Picture 300 pepper trees. They form a magnificent canopy over Canoga Avenue. This is Woodland Hills Los Angeles. These trees are a living monument a testament to a man’s ambition and a town’s transformation.
Woodland Hills boasts a rich history. Native Americans the Fernandeño-Tataviam and Chumash-Venturaño tribes called this land home for 8000 years. Then came the Europeans. The Portola Expedition in 1769 christened the area El Valle de Santa Catalina de Bononia de Los Encinos. Mission San Fernando Rey de España held sway over the land for decades.
American ownership started in the 1860s. Isaac Lankershim and later his son James Boon Lankershim along with Isaac Newton Van Nuys acquired large portions. The biggest land deal in Los Angeles County history involved Harry Chandler of the Los Angeles Times. Victor Girard Kleinberger a rug dealer turned real estate developer entered the scene in 1922. He bought a vast acreage and founded the town of Girard. Girard planted 120000 trees. He aimed to create a thriving community. He even built a small Potemkin village to attract buyers. His methods were less than honest. He sold some lots multiple times. Despite his shady tactics Girard’s vision took root.
The Great Depression hampered Girard’s progress. His scheme eventually collapsed. But the town survived. In 1945 Girard was renamed Woodland Hills reflecting the many trees planted.
Today Woodland Hills thrives. It’s a vibrant community with parks recreation centers and schools. The Woodland Hills Country Club offers golf and fine dining. Shoup Park provides recreation space for everyone. The Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve offers miles of hiking trails.
Woodland Hills’s climate can be extreme. Summers are scorching. Winters can bring unusually cold nights. Woodland Hills holds the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County. On September 5 2020 the temperature hit a staggering 121 degrees Fahrenheit.
The story of Woodland Hills shows how a vision even a flawed one can shape a landscape and create a unique community. From its Native American roots to its present day status Woodland Hills is a fascinating chapter in the history of Los Angeles. And those pepper trees a reminder of a man’s audacious plan. A plan that helped create the Woodland Hills we know today.