Simi Valley, California is the third most populous city in Ventura County, with a population of over 125,000. The City of Simi Valley is located in the valley of the same name in eastern Ventura County. The city is known for its golf courses and numerous parks. The City is separated from the San Fernando Valley on the east by the picturesque Santa Susana Pass, known for its numerous sandstone outcroppings featured in many motion pictures. North of Simi Valley lies the Santa Susanna Mountains—and beyond that, vast stretches of open space within the Los Padres National Forest, while on the south, the rocky Simi Hills separate Simi Valley from Conejo Valley and the City of Thousand Oaks. Simi Valley is part of the greater Los Angeles area. The city was incorporated in 1969. According to one study, Simi Valley is the fifth happiest city in the United States. Simi Valley has also been recognized as one of the safest cities in the United States among cities with a population of over 100,000.
Business and JobsCalifornia State Highway 118 (the Ronald Reagan Freeway) runs through Simi Valley, providing the city with access to major transportation corridors such as Interstates 405, 5, and 210, as well as Highways 101 and 23. Union Pacific Railroad provides freight rail service, and Amtrak and Metrolink provide passenger rail service to Simi Valley.
Adventist Simi Valley was founded in 1965. The acute care hospital has over 140 beds, about 340 registered nurses, 270 physicians, and, with over 940 employees overall, is one of the largest employers in Simi Valley.
Simi Valley Unified School District serves over 15,000 students at 27 schools and has a total staff of more than 1,400. It annual expenditures are over $225 million, boosting the local economy.
The Simi Valley – East County Courthouse located in Simi Valley handles small claims and traffic matters.
The City of Simi Valley regularly issues film permits, as the City recognizes the economic benefits of filming projects to the community and thus encourages the filming of motion pictures, television shows, and commercials in the area.
Annual sales tax revenue for the City of Simi Valley is around $20 million. Employment in the City of Simi Valley averages more than 60,000 jobs.
Moorpark College, a community college, is located in nearby Moorpark. Moorpark College has nearly 14,000 students and over 500 faculty. Moorpark is recognized as one of the safest cities of its size in the United States.
HistoryFrom about 1795 until the 1880s, the area’s economy was dominated by the grazing sheep, and later cattle. By the end of the 1880s, much of the valley’s fertile low points were devoted to dry farming. The main crops were wheat and barley.
Around 1904, Simi Valley became a stop on the Southern Pacific’s main coastal rail line from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The notable element of the project was the 7,369-foot-long tunnel under Santa Susana Pass at the east end of Simi Valley. With the introduction of irrigation and the Southern Pacific Railroad to the area, apricots became a mainstay of the economy. Later, the area became known for its walnut and citrus groves, punctuated by eucalyptus tree windbreaks. Valencia oranges became the area’s most valuable commodity.
During this time, the Valley of Simi consisted of four separate communities, Simi, Santa Susana, Community Center, and Mortimer Park.
Importation of water from the Colorado River came to all portions of the valley in 1963.
Nearby Santa Susana Field Laboratory was a major test site for rocket engines and a launching site for satellites. The site was also used for advanced energy research. Now nearly 2,400 acres from the site have been recorded as a conservation easement to be preserved forever as open space habitat.
Recreation and Points of InterestThe City of Simi Valley has 29 parks, including the panoramic Big Sky Park.
Corriganville Park was once Corriganville Movie Ranch, where over 3,500 motion pictures, television programs, and commercials were filmed. The 246-acre preserve is home to five hiking trails.
Tapo Canyon Regional Park is located in the Santa Susana Mountains north of Simi Valley.
Happy Camp Canyon Regional Park is a 3,000-acre wilderness area with 12.5 miles of trails for hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers.
Located southeast of Simi Valley, the 625-acre Sage Ranch Park has some of the most beautiful trials in the area, where massive sandstone rock formations and oak woodlands abound.
The Museum of Military History Posters & Memorabilia has displays concerning World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village is another Simi Valley point of interest. From 1956 until 1981 Tressa “Grandma” Prisbrey created a fantasyland on her one third acre lot from found objects, including tens of thousands of discarded bottles.
Built in 1903, Santa Susana Train Depot was a transportation hub for Simi Valley farmers and residents in the early 20th Century.
Strathearn Historical Park & Museum is a six acre site occupied by several historical structures.
The Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum is a 10,000-square-foot museum located in Simi Valley. The site also includes a small indoor skatepark.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum includes a full-size replica of the White House Oval Office, and an actual Airforce One aircraft that carried seven United States presidents. Former Republican president and California governor, Ronald Reagan, is buried on the site.
A short drive north of Simi Valley leads to Los Padres National Forest, which is the third largest National Forest in California. The National Forest stretches 220 miles from eastern Ventura County to Monterey County.
Contact UsThe attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC practice employment law and represent workers throughout the City of Simi Valley and nearby communities such as Moorpark, Chatsworth, and Fillmore. We represent workers concerning a variety of Wrongful Termination claims, including Discrimination and Retaliation claims. We also represent workers concerning Wage and Hour claims. If your employer or former employer has violated your rights, call the experienced employment attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC or Contact Us via our online form.