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 Guess what? We weren't the first ones to settle in Agoura Hills. The Chumash Indians were the first to settle in this beautiful area nestled just 20 minutes North of Calabasas Park in the Los Angeles County.
Thereafter, in the 1500s Spanish missionaries constructed a road called El Camino Real, aka, The Kings Highway connecting the Spanish missions from Mexico right through what we now call Agoura Hills.
In the 1900s, huge land grants were awarded to a few prominent Spaniards such as Miguel Ortega and later to Dona Maria Antonia Machado del Reyes. Dona Maria's heirs were the first to build their home in the community. The adobe home still stands today as a historical monument at Reyes Adobe Road, in Agoura Hills.
 In the early 1920s, the picture industry immigrated out to Agoura Hills. Paramount Ranch owned by the Paramount Studios filmed many Westerns. Many a colorful cowboy movie star rode throughout the Ranch shooting at the bandits and being shot at trying to recover the stolen loot and rescue the damsel in distress. Of course, the early films were silent and in black and white. You were considered either all good or all evil based on the color of your cowboy hat.
 The Paramount Ranch has a special meaning for me. When I was a kid of 18 years my best friend and I would go there and bull ride. These Brahma bulls were the real thing! 1,000 to 1,200 lbs of pure meanness with floppy skin that moved and felt just like a puppy! There is nothing more scary than to sit on top of one of these massive animals with long horns while he snorts and tries to hook you....and that's in the chute before you murmer, "release the beast." If you get your hand caught in the rigging (a long braided rope that wraps around the bull's belly you can find yourself in a Moby Dick movie.
Later in my thirties, I got back into team roping. This old cowboy who leased the ranch had a herd of steers that he kept there. He was a real character right out of the old West. Huge handle bar mustache drove a huge truck and trailer and just looked like he would draw down on you. We would trailer our horses over and rope on the weekends and sometimes Friday nights. There were no lights so it was a real hit and miss kind of thing.
 The Paramount Ranch was also the home of the Renaissance Fair for many years. People would come from all over to see the performers all dressed up in their time period dress. It was an incredible Fair full of fun foods, flower children dancing and mid-evil type games being played. The rack as it was called wasnt one of my favorites.
What was then the Camino Real Highway is today the Ventura Freeway. It wasnt until the 1960s that rapid growth became the way of life in Agoura Hills. Tract housing became the standard of construction along with many new schools to keep up with the rapid pace of populace moving to the area.
From the 1980s, with the Ventura freeway being expanded to four lanes Agoura Hills was voted into cityhood. This was largely due to the continuous uncontrolled expansion of new tract housing, schools, shops, restaurants and business being constructed. The city leaders and residents recognized that there needed to be limits set on new construction.
Agoura Hills is really known for its live music scene. It was the City of Agoura Hills that understood that their youth needed an escape from daily life of school and homework. The city leaders believed in promoting the arts among teenagers as a way to mitigate the increase in crime that the city didnt have to deal with in its early beginnings.
Today, Agoura Hills is contiguous to several areas with incredible lifestyles that include top rated school systems, i.e. Oak Park School District and the Calabasas School District. There is a continual migration of families and professionals from outlying cities such as Woodland Hills, West Hills and not only from the San Fernando Valley but as far reaching as Los Angeles which includes Santa Monica, Westwood, Brentwood, Beverly Hills and Hollywood.
The reason for this influx to our fine community is for not only the schools and employment opportunities but for the clean air quality, safe living conditions and wonderful old fashioned family values.
There is just so much for all to do. Hiking trails, biking trails, public and private country clubs, tennis, swimming, boating, libraries, nightlife, restaurants, quality medical facilities and neighborhood events.
In the late 1990s, the growth and immigration from the Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley was rapid. Being a larger community created many new issues that the city leaders had to take on and deal with. For instance, there was a need to create a corporate base within Agoura Hills. Light industry was considered the style of choice. The city leaders have worked diligently to bring in high tech corporations and biotechnology industry.
Below, believe it or not is what is known today as the Ventura Freeway linking Southern California to Northern California. Maude, the lady below was one of the first travelers to use this fine artery of the King's Highway.
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