Bell Canyon, California

History

Pre-20th century

Chumash Native Americans lived in the canyon for around 8,000 years B.P. The Chumash had the village of Hu'wam here in the canyon on Bell Creek upstream from Escorpión Peak. It was multi-cultural, where Chumash, Tongva, and Tataviam peoples lived and traded together. Nearby is the Burro Flats Painted Cave. Escorpión Peak (aka: Castle Peak) is one of nine alignment points in Chumash territory and is considered essential to maintaining the balance of the natural world.

In 1845 the Mexican land grant for Rancho El Escorpión, named for the peak and located beside it at the mouth of Bell Canyon, was given by Mexican Governor Pío Pico. Chumash-Ventureño Chief Odón Eusebia (1795–), his brother-in-law Urbano, and Urbano's son Mañuel were the grantees of the Rancho grant, formerly Mission San Fernando Rey de España (Mission San Fernando) lands. After California U.S. statehood, as required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho El Escorpión was filed with the United States Public Land Commission in 1852, and the grant was patented to Odón Eusebia, Urbano, and Mañuel in 1876. In 1871, Miguel Leonis acquired Odón Eusebia's holdings of Rancho El Escorpión, along with an adobe on the adjacent southern ranch lands in Calabasas. He used the land for cattle and sheep herds. Through various landowners that use continued at the Rancho until 1959 and Bell Canyon until 1967.

20th century - onward

In 1967 the Spruce Land Corporation and Boise Cascade joined in a partnership to purchase the Bell Canyon area to develop the community of Bell Canyon. In the fall of 1968, the Bell Canyon Equestrian Center, designed by 'Southern California modern ranch style' architect Cliff May, was built and began operation. In 1969 a new subdivision called "Woodland Hills Country Estates" was developed and opened for sales. It was a success, selling nearly all the 800 home site lots within ten days. In the fall of 1969 the new residential property owners took leadership of the community association and renamed the development "Bell Canyon," after Charles A. Bell, the original homesteader here and son of pioneer Horace Bell. He was a leading late 1880s newspaper publisher, Los Angeles attorney winning many cases for clients against neighbor Miguel Leonis, and the 1906 Justice of the Peace for Calabasas. Legend says he lost a right arm in an 1887 shootout when raiding a moonshiner. The Rancho El Escorpión compound adobes, from the 1840s to the 1960s at the mouth of Bell Canyon, were actually outside the land grant and on Bell's property.

Geography and environment

In the early 20th century there were at least two sulphured artesian springs in Bell Canyon.

Bell Creek, a tributary to the headwaters of the Los Angeles River, winds its way through the community. Bell Canyon is an important part of the crucial Simi Hills Wildlife corridor linking migrations between the Santa Monica Mountains and Santa Susana Mountains.

There are many hiking and riding trails around the community, some of which border the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve Park connecting to the south and west. The Bell Canyon Trail extends 4.5 mi north from Bell Canyon Park.

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1850–1870 1880-1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Bell Canyon first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. census.

The 2020 United States census reported that Bell Canyon had a population of 1,946. The population density was 534.6 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Bell Canyon was 74.3% White, 2.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 10.2% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 10.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.1% of the population.

The census reported that 100.0% of the population lived in households, 0.0% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.0% were institutionalized.

There were 651 households, out of which 31.2% included children under the age of 18, 73.6% were married-couple households, 3.4% were cohabiting couple households, 13.2% had a female householder with no partner present, and 9.8% had a male householder with no partner present. 8.9% of households were one person, and 4.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.99. There were 564 families (86.6% of all households).

The age distribution was 19.7% under the age of 18, 9.9% aged 18 to 24, 14.4% aged 25 to 44, 32.3% aged 45 to 64, and 23.7% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 48.7years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males.

There were 677 housing units at an average density of 186.0 /mi2, of which 651 (96.2%) were occupied. Of these, 95.1% were owner-occupied, and 4.9% were occupied by renters.

Government

The Bell Canyon Community Services District, an independent government agency provides services such as waste removal, community recreation programs and security services to the residents in its boundaries. The independent government agency was established in 1984.

Education

Bell Canyon is served by the Las Virgenes Unified School District, with students bused each day to attend the schools of Round Meadow Elementary School, Alice C. Stelle Middle School, and Calabasas High School.

Notable people

• John Aniston, actor (1933–2022)
• Roger Arnebergh, Los Angeles City Attorney (1910–2004)
• Guy Bee, television director, television producer, steadicam operator (1961–)
• Matt Earl Beesley, television director (1953–)
• Steve Bellamy, director and entertainment executive (1964–)
• Shelley Berman, comedian (1925–2017)
• Jonathan Butler, musician (1961–)
• Bruce Campbell, actor (1958–)
• José Canseco, baseball player (1964–)
• Scott Carpenter, astronaut (1925–2013)
• Katie Cassidy, musician/actress (1986–)
• Holly Marie Combs, actress (1973–)
• Micky Dolenz, musician (1945–)
• Roxann Dawson, actress (1958–)
• Stuart Duncan, CEO, founder, TEN Broadcasting Inc. (1956–)
• Bobbie Eakes, actress (1961–)
• Jeff Eastin, television producer, screenwriter (1967–)
• Elliot Easton, musician (1953–)
• Kevin Eubanks, jazz musician (1957–)
• Cory Everson, bodybuilder/actress (1959–)
• Jamie Farr, actor (1934–)
• Lyndsy Fonseca, actress (1987–)
• Ryan Friedlinghaus, MTV's Pimp My Ride, C.E.O. of West Coast Customs
• Snuff Garrett, record producer (1938–2015)
• Mike Garson, pianist (1945–)
• Kathy Garver, actress (1945–)
• Floyd Gaugh, musician (1967–)
• Bruce Hall, musician (1953–)
• Butch Hartman, animator (1965–)
• Don Herbert, "Mr. Wizard": scientist (1917–2007)
• Ernie Hudson, actor (1945–)
• Alex Katunich, musician (1976–)
• Paul Leonard-Morgan, composer (1974–)
• Pattie Mallette, Canadian author
• Sam McMurray, actor (1952–)
• John McVie, musician (1945–)
• Alyssa Milano, actress (1972–)
• Erin Murphy, actress (1964–)
• Niecy Nash, comedian/actress (1970–)
• Vince Neil, musician (1961–)
• Melissa Reeves, actress (1967–)
• Scott Reeves, actor/musician (1966–)
• Joe Rogan, actor, comedian, commentator, game show host (1967–)
• RZA, rapper, music producer (1969–)
• Kenny Wayne Shepherd, musician (1977–)
• Al Schmitt, recording engineer (1930–2021)
• T.T. Boy, actor (1968–)
• Trey Songz, R&B/hip hop artist (1984–)
• Marc Summers, game show host (1951–)
• Larry Wilcox, actor (1947–)

References

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