Bell Canyon
census-designated place
Location of Bell Canyon in Ventura County, California.
Bell Canyon Position in California.
Coordinates: 34°12′29″N 118°41′15″W / 34.20806°N 118.68750°W / 34.20806; -118.68750Coordinates: 34°12′29″N 118°41′15″W / 34.20806°N 118.68750°W / 34.20806; -118.68750
Country	United States
State	California
County	Ventura
Government
• Type	Homeowner Association
Area[1]
• Total	3.62 sq mi (9.38 km2)
• Land	3.62 sq mi (9.38 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation[2]	1,368 ft (417 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	2,049
• Estimate (2016)[3]	N/A
Time zone	Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP Code	91307
Area code(s)	747 and 818
GNIS feature ID	2585403
Website	http://www.bellcanyon.com/
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bell Canyon, California

Bell Canyon is an unincorporated community in eastern Ventura County, California, United States.^[2] Bell Canyon is a gated community in the Simi Hills with the main access through the Los Angeles County communities of West Hills and the western San Fernando Valley. Bell Canyon sits at an elevation of 1,368 feet (417 m).^[2] The 2010 United States census reported Bell Canyon's population was 2,049. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Bell Canyon as a census-designated place (CDP). The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name. According to a 2016 study, Bell Canyon is the seventh wealthiest community in the state of California with an annual median income of $230,000. However, incomes in this area are commonly upwards of millions of dollars a year.^[4]

History[edit]

Pre-20th century[edit]

Chumash Native Americans lived in the canyon for around 8,000 years B.P.^[5][6] The Chumash had the village of Hu'wam here in the canyon on Bell Creek upstream from Escorpión Peak.^[7] It was multi-cultural, where Chumash, Tongva, and Tataviam peoples lived and traded together.^[8] Nearby is the Burro Flats Painted Cave. Escorpión Peak (aka: Castle Peak) is one of nine alignment points in Chumash territory and is considered essential to maintaining the balance of the natural world.^[9]

In 1845 the Mexican land grant for Rancho El Escorpión, named for the peak and located beside it at the mouth of Bell Canyon, was given by Mexican Governor Pío Pico. Chumash-Ventureño Chief Odón Eusebia (1795–), his brother-in-law Urbano, and Urbano’s son Mañuel were the grantees of the Rancho grant, formerly Mission San Fernando Rey de España (Mission San Fernando) lands.^[10][11] After California U.S. statehood, as required by the Land Act of 1851,^[12] a claim for Rancho El Escorpión was filed with the United States Public Land Commission in 1852,^[13] and the grant was patented to Odón Eusebia, Urbano, and Mañuel in 1876.^[14][15] In 1871, Miguel Leonis acquired Odón Eusebia's holdings of Rancho El Escorpión, along with an adobe on the adjacent southern ranch lands in Calabasas. He used the land for cattle and sheep herds.^[16] Through various landowners that use continued at the Rancho until 1959 and Bell Canyon until 1967.

20th century - onward[edit]

In 1967 the Spruce Land Corporation and Boise Cascade joined in a partnership to purchase the Bell Canyon area to develop the community of Bell Canyon. In the fall of 1968, the Bell Canyon Equestrian Center, designed by 'Southern California modern ranch style' architect Cliff May, was built and began operation.^{[citation needed]} In 1969 a new subdivision called "Woodland Hills Country Estates" was developed and opened for sales. It was a success, selling nearly all the 800 home site lots within ten days. In the fall of 1969 the new residential property owners took leadership of the community association and renamed the development "Bell Canyon," after Charles A. Bell, the original homesteader here and son of pioneer Horace Bell. He was a leading late 1880s newspaper publisher, Los Angeles attorney winning many cases for clients against neighbor Miguel Leonis, and the 1906 Justice of the Peace for Calabasas.^[17] Legend says he lost a right arm in an 1887 shootout when raiding a moonshiner.^[18] The Rancho El Escorpión compound adobes, from the 1840s to the 1960s at the mouth of Bell Canyon, were actually outside the land grant and on Bell's property.^[19][20]

Geography and environment[edit]

Bell Creek, a tributary to the headwaters of the Los Angeles River, winds its way through the community. Bell Canyon is an important part of the crucial Simi Hills Wildlife corridor linking migrations between the Santa Monica Mountains and Santa Susana Mountains.

There are many hiking and riding trails around the community, some of which border the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve Park connecting to the south and west. The Bell Canyon Trail extends 4.5 miles (7.2 km) north from Bell Canyon Park.

Demographics[edit]

The 2010 United States Census^[22] reported that Bell Canyon had a population of 2,049. The population density was 565.8 people per square mile (218.5/km²). The racial makeup of Bell Canyon was 1,724 (84.1%) White, 58 (2.8%) African American, 4 (0.2%) Native American, 179 (8.7%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 10 (0.5%) from other races, and 74 (3.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 103 persons (5.0%).

The Census reported that 2,049 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 661 households, out of which 286 (43.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 533 (80.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 40 (6.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 19 (2.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 15 (2.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 8 (1.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 45 households (6.8%) were made up of individuals and 15 (2.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10. There were 592 families (89.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.23.

The population was spread out with 521 people (25.4%) under the age of 18, 152 people (7.4%) aged 18 to 24, 287 people (14.0%) aged 25 to 44, 839 people (40.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 250 people (12.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.

There were 688 housing units at an average density of 190.0 per square mile (73.4/km²), of which 629 (95.2%) were owner-occupied, and 32 (4.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%. 1,933 people (94.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 116 people (5.7%) lived in rental housing units.

Education[edit]

Bell Canyon is served by the Las Virgenes Unified School District, with students bused each day to attend the schools of: Round Meadow Elementary School, Alice C. Stelle Middle School, and Calabasas High School.^[23]

Notable people[edit]

See also[edit]

• Ranchos of California


• Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve


• Bell Creek

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official website


• 
  CSUN Oviatt Library Digital Collections Rancho El Escorpión vintage photographs website.