Banning Dam (Lake Eleanor Dam) in Thousand Oaks is a Ventura County Historical Landmark

Banning Dam (also referred to as Lake Eleanor Dam) was designated as Ventura County Historical Landmark No. 120 in May 1988. Built in 1889 at 37 feet high and 140 feet long at its crest, the dam is located in a gorge adjacent to Westlake Boulevard, just south of Potrero Road. It is considered either the first or second concrete arched dam built in California.

The 8 acre Lake Eleanor can be seen as you are driving on Westlake Boulevard/Decker Canyon or you can do the Lake Eleanor Open Space Hike in Westlake Village for a view of the lake from above.

The lake and surrounding 529 acres of open space is fenced off from the public to create a habitat for wildlife. The area include rugged hills, rocky outcrops, freshwater marsh habitat, oak woodland and coastal sage scrub. Hawks and other large birds often use the outcrops for nesting sites and the area supports several species of rare/endangered plants.

The Lake Eleanor open space was acquired by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency in 1986. Banning Dam was designated City of Thousand Oaks historical point of interest No. 9 in May 1988.

Banning Dam

A Murder of Crows Above Thousand Oaks Boulevard

On a recent Sunday afternoon, we witnessed this large congregation of crows flying this way and that above Thousand Oaks Boulevard. Yes, this is next to the Thousand Oaks Auto Mall. We believe they were plotting an air bombardment over the new cars on display.

The Thousand Oaks Auto Mall consists of Rusnak BMW, Rusnak Westlake Audi, Rusnak Westlake Porche, Anderson Autos Acura of Thousand Oaks, DCH Ford of Thousand Oaks, DCH Suburu of Thousand Oaks, Anderson Autos Honda of Thousand Oaks, Infiniti of Thousand Oaks, Anderson Autos Jaguar of Thousand Oaks, Anderson Autos Land Rover of Thousand Oaks, Anderson Autos Lexus of Thousand Oaks, Neftin Westlake Mazda, Neftin Westlake Volkswagen, Alfa Romeo of Westlake, Bentley Westlake, Genesis of Westlake, Westlake Hyundai, Lamborghini Westlake, Maserati Westlake Village, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Westlake, Shaver Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram, Anderson Autos Mercedes-Benz Thousand Oaks, Anderson Autos Buick GMC Thousand Oaks, Anderson Autos Cadillac of Thousand Oaks and Anderson Autos Chevrolet of Thousand Oaks.

Dramatic Sunset Ends a Perfect Thanksgiving 2022 Weekend in Ventura County

Beautiful skies tonight, Sunday, November 27, 2022, at the end of the first weekend of holiday season shopping in Ventura County. Though it was such a beautiful weekend, many of us spent time outdoors, away from the hustle and bustle.

View from the camarillo Premium Outlets

View from near Thornhill Broome Beach in Point Mugu State Park (Photo Credit @bradli.mp3 Instagram)

Visit the Camarillo Ranch House for a Taste of Local Ventura County History

Built in 1892, the Camarillo Ranch House is a grand, three-story, 15-room home built by Adolfo Camarillo in the Queen Anne Victorian style. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in February 2003. The home features seven bedrooms, a grand staircase, tower bay, wooden refrigerator, wrap-around exterior balcony, hardwood floors and turrets.

The exterior and interior of the Camarillo Ranch House were restored by the City of Camarillo and Camarillo Ranch Foundation in 1999-2001.

The White Horse Stables were built in 1966 for the famed Camarillo White Horses. Breeding of the horses began in 1920 when Adolfo Camarillo acquired Sultan, a Spanish stallion, and bred him with a Morgan mare. The White Horses are now owned by members of the White Horse Association. Learn more about the White Horses at www.camarillowhitehorses.org.

Renovation of the historic 1905 Mule Barn at the Camarillo Ranch was completed in 2009.

Today the Camarillo Ranch is owned by the City of Camarillo and operated by the Camarillo Ranch Foundation. The Camarillo Ranch House operates as a museum, featuring rotating exhibits, along with historic home and school tours.

The 3 1/2 acre site is host to a number of community events each year and is available to private parties for weddings, parties, fundraisers and other events. It is a beautiful setting, shaded by historic trees planted before 1900.  You can't miss these trees as you drive by on the 101 freeway.

Docent-led tours of the house are currently (as of September 202) offered on Saturdays and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (last tour starts at 1:30 p.m.). House tour fees are $5 per person (cash only). Children 12 and under are free. The grounds are open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are open to the public.

The Camarillo Ranch House is located at 201 Camarillo Ranch Road.  Visit camarilloranchfoundation.com or call 805.389.8182 for more information.

Pillowy Clouds in the Skies Above the Conejo Valley on Saturday, July 30th

We had several days of these pretty clouds blanketing our local skies last week. The view above is from the top of the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden, looking towards Tarantula Hill. A beautiful sight.

The Old "Agoura" Sign on Agoura Road

I was running (literally running) around Agoura Hills, in the vicinity of Agoura Road west of Chesebro Road, when I looked up and saw this distinctly vintage "Agoura" sign displayed at the corner of Agoura and Lewis Roads. While I've driven that stretch of Agoura Road hundreds of times over the years, for whatever reason I never really noticed this interesting sign.

I wondered how long this sign has been there. City of Agoura Historian Cim Castellon was able to help put some of the puzzle together by contacting Brian Rooney of R7 Media, who provided the image below.

This photo shows two women posing for the camera with the Agoura sign and Agoura Market and Gas Station, owned by Harold Neale, in the background.

Photo Credit: R7 Media (www.r7media.com)

On the east side of Lewis Road road is the old Agoura Post Office at 28249 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills. Brian thinks the Agoura sign was put up about the time the post office opened.

The former center Stage Music building that closed in 2017 and was demolished in early 2022.

The sign is located adjacent to what used to be Center Stage Music, in a building that originally was Fitzgerald's Market in the 1920s and later Agoura Market in the 1940s. This building was demolished in 2022.

For more local history, be sure to stop by the Reyes Adobe Historical Site, the first home built in Agoura Hills back in 1850.