Timeline of Ojai History 1861 - 1881

It’s been about a decade since Fernando Tico sold Rancho Ojay…

1861

George Gilbert extracts and refines oil near Rancho Arnaz

1864

Thomas A Scott, a Pennsylvania oil and railroad tycoon, buys Rancho Ojai (and other California lands) and forms the California Petroleum Company.

1865

Thomas Bard takes charge of Thomas Scott’s land interests in California and begins drilling for oil on Rancho Ojai

1866

Olive Mann Isbell, known as America’s first teacher in California, and her husband, Dr. Isaac Isbell move into Fernando Tico’s abandoned adobe in the lower valley.

1867

Thomas Bard strikes oil at the California Petroleum Company’s Well No. 6 in Upper Ojai - it is California’s first gusher

1868

Thomas Scott directs Bard to begin selling the surface rights to Rancho Ojai land. This is the first subdivided land within Rancho Ojai.

1869

A small school opens at the foot of the Upper Ojai grade called the Sagebrush Academy and the Ojai School District is formed.

1871

J W Wilcox discovers hot springs in Matilija Canyon that later would become the first Matilija Hot Springs resort.

1873

  • Charles Norhoff’s California for Health, Pleasure and Residence published in book form

  • William McKee opens Oak Glen Cottages in the East End

  • The first hot springs resort, San Buenaventura Springs, opens (later called Matilija Hot Springs)

  • F S S Buckman plants the first orange grove in the valley

  • Ventura County, formerly part of Santa Barbara County, is formed

1874

  • Roy Surdam founds the town of Nordhoff (now the City of Ojai).

  • Lafayette Herbert opens Nordhoff’s firs general store

  • John Montgomery buys 1,300 acres of Surdam’s land

  • Abrahm Blumberg opens Nordhoff’s first hotel (located in today’s Libbey Park).

1875

  • The first Ojai Valley Grange is organized

  • The Sagebrush Academy closes and a new school is built in the Upper Valley on land donated by Henry Dennison

  • The Nordhoff School District is formed to build a school in the town center

1876

  • Nordhoff Elementary School opens on E. Matilija St.

  • John Meiner of Wisconsin acquires a large ranch NW of the village of Nordhoff in exchange for an unpaid debt

1877

  • Presbyterians organize the first church in the valley with services in the grammar school

  • C P Wiggins purchases the Nordhoff town site, including the Nordhoff Hotel

  • W H French is Nordhoff’s first doctor

1878

  • The Casitas Pass stagecoach road opens

  • John Montgomery deeds land to the people of Ojai for the cemetery that had been unofficially established several years before (Nordhoff Cemetery at Del Norte and Cuyama Roads).

1881

Charles Nordhoff makes his first visit to the valley, escourted by William Hollister

More Timeline Coming Soon.

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