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'{{Redirect|Ojai|the airport in Amman, Jordan with the airport code OJAI|Queen Alia International Airport}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Ojai, California <!--See the table at Template:Infobox settlement for all fields and descriptions of their usage.--> <!-- Basic info ----------------> |official_name = City of Ojai |other_name = |settlement_type = [[City (California)|City]] <!-- images and maps -----------> | image_skyline = {{Photomontage | photo1a = Ojai Valley Museum 2014 02.JPG | photo2a = Post office in Ojai, California (cropped).jpg | photo2b = Bars and cafés in Ojai, California (2) (cropped).jpg | photo3a = Ojai, California (20960249094) (cropped).jpg | spacing = 2 | position = center | color_border = white | color = white | size = 260 | foot_montage = Clockwise: Ojai Valley Museum; U.S. Post Office; Ojai Arcade; Aerial View of Ojai. }} |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |nickname = |motto = |image_map = Ventura_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Ojai_Highlighted.svg |mapsize = 250x200px |map_caption = Location in [[Ventura County, California|Ventura County]] and the state of [[California]] | pushpin_map = USA California Southern#California#USA | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Ojai in Southern California##Location of Ojai in California##Location of Ojai in the United States | pushpin_label = Ojai <!-- Location ------------------> |coordinates = {{coord|34|26|57|N|119|14|48|W|region:US-CA|display=it}} |subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]] |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]] |subdivision_name1 = [[California]] |subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in California|County]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Ventura County, California|Ventura]] <!-- Politics -----------------> |established_title = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]] |established_date = August 5, 1921<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc | title = California Cities by Incorporation Date | format = Word | publisher = California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s | access-date = August 25, 2014 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc | archive-date = November 3, 2014 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> |named_for = [[Chumashan languages|Chumash]]: '''Awha'y'' ("Moon")<ref>{{Cite book | edition = Revised | publisher = EZ Nature Books | isbn = 978-0936784151 | last1 = McCall | first1 = Lynne | last2 = Perry | first2 = Rosalind | title = California's Chumash Indians : a project of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Education Center | location = San Luis Obispo, Calif | year = 2002 | url = https://archive.org/details/californiaschuma00mcca }}</ref> |government_type = [[Council–manager government|City Council—City Manager]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ojaicity.org/city-government/ |title=City Government |publisher=City of Ojai |access-date= February 5, 2016}}</ref> |leader_title = [[Mayor]] |leader_name = Betsy Stix <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ojaicity.org/city-council/ |title=City Council |publisher=City of Ojai |access-date=January 4, 2021}}</ref> |leader_title1 = [[California's 19th State Senate district|State senator]] |leader_name1 = {{Representative|casd|19|fmt=sleader}}<ref name=swd>{{Cite web |url=http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |title=Statewide Database |publisher=UC Regents |access-date=November 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |archive-date=February 1, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |leader_title2 = [[California's 37th State Assembly district|Assembly member]] |leader_name2 = {{Representative|caad|37|fmt=sleader}}<ref name=swd/> |leader_title3 = [[California's 26th congressional district|U. S. rep.]] |leader_name3 = {{Representative|cacd|26|fmt=usleader}}<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|26|access-date=October 5, 2014}}</ref> <!-- Area------------------> |unit_pref = Imperial |area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref> |area_total_sq_mi = 4.37 |area_total_km2 = 11.32 |area_land_sq_mi = 4.36 |area_land_km2 = 11.28 |area_water_sq_mi = 0.01 |area_water_km2 = 0.04 |area_water_percent = 0.35 |area_metro_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = |elevation_footnotes = <ref name=GNIS>{{Cite GNIS|1652763|Ojai}}</ref> |elevation_ft = 745 |elevation_m = 227 <!-- Population -----------------------> |population_as_of = [[2010 United States Census|2010]] |population_footnotes = <ref name=quif>{{Cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0653476.html|title=Ojai (city) QuickFacts|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329061016/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0653476.html|archive-date=March 29, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> |population_total = 7461 |pop_est_as_of = 2019 |pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse"/> |population_est = 7470 |population_density_sq_mi = 1714.88 |population_metro = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_density_metro_km2 = <!-- Time zones -----------> |timezone = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]] |utc_offset = &minus;8 |timezone_DST = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]] |utc_offset_DST = &minus;7 <!-- Codes ----------------> |postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]s |postal_code = 93023 & 93024 |area_code_type = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]] |area_code = [[Area code 805|805]] |blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code |blank_info = {{FIPS|06|53476}} |blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs |blank1_info = {{GNIS 4|1652763}}, {{GNIS 4|2411308}} |website = {{URL|ojaicity.org}} |population_density_km2 = 662.13 }} [[File:Ojai-1880s.jpg|thumb|right|Ojai Inn, built in 1876. Photo taken in 1880s.]] [[File:Ojai, California (12).jpg|thumb|Ojai Arcade, built in 1917 in the [[Spanish Colonial Revival]] style. Post Office tower at right.]] '''Ojai''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|oʊ|h|aɪ}} {{respell|OH|hy}}) is a city in [[Ventura County, California]]. Located in the Ojai Valley, it is northwest of [[Los Angeles]] and east of [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]]. The valley is part of the east–west trending Western Transverse Ranges and is about {{convert|10|mi|km}} long by {{convert|3|mi|km|0}} wide and divided into a lower and an upper valley, each of similar size, surrounded by hills and mountains. The population was 7,461 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], down from 7,862 at the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]]. Ojai is a tourism destination known for its boutique hotels, recreation opportunities, hiking, and farmers' market of local organic agriculture.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-tr-522-escape-ojai-20160513-snap-story.html |title=Rustic Ojai transports the eyes and the taste buds to a spiritual plane |date= May 19, 2016|first=Rosemary |last=McClure |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=10 June 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref> It has small businesses specializing in local and ecologically friendly art, design, and home improvement.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Gibbons|first=Alan|date=2021-02-11|title=A Guide to Ojai: Relaxation in an Old-Fashioned Hamlet|url=https://www.orangecoast.com/article/ojai-travel-guide-relaxation-in-an-old-fashioned-hamlet/|access-date=2021-02-11|magazine=Orange Coast Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> Chain stores are prohibited by city ordinance to encourage local small business development and keep the town unique. The name Ojai is derived from the Mexican-era [[Rancho Ojai]], which in turn took its name from the Ventureño Chumash word '''Awha'y'', meaning "Moon".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">Tumamait-Stenslie, Julie. "Ojai Means Moon," ''Ojai Valley Visitors Guide'', Winter 2011, pp. 12-13</ref><ref name=":3">Fry, Patricia, Elise DePuydt & Craig Walker, ''The Ojai Valley: An Illustrated History''. Ojai Valley Museum. 2017. pp.13-14</ref> The city's self-styled nickname is "[[Shangri-La]]" referencing the natural environment of this health and spirituality-focused region as well as the mystical sanctuary of the [[Lost Horizon (1937 film)|1937 film adaptation]] of [[James Hilton (novelist)|James Hilton]]'s novel ''[[Lost Horizon]]''.<ref>[http://www.ci.ojai.ca.us/index.asp?Type=B_LOC&SEC={648B4DF8-2C7F-440C-827C-A6AE6C083A0D} "Visit Ojai"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726211844/http://www.ci.ojai.ca.us/index.asp?Type=B_LOC&SEC=%7B648B4DF8-2C7F-440C-827C-A6AE6C083A0D%7D |date=July 26, 2015 }} City of Ojai official website. Accessed 28 February 2014{{dead link|date=May 2016|df=mdy-all}} {{cbignore}}</ref> ==History== === Chumash === The Chumash are a Native American people who inhabited the central and southern coastal regions of California, in portions of what are now Morro Bay in the north to Malibu in the south and the Channel Islands. [[Chumash people|Chumash]] Indians were the early inhabitants of the Ojai Valley. The name Ojai is derived from the Ventureño Chumash word ʼawha'y meaning "moon."<ref name=":0">Harrington, John Peabody. ''The Papers of John Peabody Harrington in the Smithsonian Institution 1907-1957''. Kraus International Publications, 1981, 3.89.66-73</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> A 1905 book on place names in the United States records the name Ojai as being derived from an Indigenous word meaning "nest", though the specific Indigenous nation is not identified.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | last=Gannett |first=Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n229 230]}}</ref> === Rancho Ojai === {{main|Rancho Ojai}} In 1837, Fernando Tico, a Santa Barbara businessman, received the 17,716-acre Rancho Ojai Mexican land grant, which included both the lower and upper Ojai valleys. Tico operated a cattle ranch on the land and moved his large family to an adobe in the lower valley. Tico sold the entire Rancho Ojai in 1853.<ref>Fry, Patricia, Elise DePuydt & Craig Walker, ''The Ojai Valley: An Illustrated History''. Ojai Valley Museum. 2017. pp. 16-18</ref> The rancho changed hands several more times before it was purchased in 1864 by [[Thomas A. Scott]], a Pennsylvania oil and railroad baron. The petroleum exploration of the Ojai Basin was the result of a report of [[petroleum seep|oil seeps]] (oil springs) along the Sulphur Mountain area. In 1866, Scott's nephew [[Thomas Bard]] used a steam-powered cable-tool [[drilling rig]] on the north side of Sulphur Mountain. On May 29, 1867, Ojai No. 6 produced an [[oil gusher]], at a depth of 550 feet, and the Ojai Field eventually produced 10-20 [[barrels of oil]] a day. Also in 1866, [[Leland Stanford]]'s brother Josiah dug oil tunnels on the south side of Sulphur Mountain, producing 20 barrels a day for the Stanford Brothers refinery in San Francisco. For economic reasons, falling oil prices at the end of the Civil War and cheaper imports from the east, Scott and Stanford ceased oil exploration in the valley area. Thomas Bard then began selling the surface rights to parcels of Rancho Ojai in late 1867. As the president of [[Unocal]], Bard would return in the 1890s to dig about 50 oil tunnels into Sulphur Mountain, which produced until 1998.<ref>Sheridan, Solomon Neill. ''History of Ventura County, California'', Vol. 1, 1926. p. 217</ref><ref>Westergaard, Waldemar and Thomas Bard. "Thomas R. Bard and the Beginnings of the Oil Industry in Southern California," ''Historical Society of Southern California'', Vol. 10, No. 3, 1917, pp. 61-69</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nelson |first1=Mike |title=The Hunt for California Crude |journal=AAPG Explorer |date=2020 |volume=41 |issue=2 |page=18 |url=https://explorer.aapg.org/story/articleid/56103/the-hunt-for-california-oil |access-date=13 February 2020}}</ref> === Nordhoff === The town was laid out in 1874<ref>[http://gis.ventura.org/RecordMaps/mr/001/001mr225.pdf "MAP of the town of NORDHOFF"] 1 MR 225. ''Ventura County Recorder'' Retrieved December 3, 2013 from [http://gis.ventura.org/CountyView/ CountyView GIS].</ref> by San Buenaventura businessman [[R. G. Surdam|R.G. Surdam]] and named Nordhoff in honor of the writer [[Charles Nordhoff (journalist)|Charles Nordhoff]] who had written a book about California titled, ''California for Health, Pleasure and Residence: A Book for Travelers and Settlers''. Most early settlers to the valley had one or more family members who were ill, particularly with respiratory illnesses, and the Ojai Valley developed a reputation for having healthy air quality. Many did get well after moving to the valley. Charles Nordhoff had not visited the Ojai Valley when his book came out in 1873, but made several visits to his namesake town in the early 1880s, and he mentioned the Ojai Valley in the revised 1882 version of his popular book.<ref>Fry, Patricia, Elise DePuydt & Craig Walker, ''The Ojai Valley: An Illustrated History''. Ojai Valley Museum. 2017. pp. 30-31</ref> The discovery of hot springs in Matilija Canyon and subsequent development of hot springs resorts in the late 1800s contributed to the valley's healing mystique. The public high school in Ojai is still named [[Nordhoff High School]]. The public junior high school, named "Matilija", formerly served as Nordhoff Union High School and still features large tiles with the initials "NUHS" on the steps of the athletic field. === Railroad === The [[Ventura and Ojai Valley Railroad]] connected Ojai to the [[Coast Line (UP)|national rail network]] near [[Ventura station]] in 1898.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ojaihistory.com/the-iron-horse-came-to-the-valley-in-98/ |title=The "iron horse" came to the valley in '98 |last=Wenig |first=Ed |website=Ojai History |publisher=Ojai Valley Museam |access-date=25 January 2019 |date=2017-10-06 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The Southern Pacific Railroad acquired all the capital stock in the Ventura and Ojai Valley Railroad in April 1898.<ref>Myrick, David F., "The Railroad Comes to Nordhoff in the Ojai Valley," Ventura County Railroads, A Centennial History, Vol. II, ''The Ventura County Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 33, Nos. 2 & 3'', 1988, 19-20</ref> A nine-day [[Pineapple Express]] with rainfall intensity reaching {{convert|6.2|inch|cm}} per day caused floods destroying the rail line in January 1969.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pyle |first=Russ |title =The Great Flood: Ventura County |publisher =Dan Poush |date =1969 }}</ref> The former rail line was converted to the Ojai Valley Trail in 1989.<ref>{{cite book |last =Salcedo-Chourré |first =Tracy |title =Rails-to-Trails: California |publisher =The Globe Pequot Press |date =2001 |location =[[Guilford, Connecticut]] |page =[https://archive.org/details/railstotrailscal00trac/page/165 165] |isbn =978-0-7627-0448-4 |url =https://archive.org/details/railstotrailscal00trac/page/165 }}</ref> === Libbey === Nordhoff became a popular wintering spot for wealthy Easterners and Midwesterners. The elite Foothills Hotel, which catered to them, was built on a mountain overlooking the town in 1903. Visitors enjoyed dining, music concerts, horseback riding, and hunting and fishing trips into the back country. Some of these businessmen built homes in the valley and contributed to the community's development. Among these winter visitors were Edward Drummond Libbey and his wife Florence. Their first winter in Ojai was in 1907. Libbey was the owner of the Libbey Glass Company of Toledo, Ohio. He fell in love with the valley, bought property in the Foothills tract in 1909, and built a Craftsman-style house designed by Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey.<ref>Walker, Craig. ''Ojai by Design: Fine Architecture of the Ojai Valley''. Arts Commission of the City of Ojai. 2017. p.12</ref> Steeped in [[City Beautiful]] ideals, Libbey began thinking about what could be done to beautify the existing rustic town. He bought up all the properties on the south side of Ojai Avenue (where Libbey Park is today) and most of the buildings there were demolished. In 1916, he hired the architectural firm of Frank Mead and Richard Requa of San Diego to transform Nordhoff into the Spanish-style town center seen today. The project included a Mission-style arcade along the main street, a bell-tower reminiscent of the famous campanile of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Havana, Cuba (also known as the Havana Cathedral), and a pergola with two arches opposite the arcade. In March 1917, just after completion of the renovation project, the name of the town was changed to Ojai. The valley had always been known as "The Ojai" and it made sense with the town's new image to change its name as well.<ref>Lewis, Mark. "Inventing Ojai," ''Ojai Quarterly'', Winter 2016-17, pp.120-126</ref> Leading up to and during World War I, American sentiment became increasingly [[Anti-German sentiment|anti-German]]. Across the United States, German and German-sounding place names were changed. Some Ojai writers in the past have speculated that anti-German sentiment contributed to the name change of Nordhoff to Ojai in 1917.<ref>{{cite news|title=Looking for Charles Nordhoff|last=Meltzer|first=Betty Kikumi|date=2005-08-21|work=Redlands Daily Facts|location=Redlands, Calif.|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Rediscovering the Lost Horizon: Shangri-la Does Exist - It's in California and It's Idyllic, says Angela Wigglesworth|last=Wigglesworth|first=Angela|date=1998-08-29|work=Financial Times|location=London (UK)|page=18|df=mdy-all}}</ref> There is no clear evidence that this was the case for the name change in Ojai. To thank Libbey for his gifts to the town, the citizens proposed a celebration in the new Civic Center Park (later changed to Libbey Park) that they wished to call "Libbey Day," but Libbey suggested "Ojai Day" instead. The first Ojai Day took place April 7, 1917.<ref>"Idealized Ojai Receives Recognition As Does Also Its Benefactor," ''The Ojai'', April 13, 1917, 1</ref> Ojai Day was celebrated each year until 1928. Local schoolteacher Craig Walker revived Ojai Day in 1991 and it has been celebrated since.<ref name=":2">Fry, Patricia, Elise DePuydt, and Craig Walker. ''The Ojai Valley: An Illustrated History.'' Ojai Valley Museum Edition. 2017. Ojai, California. p.225, pp. 333-334</ref> The Ojai Day celebration takes place in October. In 1917 two fires struck the community. The first started in Matilija Canyon on June 16 and burned 60 buildings in its path, including many homes and the Foothills Hotel. The newly Spanish-style structures in the downtown were not affected. On November 28, 1917, a fire started in a gasoline stove in a store in the Arcade and the stores in the western half of the Arcade burned down. Part of the Arcade suffered smoke damage but did not burn down.<ref>Fry, Patricia, Elise DePuydt & Craig Walker, ''The Ojai Valley: An Illustrated History''. Ojai Valley Museum. 2017. pp.188-189</ref> A new Spanish-style Foothills Hotel was built in 1919–1920 to replace the one that burned down. The Taormina neighborhood was established as the first historic district in the city in 2016. The housing development was built in the style of French [[architecture of Normandy]] in the 1960s and 1970s by members of the [[Theosophical Society in America|Theosophy movement]] adjacent to the [[Krotona Institute of Theosophy]]. Taormina's founder, theosophist Ruth Wilson, envisioned the development as a [[retirement community]] for fellow theosophists but in the early 1980s a court ruling required the community to be open to residents of all faiths and backgrounds.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/communities/ojai/2016/08/31/ojai-names-taormina-its-first-historic-district/89496504/ |title=Ojai names Taormina its first historic district |first=Claudia |last=Boyd-Barrett |date=31 August 2016 |newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]] |access-date=2 September 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref> ==Geography== Ojai is situated in a small east–west eponymous valley, north of [[Ventura, California|Ventura]] and east of [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]].<ref name="NYT 2020/03/03">{{Cite news|last=Kamin|first=Debra|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/03/realestate/ojai-calif-a-valley-of-wellness-but-no-chain-stores-in-ventura-county.html|title=Ojai, Calif.: A Valley of Wellness (but No Chain Stores) in Ventura County|date=2020-03-03|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-03-03|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The city is approximately {{convert|745|ft|m}} above sea level and borders the [[Los Padres National Forest]] to the north.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990|df=mdy-all}}</ref> It is approximately {{convert|15|mi|km}} inland from the [[Pacific Ocean]]. The Ojai Valley lies within the [[Topa Topa Mountains]] on the north and south and is actively shaped by a web of earthquake faults.{{r|NYT 2020/03/03}} The Santa Ynez Mountains lie to the north, while Sulphur Mountain and the lower Black Mountain lie to the south. The mountains to the west of the Ojai Valley are drained by the Coyote, Matilija and Santa Ana creeks. These empty into the Ventura River. The Matilija Dam, Casitas Dam and Lake Casitas Reservoir alter the historic drainage of these creeks and the river. The creeks that drain the mountains directly north of Ojai empty into San Antonio Creek, as does Lion Canyon Creek that lies between Black Mountain and Sulphur Mountain. San Antonio Creek drains into the Ventura River just north of Casitas Springs. The [[Ventura River]] flows through the Ventura River Valley and empties into the Pacific Ocean at the city of Ventura.<ref>Fry, Patricia, Elise DePuydt & Craig Walker, ''The Ojai Valley: An Illustrated History''. Ojai Valley Museum. 2017. pp. xvi-xvii</ref> The Ventura River was once known for its steelhead fishing before [[Matilija Dam]] and [[Lake Casitas]] were constructed, eliminating habitat for this trout species. The eastern part of the Upper Ojai Valley is drained by the Sisar and Santa Paula creeks. These creeks flow into the Santa Clara River at Santa Paula. The high mountains above the Ojai Valley and further east are drained by Sespe Creek, which empties into the Santa Clara River at Fillmore. In 1991, 31.5 miles of the 55-mile-long Sespe Creek was given federal Wild & Scenic River status.<ref>Keep the Sespe Wild Committee. http://www.sespewild.org/</ref> [[File:Topa Topa Mountains from Ojai.jpg | thumb | 220x124px | right | alt= photo of Topa's from Ojai | View of the Topatopa Mountains from Upper Ojai.]] Nordhoff Ridge, the western extension of the [[Topatopa Mountains]], towers over the north side of the valley at more than {{convert|5000|ft|m}}. Sulphur Mountain creates the southern ranges bounding the Ojai Valley, a little under {{convert|3000|ft|m}} in elevation. The Sulphur and Topatopa mountains are part of the [[Transverse Ranges]] system. The Ojai Valley and the surrounding mountains are heavily wooded with oak trees.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archive.vcstar.com/news/groups-join-to-buy-land-to-protect-east-ojai-valley-water-supply-ep-459611138-351333991.html/|title=Groups join to buy land to protect east Ojai Valley water supply|newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]]|first=Carol |last=Lawrence|date=June 6, 2014|access-date=15 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115000819/http://archive.vcstar.com/news/groups-join-to-buy-land-to-protect-east-ojai-valley-water-supply-ep-459611138-351333991.html/|archive-date=2018-01-15|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> ===Climate=== The climate of Ojai is [[mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]], characterized by hot, dry summers, at times exceeding {{convert|100|F|C|1|disp=or}}, and mild, rainy winters, with lows at night falling below freezing at times. During dry spells with continental air, morning temperatures, due to Ojai's valley location, can drop well below most of Southern California, with the record being {{convert|13|F|C|1}} on January 6 and 7 of 1913. In contrast, Ojai is far enough from the sea to minimize marine cooling, and very hot days can occur during summer, with the record being {{convert|119|F|C|1}} on June 16, 1917 – when it fell as low as {{convert|65|F|C|1}} in the morning due to clear skies and dry air. As is typical for much of coastal southern California, most precipitation falls in the form of rain between the months of October and April, with intervening dry summers. As with all of Southern California, rain falls on few days, but when it does rain it is often extremely heavy: the record being {{convert|9.05|in|mm|1}} on February 24, 1913, followed by {{convert|8.15|in|mm|1}} on January 26, 1914. During the wettest month on record of January 1969, {{convert|25.76|in|mm|1|disp=or}} fell, with a whopping {{convert|23.46|in|mm|1}} in eight days from January 19 to January 26. In contrast, the median annual rainfall for all years in Ojai is only around {{convert|18.1|in|mm|0|disp=or}} and in the driest "rain year" from July 2006 to June 2007, just {{convert|6.87|in|mm|1|disp=or}} fell in twelve months. The wettest "rain year" was from July 1997 to June 1998 with {{convert|48.29|in|mm|1}}. <div style="width: 75%;"> {{Weather box |location = Ojai, California (1971&ndash;2000, extremes since 1905) |single line = Y |Jan record high F = 91 |Feb record high F = 92 |Mar record high F = 98 |Apr record high F = 104 |May record high F = 105 |Jun record high F = 119 |Jul record high F = 117 |Aug record high F = 115 |Sep record high F = 117 |Oct record high F = 108 |Nov record high F = 100 |Dec record high F = 94 |Jan high F = 68.1 |Feb high F = 69.2 |Mar high F = 70.2 |Apr high F = 75.0 |May high F = 77.5 |Jun high F = 83.5 |Jul high F = 88.9 |Aug high F = 90.1 |Sep high F = 87.2 |Oct high F = 81.9 |Nov high F = 74.3 |Dec high F = 69.3 |year high F = 77.9 |Jan mean F = 51.9 |Feb mean F = 53.7 |Mar mean F = 55.8 |Apr mean F = 59 |May mean F = 62.9 |Jun mean F = 67.6 |Jul mean F = 72.6 |Aug mean F = 73 |Sep mean F = 70.8 |Oct mean F = 64.4 |Nov mean F = 57 |Dec mean F = 51.8 |year mean F = 61.4 |Jan low F = 36.9 |Feb low F = 39.6 |Mar low F = 41.7 |Apr low F = 44.0 |May low F = 48.4 |Jun low F = 52.4 |Jul low F = 55.7 |Aug low F = 55.9 |Sep low F = 53.6 |Oct low F = 47.3 |Nov low F = 39.9 |Dec low F = 35.8 |Jan record low F = 13 |Feb record low F = 22 |Mar record low F = 25 |Apr record low F = 27 |May record low F = 31 |Jun record low F = 34 |Jul record low F = 40 |Aug record low F = 39 |Sep record low F = 37 |Oct record low F = 27 |Nov record low F = 23 |Dec record low F = 16 |year low F = 45.9 |rain colour = green |Jan rain inch = 4.81 |Feb rain inch = 5.68 |Mar rain inch = 4.36 |Apr rain inch = 1.04 |May rain inch = 0.48 |Jun rain inch = 0.08 |Jul rain inch = 0.03 |Aug rain inch = 0.08 |Sep rain inch = 0.41 |Oct rain inch = 0.57 |Nov rain inch = 1.46 |Dec rain inch = 2.79 |Jan rain days = 6.4 |Feb rain days = 6.2 |Mar rain days = 6.8 |Apr rain days = 2.9 |May rain days = 1.6 |Jun rain days = 0.6 |Jul rain days = 0.3 |Aug rain days = 0.3 |Sep rain days = 1.2 |Oct rain days = 2.0 |Nov rain days = 3.2 |Dec rain days = 4.3 |unit rain days = 0.01 inch |source 1 = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20/ca/046399.pdf|title=Climatography of the United States No. 20: 1971-2000|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> |date=July 2016 }} </div> ==Demographics== {{US Census population |1930= 1468 |1940= 1622 |1950= 2519 |1960= 4495 |1970= 5591 |1980= 6816 |1990= 7613 |2000= 7862 |2010= 7461 |estyear=2019 |estimate=7470 |estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref> |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|df=mdy}}</ref> }} ===2010=== The [[2010 United States Census]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0653476|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715032155/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0653476|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Ojai city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> reported that Ojai had a population of 7,461. The [[population density]] was 1,695.3 people per square mile (654.6/km²). The racial makeup of Ojai was 6,555 (87.9%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 42 (0.6%) [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 47 (0.6%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 158 (2.1%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1 (0.0%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 440 (5.9%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 218 (2.9%) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1,339 persons (17.9%). The Census reported that 7,281 people (97.6% of the population) lived in households, 48 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 132 (1.8%) were institutionalized. There were 3,111 households, out of which 876 (28.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,396 (44.9%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 366 (11.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 128 (4.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 151 (4.9%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 25 (0.8%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 992 households (31.9%) were made up of individuals, and 496 (15.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34. There were 1,890 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (60.8% of all households); the average family size was 2.95. The population distribution was spread out, with 1,520 people (20.4%) under the age of 18, 515 people (6.9%) aged 18 to 24, 1,446 people (19.4%) aged 25 to 44, 2,547 people (34.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,433 people (19.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males. There were 3,382 housing units at an average density of 768.5 per square mile (296.7/km²), of which 1,717 (55.2%) were owner-occupied, and 1,394 (44.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%. 4,243 people (56.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,038 people (40.7%) lived in rental housing units. ===2000=== As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website |df=mdy-all }}</ref> of 2000, there were 7,862 people, 3,088 households, and 1,985 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 1,773.0 people per square mile (685.2/km²). There were 3,229 housing units at an average density of 728.2 per square mile (281.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.01% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.60% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.50% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.58% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.17% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 6.26% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.90% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 15.84% of the population. There were 3,088 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.06. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males. The median income for households in the city was $44,593, and the median income for a family was $52,917. Males had a median income of $40,919 versus $30,821 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $25,670. About 7.9% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over. ==Economy== [[Chain store]]s are prohibited by city ordinance to encourage local small business development and keep the town unique.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/ojai-adopts-ordinance-regulating-chain-stores-ep-374726935-352738891.html |title=Ojai adopts ordinance regulating chain stores |first=Kevin |last=Clerici |newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]] |date=November 16, 2007 |access-date=10 June 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/ojai-council-declines-to-relax-ban-on-chain-stores-ep-292709323-351692291.html |title=Ojai council declines to relax ban on chain stores |first=Anne |last=Kallas |newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]] |date=May 30, 2013 |access-date=10 June 2016}}</ref> ===Cannabis=== {{further|Cannabis in California}} Under the legalization of the sale and distribution of cannabis in California, Ojai is one of two cities in the county that initially allowed retail sales.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Orozco|first=Lance|date=November 4, 2020|title=Marijuana-Related Tax Proposals Approved By South Coast Voters|url=https://www.kclu.org/post/marijuana-related-tax-proposals-approved-south-coast-voters|access-date=2020-11-05|work=KCLU News|language=en}}</ref> Voters approved a 3% tax on retail marijuana sales on 2020, which could eventually grow to a 10% tax.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Schroyer|first=John|date=2020-11-06|title=California cities, counties approve pro-cannabis measures|url=https://mjbizdaily.com/california-cities-counties-approve-pro-cannabis-measures/|access-date=2020-11-22|work=Marijuana Business Daily|language=en-US}}</ref> State law says local governments may not prohibit adults from growing, using or transporting marijuana for personal use but they can prohibit companies from growing, testing, and selling cannabis within their jurisdiction by licensing none or only some of these activities. The state requires cities to allow deliveries. By the end of 2018, three recreational marijuana storefronts were open in close proximity to each other.<ref name="VCS 2019/01/02">{{Cite news|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2019/01/02/so-far-so-good-legal-marijuana-pot-cannabis-ventura-county/2406687002/|title=So far, so good for legal marijuana sales in Ventura County|last=Martinez|first=Christian|date=January 2, 2019|newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]]|language=en|access-date=2019-06-17}}</ref> ==Culture== [[File:Bart's books detail.jpg|thumb|Bart's bookstore, Ojai]] [[File:Meher mount.jpg|thumb|[[Meher Mount]], a place of Spiritual Retreat]] Ojai's culture is heavily focused on [[ecology]], [[health]] and [[organic agriculture]], [[walking]]/[[hiking]], [[spirituality]], [[music]] and local [[art]].<ref name="vogue">{{Cite news|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/why-ojais-pixie-season-is-the-california-nature-event-to-know|title=Forget Poppies, Ojai's Pixie Season Is the California Nature Event to Know|work=Vogue|first=Alex |last=Schechter|language=en|date=May 10, 2019|access-date=2019-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1994-02-13/local/me-22486_1_ojai-valley|title=The Color of Ojai : Relations: Few minorities live in the rustic valley. Many residents say there is no overt racism there, but others disagree.|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|first=JEFF |last=McDONALD |date= February 13, 1994|access-date=30 December 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Weekends may include exhibiting [[classic car]]s or [[motorcycle]] clubs touring the area.{{r|vogue}} On July 8, 1999, former Apollo astronaut [[Pete Conrad]], one of the twelve men who walked on the moon, died of injuries suffered from a motorcycle accident in Ojai.<ref>[http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/news/conrad_pr_19990709.html Third Man to Walk on Moon Dies in Motorcycle Accident] NASA Press Release, 1999-07-09.</ref> The [[Ojai Music Festival]] (founded in 1947) is an annual festival of performances by some of the world's top musicians and composers, and occurs on the first weekend after [[Memorial Day]]. Notable appearances include [[Igor Stravinsky]], [[Aaron Copland]], [[Esa-Pekka Salonen]] and [[Pierre Boulez]], who was festival director in 2003. The outdoor bookshop [[Bart's Books]], subject of news programs and documentaries, has been in Ojai since 1964. Ojai is home to the annual [[Ojai Playwrights Conference]], a two-week playwrights festival that brings professional writers and actors from across the country to Ojai. The community is served by the ''[[Ojai Valley News]]'', a weekly newspaper, the ''Ojai Valley Guide'' (formerly the ''Ojai Valley Visitors Guide'') and the ''Ojai Quarterly'', magazines published every 3 months. In early June, often coinciding with the Music Festival, the Ojai Wine Festival is held at Lake Casitas. Over 3,000 wine lovers sample the products of over 30 wineries. Proceeds go to charity. ==Parks and recreation== [[File:Ojai Valley Museum.jpg|thumb|Ojai Valley Museum, 2009]] The town of Ojai and its surrounding area is home to many recreational activities. [[Los Padres National Forest]] borders the town on the north, and many back country areas within the forest are accessible from [[California State Route 33|Highway 33]], the major north–south highway through town. Matilija Creek is a spot to enjoy splashing under waterfalls and backpacking. To the west, the [[Lake Casitas Recreation Area]] offers camping, picnicking, hiking, boating, fishing, and has a water park. No swimming or body contact is allowed in Lake Casitas. The valley has several public tennis courts in downtown Libbey Park. There are also two major golf courses: the Soule Park Golf Course, and the noted Ojai Valley Inn Golf Course. The town completed a new park, [[Cluff Vista Park]], in 2002, which contains several small themed regions of [[List of California native plants|California native plants]], two water features, and three public art works. The park is located on a small hill which has a great view of the mountains surrounding the town. Sarzotti Park is a {{convert|10|acre|ha|adj=mid}} city park that is home to the City of Ojai Recreation Center. The center was formerly the Boyd Clubhouse which was built in 1903 and located on the south side of Ojai Avenue east of Libbey Park. The Boyd Club was a men's athletic and activity club. The Boyd clubhouse was moved to Sarzotti Park in 1957. the city's recreational program offers soccer, softball, football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, exercise programs, and many other classes. The [https://www.ojairec.com/ Ojai Recreation Department] publishes an activity guide several times a year. In April, the [[Ojai Tennis Tournament]] is held. It is the oldest tennis tournament west of the [[Mississippi River]] (founded in 1896) and has been an early competition for many players who went on to earn one or more [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] titles. The Wall of Fame in Libbey Park honors players who competed in "The Ojai" and went on to win at least one Grand Slam.<ref>[http://www.ojaitourney.org/history/ "History"] ''The Ojai Tennis Tournament'' official Website Accessed 28 February 2014</ref> The tournament holds amateur competitions for boys and girls and Pacific-10 (now Pac-12) competitions. William Thacher (brother of Sherman Thacher) founded the Ojai Valley Tennis Club in 1895 and this group has been organizing "The Ojai" tennis tournament ever since. The group began sponsoring tennis competitions in 1896 and they use this date as the beginning of "The Ojai." There were five years when the tournament was not held: 1924 because of a hoof-and-mouth epidemic and from 1943 to 1946 during and just after World War II.<ref>Thacher, Tony. ''Tennis, Tea & Tradition: One Hundred Years of "The Ojai.''" The Ventura County Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 44, Nos. 1 & 2. 2000</ref> Ventura County parks in the area include Foster Park near Casitas Springs, Camp Comfort on Creek Road, Soule Park and Soule Park Golf Course, and Dennison Park on the Dennison Grade. Annually, in early April, the town hosts a bicycle race that draws professional and amateur teams from around the country. The "Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix" began in 2004 as a tribute to a 22-year-old cyclist from Ojai who died racing his bicycle in Arizona the previous year. The race is held on a {{convert|1|mi}} circuit that circumnavigates Libbey Bowl in the heart of downtown Ojai. Proceeds from event promote cycling safety and education in local schools.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/garrett-lemire-foundation-donates-books-to-ventura-schools-ep-374046278-352613541.html|title=Garrett Lemire Foundation Donates Books to Ventura Schools|last=Damiani|first=Sheryl|date=March 28, 2008|website=[[Ventura County Star]]|language=en|access-date=2019-08-23}}</ref> ==Public safety== ===Law enforcement=== The [[Ventura County Sheriff's Office]] provides law enforcement services for the city. No homicides were recorded in 2015–2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/communities/ojai/2019/05/09/ojai-violent-crime-report-2018-ventura-county-sheriff-police/1126146001/|title=Ojai's crimes so few that a beer run skewed the annual count|newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]]|first=Gretchen |last=Wenner|language=en|date=May 9, 2019|access-date=2019-05-09|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/communities/ojai/2018/03/24/low-crime-ojai-mystery-why-crime-rate-plummeted/426296002/|title=In low-crime Ojai, the mystery is why the crime rate plummeted|newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]]|first=Gretchen |last=Wenner|language=en|date=March 24, 2019|access-date=2019-05-09|df=mdy-all}}</ref> ==Education== [[File:Besant Hill School Eos Dorm.jpg|thumb|Dormitory at [[Besant Hill School]]]] [[File:Old Main The Thacher School.jpg|thumb|Old Main at the [[Thacher School]]]] ===Public schools=== * [[Ojai Unified School District]] ** [[Chaparral High School (Ojai, California)|Chaparral High School]] **[[Nordhoff High School]] *** Matilija Junior High School **** Meiners Oaks Elementary School **** Mira Monte Elementary School **** San Antonio School **** Summit Elementary School **** Topa Topa Elementary School<ref name="VCS 2016-01-10">{{cite news|url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/education/schoolwatch/ojai-committee-considers-closing-elementary-school-28c3ff1c-eef8-38f2-e053-0100007fef86-364801061.html|title=Ojai committee considers closing elementary school|first=Claudia |last=Boyd-Barrett |newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]]|date=January 10, 2016|access-date=21 February 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref> ===Other schools=== The Ojai Valley is home to several private boarding schools: * [[Besant Hill School of Happy Valley]] (formerly Happy Valley School) * [[The Thacher School]] * [[Ojai Valley School]] * [[Villanova Preparatory School]] * [[Oak Grove School (Ojai, California)|Oak Grove School]] *Weil Tennis Academy * [[Monica Ros School]] (preschool through 3rd grade) * The Ojai Valley is also home to: the Montessori School of Ojai, a private day school, [[Laurel Springs School]], which specializes in distance education and home-schooling, Rock Tree Sky School, a K-12 self-directed homeschooling program in upper Ojai, Global Village School, a progressive K–12 homeschooling program, and Valley Oak Charter School, founded in 2003, is a K-12 WASC accredited, public charter, homeschooling hybrid * [[Camp Ramah in California]] is in the hills of Ojai. The [[Summer Science Program]] was formerly hosted at the [[Besant Hill School]] (2000–2009) and at [[The Thacher School]] (1959–1999). ==Media== The ''[[Ojai Valley News]]'' is a weekly, community-oriented newspaper that has been published since Oct. 27, 1891. The newspaper was called ''The Ojai'' until 1958. A newspaper called ''The Ojai Valley News'' was founded in competition to ''The Ojai'' in 1949. In 1958, J. Frank Knebel bought ''The Ojai'', ''The Ojai Valley News'' and another small paper called ''The Oaks Gazette''. He called this combined paper the ''Ojai Valley News and Oaks Gazette.'' A competition newspaper called ''The Ojai Press'' was founded in 1959 and another called ''The Oaks Sentinel'' came out the following year. When both of these papers floundered a group of over 100 people called "Voice of the Valley" pitched in to take over these papers and began publishing the ''Press Sentinel''. Members of the Voice of the Valley group felt strongly that there needed to be an alternative viewpoint in the valley from the views expressed in Knebel's paper. The ''Press Sentinel'' was published for two years. When Fred Volz purchased ''The Ojai Valley News and Oaks Gazette'' in 1962, changing the name to ''Ojai Valley News,'' the ''Press Sentinel'' ceased publication.<ref>Fry, Patricia, Elise DePuydt & Craig Walker, ''The Ojai Valley: An Illustrated History''. Ojai Valley Museum. 2017. pp.138-142</ref> The staff of the ''Ojai Valley News'' also publishes the weekly ''Ojai Valley Real Estate Guide'', its daily news website ojaivalleynews.com and the quarterly general-interest magazine, the ''Ojai Valley Guide'' (formerly the ''Ojai Valley Visitors Guide''). ==Infrastructure== ===Utilities=== In 2013, a plan to take over the private water system was approved by voters. Up to $60 million in bonds would be issued and a special tax district would be formed. This was approved by almost 90 percent of voters but it was tied up in court by the private water purveyor, [[Golden State Water Company]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/local/ojai/casitas-moves-to-take-over-ojai-water-system-32a968fe-ef05-0906-e053-0100007fe982-379280901.html |title=Casitas moves to take over Ojai water system |first=Claudia |last=Boyd-Barrett|newspaper=[[Ventura County Star]] |date= May 13, 2016 |access-date=13 May 2016}}</ref> [[Lake Casitas|Casitas Municipal Water District]] took over management of the Ojai water system by purchase of the franchise from Golden State Water Company in April 2017. The [[Ojai Valley Sanitary District]] treats the sewage from the city and surrounding areas.<ref>{{cite web|title=History|publisher=Ojai Valley Sanitary District|access-date=1 May 2017|url=http://www.ojaisan.org/about_us/history.html|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2020, the city banned new hook-ups to natural gas except for restaurants and pools.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Feraday|first=Caroline|date=November 3, 2020|title=Ojai Bans Gas In New Buildings|url=https://www.kclu.org/post/ojai-bans-gas-new-buildings|access-date=2020-11-03|work=KCLU News|language=en}}</ref> ===Libraries=== Public libraries: [[Ventura County Library]]—14 county locations, with three branches in the Ojai Valley: * Ojai Library<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vencolibrary.org/locations/ojai|title=Ojai Library - Ventura County Library|website=www.vencolibrary.org}}</ref> * Oak View Library<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vencolibrary.org/locations/oakview|title=Oak View Library - Ventura County Library|website=www.vencolibrary.org}}</ref> * Meiners Oaks Library<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vencolibrary.org/locations/meiners|title=Meiners Oaks Library - Ventura County Library|website=www.vencolibrary.org}}</ref> ==In popular culture== <!--This is not a collection of trivial mentions. Entries will be deleted except for those where Ojai is mentioned in the main article on the topic--> Ojai is the setting for the 2010 comedy film ''[[Easy A]]'' (much of which was shot on location), and for part of [[Michael Scott (Irish author)|Michael Scott]]'s book ''[[The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel]]''. Ojai is the location of the fruit orchards of the fictional Ojai Foods, central to the conflict and drama of the Walker family in the ABC series ''[[Brothers & Sisters (2006 TV series)|Brothers & Sisters]]''. The title characters of the TV series ''[[The Bionic Woman]]'' and ''[[The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' (Jaime Sommers and Col. Steve Austin) are described in the series as having been childhood sweethearts in Ojai. In these series, a sign on the highway entering Ojai reads "Welcome to Ojai, home of American astronaut Steven Austin."<ref>[[The Six Million Dollar Man]], season two, episode 19.</ref> In ''The Bionic Woman'', Jaime Sommers makes her home in Ojai and thus many episodes of that series, in whole or in part, take place there. Sommers works as a schoolteacher at the fictional Ventura Air Force Base, which is depicted as being close to Ojai. In the 1990 movie ''[[Hard to Kill]]'', Mason Storm, played by Steven Seagal, was brought to Ojai to flee his enemies, and track 8 on the soundtrack from David Michael Frank is called Escape From Ojai. Ojai is also the city in which the character of Jake Hanson (played by [[Grant Show]]) buys a restaurant and relocates to after leaving Los Angeles in the final season of the TV series ''[[Melrose Place]]''. Ojai was the setting for the popular Emmy-winning 2006-2011 ABC-TV series ''[[Brothers & Sisters (2006 TV series)|Brothers and Sisters]],'' starring Sally Field, Calista Flockhart and Rachel Griffiths. == Notable people == [[File:Neffandwoodpic.jpg|thumb| [[Tom Neff]] and [[Beatrice Wood]] in Ojai, 1993]] <!-- To avoid duplication, please keep this list alphabetized by last name. Thank you! --> {{Div col|colwidth=30em}} * [[Bud Abbott]], actor, producer, and comedian * [[Beth Allen (golfer)|Beth Allen]], professional golfer * [[David Allen (author)|David Allen]], author, ''[[Getting Things Done]]'' * [[June Allyson]], actress * [[Colman Andrews]], writer and editor * [[Ethel Percy Andrus]], founder of AARP * [[Sergio Aragonés]], cartoonist * [[Daniel Ash]], musician * [[Alan Ball (screenwriter)|Alan Ball]], film and television writer and producer<ref>David, Mark (Aug. 23, 2016) [https://variety.com/2016/dirt/real-estalker/alan-ball-true-blood-selling-ojai-house-1201842217/ "'True Blood' Creator Alan Ball Lists Hilltop Hideaway in Ojai"]</ref> * [[Irene Bedard]], actor, musician * [[Ed Begley Jr.]], actor * [[Max Bemis]], comic book writer and lead singer of the band [[Say Anything (band)|Say Anything]] * [[Paul Bergmann]], football player * [[Elmer Bernstein]], film and television composer * [[Bruce Botnick]], engineer and producer for The Doors * [[Ingrid Boulting]], artist, actress * [[Pierre Bouvier]], singer of Simple Plan * [[Eileen Brennan]], actress * [[Eric Burdon]], singer-songwriter and actor<ref>{{Cite news|last=Dager|first=Wendy|title=Eric Burdon, The Animals performing in Ojai|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/05/03/eric-burdon-animals-performing-ojai/101206596/|date=May 3, 2017|access-date=2020-08-08|newspaper=Ventura County Star|language=en-US|quote=I love Ojai. I moved here from the beautiful desert of Joshua Tree, one vibrant artistic community to another, at the other end of desert. Ojai has a similar climate, but with plenty of shade trees and places to walk in town. The people are friendly, but leave you alone. This is greatly appreciated.}}</ref> * [[Tim Burton]], film director <ref>Ryon, Ruth (June 28, 1998) [http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jun/28/realestate/re-64291 "Director Cuts His Ties to Ojai"] ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''</ref> * [[Rory Calhoun]], actor * [[Mario Calire]], Grammy Award-winning drummer * [[Julie Christensen]], singer * [[Julie Christie]], Oscar-winning actress * [[Cory Coffey]], BMX rider * [[Glenn Corbett]], actor * [[Michael Crooke]], professor of strategy, consultant, former CEO [[Patagonia, Inc.]], former [[Navy SEAL]] * [[Ted Danson]], actor * [[Anthony de Mello]], spiritual leader * [[John Diehl (actor)|John Diehl]], director, actor in ''[[Stargate (film)|Stargate]]'' and ''[[The Shield (TV series)|The Shield]]'' * [[Vernon Dvorak]], meteorologist, [[Dvorak Technique]] for tropical cyclone analysis * [[Dave England]], ''[[Jackass (franchise)|Jackass]]'' star * [[Peter Farrelly]], film director, writer, and producer * [[Maynard Ferguson]], jazz musician, composer * [[Joe Flanigan]], actor * [[Robben Ford]], blues/jazz guitarist and vocalist * [[Mark Frost]], screenwriter and television writer<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ojaihub.com/the-storyteller-from-twin-peaks-to-ojai/|title=The Storyteller — From 'Twin Peaks' To Ojai|last=Bradigan|first=Bret|date=2018-03-16|website=Ojai Hub|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-04|df=mdy-all}}</ref> * [[Sharon Gabet]], actress * [[Lindy Goetz]], music manager ([[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]) * [[Larry Hagman]], actor in ''[[I Dream of Jeannie]]'' and ''[[Dallas (1978 TV series)|Dallas]]'' * [[Anne Heche]], actress, director, and screenwriter * [[Otto and Vivika Heino]], ceramic artists, "The Pottery" * [[Toby Hemingway]], actor in ''[[The Covenant (film)|The Covenant]]'' and ''[[Feast of Love]]''; moved to Ojai with his mother when he was 13 * [[Richard Anthony Jefferson|Richard Jefferson]], Australia-based molecular biologist, open source science advocate, founder of [[CAMBIA]] * [[Mikael Jorgensen]], keyboardist for [[Wilco]] * [[Cody Kasch]], actor and SAG award winner for ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'' * [[Byron Katie]], founder of The Work * [[Roger Kellaway]], jazz pianist and composer * [[Linda Kelsey]], actress in ''[[Lou Grant (TV series)|Lou Grant]]'' * [[Ed Kowalczyk]], lead singer for [[Live (band)|Live]] * [[John Krasinski]], actor <ref>Beale, Lauren (October 14, 2012) [http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-hotprop-20121014,0,2994082.story "A place to get away from 'The Office'"] ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''</ref> * [[Jiddu Krishnamurti]], philosopher * [[James Kyson Lee]], Korean-American film actor, educated at [[Villanova Preparatory School]] * [[Diane Ladd]], actress, writer, director nominated three times each for Emmys and Oscars * [[John Langley]], creator of ''[[Cops (TV series)|COPS]]'' * [[Harry Lauter]], character actor in film and television * [[Zachary Levi]], actor in ''[[Chuck (TV series)|Chuck]]'' and ''[[Less Than Perfect]]'' * [[Ted Levine]], actor in ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'' and TV's ''[[Monk (TV series)|Monk]]'' * [[Larry Linville]], actor in ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'' * [[Jackie Lomax]], musician, first artist signed to [[Apple Records]], a label started by [[The Beatles]] * [[Noah Lowry]], former pitcher for the [[San Francisco Giants]] * [[Johnny Mandel]], composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz * [[S.A. Martinez]], singer/rapper of the group [[311 (band)|311]] * [[Stacy Margolin]] (born 1959), tennis player * [[Dave Mason]], English musician, singer and songwriter * [[Elisabeth Maurus]] (aka [[Lissie]]), folk-rock musician * [[Orpheo McCord]], drummer/percussionist for [[Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros]] * [[Malcolm McDowell]], actor * [[Charles Millard Pratt]], oil industrialist and philanthropist * [[Rodney Mullen]], skateboarder<ref>{{cite news|title=Skate legend Rodney Mullen lists his 360-degree view in Ojai| date=May 11, 2015|first=Neal J. |last= Leitereg|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/hot-property/la-fi-hotprop-rodney-mullen-ojai-20150511-story.html}}</ref> * [[Bill Paxton]], actor in ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'' and ''[[Apollo 13 (film)|Apollo 13]]'' * [[Paula Jean Myers-Pope]], Olympic diver * [[Caspar Poyck]], actor, producer, chef, speaker and psychodigestive therapist * [[Anthony Quinn]], actor, painter, and writer * [[Betsy Randle]], actress, ''[[Boy Meets World]]'' * [[Rick Rossovich]], actor in ''[[Top Gun]]'' and ''[[Roxanne (film)|Roxanne]]'' * [[Louise Sandhaus]], graphic designer * [[Peter Scolari]], actor in ''[[Newhart]]'' and ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show]]'' * [[Alex Sheshunoff]], author * [[Jan Smithers]], actress in ''[[WKRP in Cincinnati]]'' * [[Mary Steenburgen]], actress * [[Donna Steichen]], [[Roman Catholic]] [[journalist]] and critic of [[feminism]] * [[Izzy Stradlin]], guitarist, formerly in rock group "[[Guns N' Roses]]" * [[Peter Strauss]], actor in ''[[The Jericho Mile]]'' and ''[[Rich Man, Poor Man (miniseries)|Rich Man, Poor Man]]'' * [[George S. Stuart]], sculptor * [[Chuck Testa]], [[taxidermist]] and subject of an [[internet meme]]<ref name="hernandez2011">Hernandez, Marjorie (September 28, 2011). [http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/sep/28/ojai-taxidermist-a-youtube-sensation-nope-its/ "Video of resident Ojai taxidermist goes viral"] ''[[Ventura County Star]]''</ref> * [[Caroline Thompson]], screenwriter and director * [[Christopher Trumbo]], screenwriter<ref name=venturabreeze>{{cite news|title=Local Screenwriter Dies|url=http://ventura.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=47312|work=[[Ventura Breeze]]|date=2011-01-20|access-date=2011-01-26|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206123138/http://ventura.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=47312|archive-date=February 6, 2011|df=mdy-all}}</ref> * [[Rodney Walker (architect)|Rodney Walker]], mid-century modern architect * [[Beau Weaver]], voice actor, narrator<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spokenword.com|title=Beau Weaver Hollywood Voice Over Actor Narrator Announcer|website=Beau Weaver Hollywood Voice Over Actor Narrator Announcer}}</ref> * [[Reese Witherspoon]], Oscar-winning actress and producer<ref>Beale, Lauren (January 18, 2014) [http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-hotprop-20140119,0,3911593.story "Reese Witherspoon no longer legally bound to Ojai ranch"] ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''</ref> * [[Beatrice Wood]], artist, teacher at the [[Happy Valley School]] * [[Dana Wynter]], actress,"[[Invasion of the Body Snatchers]]" * [[James Wysong]], author * [[Loretta Young]], actress and TV hostess * [[Chloé Zhao]], filmmaker and Oscar winning director, * [[David Zucker (filmmaker)|David Zucker]], director of ''[[Airplane!]]'', ''[[Top Secret!]]'', and ''[[The Naked Gun]]'' * [[Eugene Zubrinsky|Eugene Cole "Gene" Zubrinsky]], Master Genealogist and [[Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists]] (FASG) {{div col end}} == See also == {{Portal|California}} *{{C|Ojai, California|Ojai, California−related topics}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category|Ojai, California}} {{Wikivoyage|Ojai}} * {{Official website}} * [http://ojaihistory.com/ Ojaihistory.com] {{Geographic Location (8-way) | title = '''Destinations from Ojai''' | Centre = Ojai | North = Unincorporated Ventura County | Northeast = Unincorporated Ventura County | East = ''Upper Ojai Valley'' | Southeast = Unincorporated Ventura County | South = [[Mira Monte, California|Mira Monte]] | Southwest = Unincorporated Ventura County | West = Unincorporated Ventura County | Northwest = [[Meiners Oaks, California|Meiners Oaks]] }} {{Ventura County, California}} {{Ventura River}} {{Greater Los Angeles Area}} {{California Central Coast}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Ojai, California| ]] [[Category:Cities in Ventura County, California]] [[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]] [[Category:1921 establishments in California]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1921]] [[Category:History of Ventura County, California]]'