National Register of Historic Places as the Henry T. Oxnard Historic District. Oxnard intended to name the settlement after the Greek word for "sugar", zachari, but frustrated by bureaucracy, named it after himself. Given the growth of the town of Oxnard, in the spring of 1898, a railroad station was built to service the plant, which attracted a population of Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican laborers and enough commerce to merit the designation of a town. Ironically, the Oxnard brothers never lived in their namesake city, and they sold both the Chino and the giant red-brick Oxnard factory with its landmark twin smokestacks in 1899 for nearly $4 million. The Oxnard factory operated from August 19, 1899 until October 26, 1959. Factory operations were interrupted in the Oxnard Strike of 1903.

File:Oxnard-1908.jpg

Oxnard, 1908. The public library is at the right.

Oxnard was incorporated as a California city on June 30, 1903, and the public library was opened in 1907. Prior to and during World War II, the naval bases of Point Mugu and Port Hueneme were established in the area to take advantage of the only major navigable port on California's coast between the Port of Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay, and the bases in turn encouraged the development of the defense-based aerospace and communications industries.

In the mid-20th century Oxnard grew and developed the areas outside the downtown with homes, industry, retail, and a new harbor named Channel Islands Harbor. Martin V. ("Bud") Smith (1916–2001) became the most influential developer in the history of Oxnard during this time. Smith's first enterprise in 1941 was the Colonial House Restaurant (demolished 1988) and then the Wagon Wheel Junction in 1947, (demolished 2011). He was also involved in the development of the high-rise towers at the Topa Financial Plaza, the Channel Islands Harbor, Casa Sirena Resort, the Esplanade Shopping Mall, Fisherman's Wharf, the Carriage Square Shopping Center, the Maritime Museum, and many other major hotel, restaurant and retail projects.

In June 2004, the Oxnard Police Department and the Ventura County Sheriff imposed a gang injunction over a 6.6-square-mile (17 km²) area of the central district of the city, in order to restrict gang activity. The injunction was upheld in the Ventura County Superior Court and made a permanent law in 2005. A similar injunction was imposed in September, 2006 over a 4.26-square-mile (11.0 km²) area of the south side of the city.

Geography

Oxnard is located at (34.191292, −119.182497). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 39.2 square miles (102 km²). 26.9 square miles (70 km²) of it is land and 12.3 square miles (32 km²) of it (31.41%) is water.

Oxnard is located on the Oxnard Plain, an area with fertile soil. With its beaches, dunes, wetlands, creeks and the Santa Clara River, the area contains a number of important biological communities. Native plant communities include: coastal sage scrub, California Annual Grassland, and Coastal Dune Scrub species; however, most native plants have been eliminated from within the city limits to make way for agriculture and urban and industrial development. Also native to the region is the endangered Ventura Marsh Milkvetch, and the last self-sustaining population is in Oxnard in the center of a recently approved high-end housing development.

Behind Oxnard, Ventura sprawls across the remainder of the coastal plain. Deeper in Ventura, the land begins to rise into the foothills of the mountains directly behind it. Soon, the foothills turn into full-fledged mountains.

Climate

The city is situated in a Mediterranean (dry subtropical) climate zone, experiencing mild and relatively wet winters, and warm, dry summers. Onshore breezes keep the communities of Oxnard cooler in summer and warmer in winter than those further inland. The average mean temperature is 61 °F (16 °C). The average minimum temperature is 52 °F (11 °C) and the average maximum temperature is 69 °F (21 °C). Generally the weather is cool and dry, with 354 days of sunshine annually. The average annual precipitation is 15.62 in (397 mm).

Climate data for Oxnard (Camarillo Airport), California 1981–2010, extremes 1952–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	94 (34)	90 (32)	94 (34)	98 (37)	98 (37)	93 (34)	94 (34)	96 (36)	101 (38)	101 (38)	98 (37)	93 (34)	101 (38)
Average high °F (°C)	65.5 (18.6)	65.3 (18.5)	65.8 (18.8)	68.8 (20.4)	71.1 (21.7)	72.5 (22.5)	75.9 (24.4)	76.8 (24.9)	76.6 (24.8)	73.5 (23.1)	70.3 (21.3)	65.5 (18.6)	70.63 (21.47)
Average low °F (°C)	43.2 (6.2)	42.2 (5.7)	46.6 (8.1)	47.9 (8.8)	51.7 (10.9)	56.2 (13.4)	58.0 (14.4)	58.5 (14.7)	57.0 (13.9)	52.7 (11.5)	46.7 (8.2)	42.1 (5.6)	50.23 (10.12)
Record low °F (°C)	25 (−4)	30 (−1)	30 (−1)	33 (1)	36 (2)	42 (6)	46 (8)	49 (9)	43 (6)	35 (2)	31 (−1)	27 (−3)	25 (−4)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.47 (88.1)	3.71 (94.2)	2.65 (67.3)	0.79 (20.1)	0.31 (7.9)	0.05 (1.3)	0.02 (0.5)	0.04 (1)	0.18 (4.6)	0.63 (16)	1.31 (33.3)	2.06 (52.3)	15.22 (386.6)
Source: NOAA

Geology And soils

Earthquakes

Oxnard is in a tectonically active area, since most of coastal California is near the boundary of the Pacific and North American Plates. The San Andreas Fault, which demarcates this boundary, is about 40 miles away.

One active fault line that transverses Oxnard is the Oak Ridge Fault, which straddles the Santa Clara River Valley westward from the Santa Susana Mountains, crosses the Oxnard Plain through Oxnard, and extends into the Santa Barbara Channel.

The fault has proven to be a significant contributor to seismic activity in the Oxnard region and beyond. The Northridge earthquake, a devastating magnitude 6.7 temblor that occurred on January 17, 1994, is believed to have occurred in the Santa Clarita extension of the Oak Ridge Fault. Landslides and ridge-top shattering resulting from the Northridge earthquake were observed above Moorpark, a city just east of Oxnard.

Minor earthquakes are frequent in the Oxnard area. For example, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.2 struck at 9:53 pm centered at four miles (6 km) east-southeast of the city of Oxnard on October 16, 2009. Another earthquake of magnitude 2.9 struck around 11:55 pm on April 28, 2010. Another earthquake of magnitude 3.9 struck around 8:20 pm on May 14, 2010.

Wildlife

The area contains a number of important biological communities. Native plant communities include: coastal sage scrub, California Annual Grassland, and Coastal Dune Scrub species; however, most native plants have been eliminated from within the city limits to make way for agriculture and urban and industrial development. Also native to the region is the endangered Ventura Marsh Milkvetch, and the last self-sustaining population is in Oxnard in the center of a recently approved high-end housing development.

Rivers

The only major river in the area is the Santa Clara River. Tributaries to this river include Sespe Creek, Piru Creek, and Castaic Creek.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1910	2,555		—
1920	4,417		72.9%
1930	6,285		42.3%
1940	8,519		35.5%
1950	21,567		153.2%
1960	40,265		86.7%
1970	71,225		76.9%
1980	108,195		51.9%
1990	142,216		31.4%
2000	170,358		19.8%
2010	197,899		16.2%
Est. 2014	205,437		3.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Oxnard had a population of 197,899. The population density was 7358 people per square mile (2,841/km²). The racial makeup of Oxnard included 95,346 (48.2%) White, 5,771 (2.9%) African American, 2,953 (1.5%) Native American, 14,550 (7.4%) Asian, 658 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 69,527 (35.1%) from other races, and 9,094 (4.6%) from two or more races. In addition, 145,551 people (73.5%) were Hispanic or Latino, of any race. Non-Hispanic Whites were 14.9% of the population in 2010, compared to 42.6% in 1980.

The Census reported that 196,465 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 932 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 502 (0.3%) were institutionalized.

There were 49,797 households, out of which 25,794 (51.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 28,319 (56.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 7,634 (15.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4,043 (8.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,316 (6.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 395 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 7,090 households (14.2%) were made up of individuals and 2,665 (5.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.95. There were 39,996 families (80.3% of all households); the average family size was 4.20.

The population was spread out with 59,018 people (29.8%) under the age of 18, 23,913 people (12.1%) aged 18 to 24, 57,966 people (29.3%) aged 25 to 44, 40,584 people (20.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 16,418 people (8.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.9 years. For every 100 females there were 103.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males.

There were 52,772 housing units at an average density of 1,962 per square mile (757.6/km²), of which 27,760 (55.7%) were owner-occupied, and 22,037 (44.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.7%. 107,482 people (54.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 88,983 people (45.0%) lived in rental housing units.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 170,358 people, 43,576 households, and 34,947 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,729.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,598.8/km²). There were 45,166 housing units at an average density of 1,784.2 per square mile (689.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 42.1% White, 3.8% African American, 1.3% Native American, 7.4% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 40.4% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. Two-thirds of the population (66.2%) was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 43,576 households out of which 46.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.8% were non-families. 14.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.85 and the average family size was 4.16

In the city the population was spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,603, and the median income for a family was $49,150. Males had a median income of $30,643 versus $25,381 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,288. About 11.4% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The economy of Oxnard is driven by international trade, agriculture, manufacturing, defense, and tourism. Oxnard is one of the key manufacturing centers in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The Port of Hueneme is the busiest and only deep-harbor commercial port between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and is vital to trade with the Pacific Rim economies. Companies utilizing the Port include Del Monte Foods, Chiquita, BMW, Land Rover, and Jaguar. Other key industries driving Oxnard's existence include finance, transportation, the high tech industry, and energy, particularly petroleum. Two large active oil fields underlie the city and adjacent areas: the Oxnard Oil Field, east of the city along 5th Street, and the West Montalvo Oil Field along the coast to the west of town. Tenby Inc.'s Oxnard Refinery, on 5th Street east of Del Norte Avenue, processes oil from both fields.

According to the city's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	St. John's Regional Medical Center	1,994
2	Oxnard Union High School District	1,500
3	Waterway Plastics	1,300
4	City of Oxnard	1,167
5	Haas Automation	996
6	Aluminum Precision Products	700

Other major employers include Naval Base Ventura County, Boskovich Farms, PTI Technologies, Procter & Gamble, Seminis, Spatz Laboratories, and Gills Onions.

Some of the major companies headquartered in Oxnard are Haas Automation, Seminis, Raypak, Drum Workshop, Borla Performance, Boss Audio and Robbins Auto Tops Procter & Gamble and Sysco maintain their West Coast operations in Oxnard.

The Dallas Cowboys held their pre-season training camp at River Ridge Field in Oxnard in 2001, 2004–06, 2008–10 and 2012-15 (the Cowboys trained at California Lutheran University in nearby Thousand Oaks in 1964–89). The New Orlean Saints trained in Oxnard in 2011. The Los Angeles Raiders trained at River Ridge in the 1980s and 90s.

Agriculture

According to the Camarillo General Plan: "The areas studied showed a high percentage of Group I soils, primarily located on the relatively flat Oxnard Plain. The Oxnard Plain, because of these high-quality agricultural soils, coupled with a favorable climate, is considered one of the most fertile areas in the world."

Oxnard has been known for several different crops over the years, including cucumbers, sugar beets, lima beans, Stock (the cut flower), and strawberries. In the years of Oxnard's growth during the 70's and 80's, many farms and ranches were annexed for development, and many new development plans threatened much of the plain's farmland. In 1995, a grassroots effort known as SOAR (Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources) was initiated by farmers, ranchers and citizens of Ventura County in an effort to save the vast agricultural asset of the Oxnard Plain.

Oxnard strawberries

Strawberry field

The Oxnard Plain is well known for its strawberries. According to the USDA, Oxnard is California's largest strawberry producer, supplying about one-third of the State's annual strawberry volume. From the end of September through the end of October, strawberries are planted and harvesting occurs from mid-December through mid-July in Oxnard. The peak harvesting season in California runs from April through June, when up to 10 million pint baskets of strawberries are shipped daily. The state of California supplies over 85 percent of U.S. strawberries, with the U.S. supplying for a quarter of total world production of strawberries.

California Strawberry Festival

Each year Oxnard hosts the California Strawberry Festival during the summer at College Park next to Oxnard College, featuring vendors as well as food items based on the fruit such as strawberry nachos, strawberry pizza, strawberry funnel cake, strawberry sundaes, and strawberry champagne.

Education

The city of Oxnard is served by 54 public school campuses which provide education to more than 53,000 students in grades K–12. If all Oxnard public school districts were unified into one district, similar to cities such as New York and Los Angeles, it would be the 71st largest school district in the United States.

Elementary and junior high schools

The city of Oxnard and surrounding communities are served by four different school districts which oversee education for students grades K–8. They are:

• Hueneme School District: Serves 7,600 students at 11 campuses in South Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Oxnard beach neighborhoods.
• Oxnard School District: Serves 18,000 students at 21 campuses throughout Oxnard.
• Ocean View Elementary School District: Serves 3,000 students at 6 campuses in South Oxnard.
• Rio School District: Serves 5,000 students at 8 campuses in North Oxnard and El Rio.

On February 12, 2008 there was a shooting involving students occurred at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard. Larry King was shot in one of the classrooms where he was later taken to St Johns Hospital and died.

There are a number of private K–8 schools including the non-denominational Mary Law Private School and several Catholic schools, which are administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

High schools

All public high schools in Oxnard are operated by the Oxnard Union High School District, which provides high school education to 20,000 students at 10 campuses in three cities (Oxnard, Camarillo and Port Hueneme) as well as the unincorporated areas of El Rio, Somis and Channel Islands.

OUHSD oversees Adolfo Camarillo High School, Channel Islands High School, Hueneme High School, Oxnard High School, Pacifica High School and Rio Mesa High School, as well as the continuation high schools Frontier, Oxnard Adult, Pacific View and Puente. Santa Clara High School is a private Catholic high school.

Colleges and universities

Oxnard is served on the collegiate level by Oxnard College and nearby California State University Channel Islands. Additionally, California Lutheran University, California State University, Northridge, ITT, University of Phoenix, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Azusa Pacific University have satellite campuses in Oxnard.

Neighborhoods

File:Oxnard-neighborhoods-map-500x637.jpg

Map showing Oxnard neighborhoods

Customized street sign in Oxnard. Such designs are used for nearly every street sign in the city.

Surfing at Ormond Beach in 1975

• Del Norte District
  • El Rio
  • El Rio West
  • River Park (Formerly Town Center)
  • Strickland
  • Nyeland Acres
• Central District/Downtown Oxnard
  • Bartolo Square North
  • Bartolo Square South
  • Cal Giesler
  • Downtown
  • Durley/Kamala Park
  • Five Points Northwest
  • Fremont South
  • Hill Street
  • Hobson Park East
  • Hobson Park West
  • Wilson
• Northeast District
  • East Village
  • La Colonia
  • Rio Lindo
  • Rose Park
  • West Village
• Northwest District
  • Cabrillo
  • Carriage Square
  • Fremont North
  • Golf Course
  • Orchard Park
  • River Ridge
  • Sierra Linda
  • South Bank
  • Teal Club
  • Wagon Wheel
  • Windsor North
• Southcentral District
  • Blackstock North
  • Blackstock South
  • Bryce Canyon North
  • Bryce Canyon South
  • Cypress
  • Ormond Beach (North)
  • Pleasant Valley Estates
  • Pleasant Valley Village
  • Redwood
  • Southwinds
• Southeast District
  • Diamond Bar
  • College Estates
  • College Park
  • Lemonwood/Eastmont
  • Mar Vista
  • Ormond Beach (South)
  • Oxnard Pacific
  • Terrace Estates
  • Tierra Vista
  • Villa Capri
• Southwest District
  • Channel Islands
  • Hollywood Beach
  • Hollywood-by-the-Sea
  • Mandalay Beach
  • Marina West
  • Oxnard Shores
  • Sea Air
  • Seaview Estates
  • Silver Strand Beach
  • Via Marina

Beaches

The city of Oxnard is home to over 20 miles (32 km) of scenic, relatively uncrowded coastline. The beaches in Oxnard are large and the sand is exceptionally soft. The sand dunes in Oxnard, which were once much more extensive, have been used to recreate Middle-Eastern desert dunes in many movies, the first being The Sheik with Rudolph Valentino. There are very few rocks or driftwood piles at most beaches, but Oxnard is known to have dangerous rip-currents at certain beaches. Oxnard is home to world-class surf at most of its beaches.

Beaches in Oxnard include: Ormond Beach, Silver Strand Beach, Hollywood Beach, Hollywood-By-the-Sea, Mandalay Beach, Oxnard State Beach, Oxnard Shores, 5th Street Beach, Mandalay State Beach, McGrath State Beach and Rivermouth Beach.

Transportation

Road

The Ventura Freeway (US 101) is the major highway running through Oxnard, connecting Ventura and Santa Barbara to the northwest, and Los Angeles to the southeast. The Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1) heads down the coast south to Malibu. And Highway 232 (Vineyard Avenue), heads northeast, providing connections to California State Route 118 to Saticoy and the junction with California State Route 126 which goes to Santa Paula, Fillmore and the Castaic Junction.

Port

Main article: Port of Hueneme

Port Hueneme Beach

The Port of Hueneme is located south of Oxnard in the city of Port Hueneme and is jointly operated by the United States Navy and the Oxnard Harbor District. The port is the only deep water port between the Port of Long Beach and the Port of San Francisco as well as the only military deep water port between San Diego Bay and Puget Sound.

The Port of Hueneme is a shipping and receiving point for a wide variety of resources with destinations in the larger population centers of the Los Angeles Basin. Resources include automobiles, pineapples, and bananas. Agricultural products such as onions, strawberries, and flowers are shipped.

The United States Navy maintains a facility at Port Hueneme, in support of the naval air station at Point Mugu to the south, with which it comprises Naval Base Ventura County. Port Hueneme is the West Coast home of the Naval Construction Force, the "Seabees", as well as a link in the coastal radar system.

Harbor

Oxnard is home to one harbor: Channel Islands Harbor, with Ventura Harbor located seven miles (11 km) north in adjacent Ventura. Channel Islands Harbor is located on the south shore of Oxnard and is nicknamed the "Gateway to the Channel Islands" because of the high number of operations that sail to the islands out of the harbor. Both harbors are vital fishing industry harbors.

Public transit

Oxnard Transit Center portal

The Oxnard Transit Center serves as a major transit hub for the city, as well as the west county.

Rail

Metrolink

6 round trip trains from Ventura County Line serve the station on the weekdays during peak hours.

Amtrak

10 round trip Pacific Surfliners daily. Amtrak's Coast Starlight, that travels from Los Angeles to Seattle stops twice a day (once going north, once going south), making their only stop in the West Ventura County.

Bus

Gold Coast Transit

Operates local bus service in the city of Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura, and Ojai. Its hub is the Oxnard Transit Center.

VISTA

Operates 3 Conejo Connection buses during peak hours, towards the Warner Center Transit Hub in Los Angeles, connecting with the Metro Orange Line. The Conejo Connection does not go to the Oxnard Transit Center, but instead stops at the Esplanade Shopping Center near Highway 101. VISTA also operates the Coastal Connection through Ventura towards Santa Barbara and Goleta from the Esplanade.

A smaller transfer center sits at the Centerpoint Mall on C Street, which Gold Coast Transit sends most of their South Oxnard and Port Hueneme routes out from. VISTA also operates the Oxnard-CSUCI route that goes to California State University, Channel Islands and Oxnard College from this transfer center.

Culture and the arts

Oxnard Post Office

Oxnard offers several cultural institutions. These include the Carnegie Art Museum, founded in 1907 as the Oxnard Public Library by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie; the Chandler Vintage Museum of Transportation and Wildlife, founded by the late Los Angeles Times publisher Otis Chandler, which housed the largest collection of rare and vintage automobiles in the nation until the contents were auctioned off following Chandler's death in 2006; the Murphy Auto Museum, founded by neurosurgeon Dan Murphy; The Heritage Square, a collection of restored Victorian and Craftsman houses which were once owned by Oxnard's pioneer families (Heritage Square is also home to the Petit Playhouse and Oxnard's award-winning Elite Theatre Company); the Channel Islands (Ventura County) Maritime Museum, The Gull Wings Children's Museum, The Henry T. Oxnard Historic District; the Herzog Winery and wine cellar, the nation's largest collection of fine kosher wines; the Seabee Museum and the Oxnard Performing Arts and Convention Center, home to the New West Symphony. It is also home to the award winning Oxnard Independent Film Festival and, since 2010, the annual Channel Islands Tall Ships Festival.

Music

Hip Hop producer Madlib, rapper Spinz and bands in the punk "Nardcore" music scene are from Oxnard, including Dr. Know, Agression, Scared Straight, Ill Repute, False Confession, Stalag 13, Ten Foot Pole, No Motiv, and Habeas Corpus. The city and neighboring Ventura both maintain a thriving punk music scene to this day, driven by a fusion of both the skater and surfer cultures. Metal bands are also prominent in the region. Oxnard is also home to the annual Oxnard Salsa Festival, which takes place on the last week-end each July. For two days Oxnard hosts both local and international salsa bands in Plaza Park.

Notable people

Political and cultural

César Chávez at a United Farmworkers rally, 1974

• César Chávez: farm worker, political activist and union leader, lived in the Colonia area of Oxnard during his childhood. Several streets and schools in the Oxnard area and surrounding areas bear his name. A home he lived in is on Wright Road in the El Rio neighborhood, northwest of Highway 101 and Rose Avenue, where Chavez lived with his family in the late 1950s while working as an advocate for local farmworkers. Also the office of the National Farm Workers Association - which later became United Farm Workers — on Cooper Road, east of Garfield Avenue in the La Colonia neighborhood. The Oxnard office opened in 1966, the year of a historic march from Delano to Sacramento.
• William Soo Hoo: elected as mayor of Oxnard in 1966-70 and considered the first Chinese-American political leader of a major California city and possibly the United States.
• Lupe Anguiano: former nun and civil rights activist known for her work on women's rights, the rights of the poor, and the protection of the environment.
• William P. Clark: politician, served under President Ronald Reagan as the Deputy Secretary of State from 1981 to 1982, United States National Security Advisor from 1982 to 1983, and the Secretary of the Interior from 1983 until 1985.
• Nao Takasugi: California State Assembly and mayor of Oxnard.
• Jean Harris: credited with protecting Ormond Beach Wetlands and Oxnard State Beach.
• Alfred V. Rascon: awarded the Medal of Honor—the United States' highest military decoration.

Business people

• Martin V. ("Bud") Smith: developer and philanthropist. The most significant developer in the Oxnard area. Built the Financial Plaza Towers and financed construction of CSUCI's school of business and economics. His first real estate project was the Wagon Wheel Motel & Restaurant and Wagon Wheel Junction.

Athletes and sportspeople

In alphabetical order by last name:

• Bobby Ayala: former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs and Montreal Expos; graduated from Rio Mesa High School.
• Mark Berry: coach for the Cincinnati Reds; graduated from Hueneme High School.
• The Bryan brothers: professional ATP tennis doubles players who have graduated from Rio Mesa High School.
• Lorenzo Booker: NFL running back.
• Graciela Casillas: boxer and kickboxer.
• Keary Colbert: wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks; all-time reception leader for USC Trojans; graduated from Hueneme High School.
• Jacob Cruz: outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds; graduated from Channel Islands High School.
• Tim Curran: professional surfer; graduated from Oxnard High School.
• Lou Cvijanovich: winningest coach in California high school history; coached Santa Clara High School to 829 wins 1958–1999.
• Justin De Fratus: relief pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, grew up in Oxnard, attended Rio Mesa High and Ventura Junior College.
• Charles Dillon: wide receiver for Green Bay Packers; played for Ventura College and Washington State; graduated from Hueneme High School in '04
• Terrance Dotsy: football player.
• Scott Fujita: NFL linebacker for the Cleveland Browns; graduated from Rio Mesa High School and University of California, Berkeley.
• Robert Garcia: retired professional boxer; former IBF Super Featherweight Champion.
• Phil Giebler: race car driver, won Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award for 2007.
• Jim Hall: race car driver; two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.
• Jeremy Jackson : pro UFC fighter, winner of King of the Mountain 2004, contestant in Ultimate Fighter 4 : The Comeback.
• Ronney Jenkins: 2001 NFL Pro Bowl kick returner for the San Diego Chargers; graduated from Hueneme High School.
• Nicole Johnson: Monster Jam monster truck driver; graduated from Rio Mesa High School
• Marion Jones: athlete, disqualified multiple Olympic gold medalist, attended and ran for Rio Mesa High School
• Dave Laut: retired shot putter; born in Findlay, Ohio, died August 27, 2009 in Oxnard.
• Whitney Lewis: former USC Trojans and University of Northern Iowa wide receiver; won 2003 Glenn Davis Award for top player in Southern California.
• Kristal Marshall: professional wrestler formerly with the World Wrestling Entertainment.
• Sergio Gabriel Martinez: boxer, based in Oxnard.
• Paul McAnulty: Major League Baseball outfielder with the San Diego Padres.
• Ken McMullen: former Major League Baseball third baseman with the Los Angeles Dodgers; was born in Oxnard.
• Victor Ortíz: professional boxer.
• Corey Pavin: professional golfer; winner of many tournaments including 1995 U.S. Open; graduated from Oxnard High School.
• Terry Pendleton: retired baseball player, 1991 National League MVP; graduated from Channel Islands High School.
• Josh Pinkard: free safety for two-time national champion University of Southern California football team; graduated from Hueneme High School.
• Brandon Rios: professional boxer, the current WBA World lightweight champion.
• Jacob Rogers: offensive tackle for the Denver Broncos, three-year starter and All-American at USC; graduated from Oxnard High School.
• Blaine Saipaia: football player for the St Louis Rams; graduated from Channel Islands High School.
• Paul Stankowski: professional golfer; graduated from Hueneme High School.
• Kevin Thomas: former National Football League cornerback for the Buffalo Bills, graduated from Rio Mesa High School.
• Josh Towers: pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays; graduated from Hueneme High School and Oxnard College.
• Steve Trachsel: pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles and four other MLB teams; was born in Oxnard and attended Hathaway Elementary.
• Fernando Vargas: retired boxer, two-time light-middleweight boxing champion; graduated from Channel Islands High School.
• Dmitri Young, baseball player for the Washington Nationals; graduated from Rio Mesa High School.

Actors and TV personalities

• Sonny Bono & Cher, actors, singers, had a beach house in Oxnard Shores, Oxnard.
• Walter Brennan, actor, three-time winner of Academy Award, star of TV series The Real McCoys and The Guns of Will Sonnett, died in Oxnard.
• John Carradine, actor, lived in Oxnard for many years.
• Charlie Chaplin, actor and director.
• Lee Van Cleef, actor, died in Oxnard.
• Jeffrey Combs, actor.
• Brandon Cruz, child actor and lead singer of the punk band Dr. Know, has family and a beach home in Oxnard.
• Clark Gable, actor and Carol Lombard, actress, had a beach house at Hollywood Beach, Oxnard.
• John Curtis Holmes, pornographic film star of the 1970s, had ashes scattered at sea off the coast of Oxnard in 1988.
• George Kennedy, Oscar-winning actor, has a beach house in Oxnard.
• Isiah Mustafa, the "Old Spice Guy," former NFL player.
• Donna Reed, Oscar-winning actress, The Donna Reed Show, Dallas, had a beach home at the Colony, Mandalay Beach, Oxnard.
• Pat Sajak, host of television game show Wheel of Fortune, had a beach house in Oxnard.
• Bob Stephenson, actor, film producer and screenwriter.
• Rudolph Valentino, silent-film actor.

Authors

• Gilbert, Jaime, and Mario Hernandez: creators of the black and white independent comic Love and Rockets.
• Joyce La Mers, author of light poetry.
• Michele Serros, author, writer for the George Lopez TV series.

Musicians and entertainers

• Madlib: Oxnard-based record producer, musician, rapper, and DJ noted for his work and collaborations in the jazz and hip-hop scenes
• Oh No: hip-hop rapper, producer and brother of Madlib who is signed to Stones Throw Records
• DJ Babu: Filipino American disc jockey for the Beat Junkies and Dilated Peoples
• Down AKA Kilo: rapper
• Homer Keller: composer (1915–1996)
• Ill Repute: hardcore punk band and leaders of the Nardcore movement
• Sonny Bono & Cher: Record producers, singers, actors; famous for Sonny & Cher pop duo and TV series, had a beach home in Oxnard Shores, Oxnard
• Rich Moore: Academy Award-winning animation director (The Simpsons), and co-owner of Rough Draft Studios, Inc.
• The Warriors: hardcore band
• Dave Grohl: musician
• Shirley Verrett: operatic mezzo-soprano, 1931–2010
• Brooke Candy: rapper
• Ritchie Blackmore: guitarist with Deep Purple and founder of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.
• Steve Zaragoza: internet personality, comedian, and host on SourceFed.
• Anderson .Paak: rapper, singer, songwriter, drummer. Gaining recognition through recent feature on Dr.Dre's album "Compton".

Scholars and scientists

• William Bright: Linguist.
• J. Richard Chase, President of Biola University and Wheaton College

See also

• Largest cities in Southern California
• Oxnard Air Force Base

References

• Gutleben, Dan, The Oxnard Beet Sugar Factory, Oxnard, California, 1959 – Revised 1960, page 1, Book available at the Oxnard Public Library

Further reading

• Frank P. Barajas, Curious Unions: Mexican American Workers and Resistance in Oxnard, California, 1898-1961. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2012.

External links

• Oxnard @ The Official Conejo Valley Website
• Oxnard Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Oxnard on Sperling's BestPlaces