Information about Santa Paula taken from the Santa Paula Economic
Development Plan, prepared by the Economic Development Department and
Economic Development Plan Review Commission, and approved by the City
Coucil in November 1995. Reported in the Santa Paula Times, January 3,
1996.
The City of Santa Paula is situated in the beautiful Santa Clara River Valley, and is the "geological center" of Ventura County. It is about 65 miles northwest of Los Angeles, and 14 miles east of Ventura.
The City is surrounded on the north and south by rolling hills and the rugged mountains of Santa Paula Peak, the Nordhoff Range and the Topa Topas.
Santa Paula is the second oldest community in Ventura County. Our original community derived from an 1840 Spanish land grant, known as Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy. That land grant was eventually subdivided into smaller farms and ranches.
Santa Paula is lovingly referred to as the "Citrus Capital of the World", as it is a major grower and distributor of citrus fruits. It is also a major grower and processor of avocados.
Santa Paula also has a strong history of oil production, with Union Oil Company being founded here in the late 1800s.
Santa Paula was incorporated as a City on
April 22, 1902, originally operating with a board of five trustees.
The Council-Mayor form of government was instituted in 1927. Our City
currently operates as a general law city. Our present City Hall was
built in 1958.
Continue here for more about Santa Paula.
