The History Of Woodland Hills :

From Native Lands to Modern-Day Neighborhood

For thousands of years, the area now known as Woodland Hills was home to Native American tribes, including the Fernandeño-Tataviam and Chumash-Venturaño, who lived in the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills. Their communities thrived near the Arroyo Calabasas (Calabasas Creek), a tributary of the Los Angeles River.

The first European explorers to enter the San Fernando Valley were members of the Portola Expedition in 1769. As they ventured through the valley from what is now Sepulveda Pass, they were struck by the beauty of the oak savanna and named the area El Valle de Santa Catalina de Bononia de Los Encinos—or The Valley of St. Catherine of Bononia of the Oaks. By 1797, the Spanish established Mission San Fernando Rey de España, which controlled much of the land in the valley, including what would later become Woodland Hills.

Ownership of the southern part of the valley began shifting to American settlers in the 1860s, starting with Isaac Lankershim, who purchased land as part of the San Fernando Farm Homestead Association in 1869. His son, James Boon Lankershim, and partner Isaac Newton Van Nuys expanded their holdings in 1873 under the Los Angeles Farm & Milling Company. This land would eventually play a major role in the development of Los Angeles.

In 1910, a syndicate led by Harry Chandler of the Los Angeles Times, along with figures like Hobart Johnstone Whitley and Gen. Moses Sherman, made the biggest land transaction ever recorded in Los Angeles County, acquiring large portions of the valley and creating the Los Angeles Suburban Homes Company.

In 1922, Victor Girard Kleinberger purchased 2,886 acres from Chandler’s group and founded the town of Girard. He aimed to transform the area into a thriving community by planting 120,000 trees and creating infrastructure. His efforts included planting 300 pepper trees along Canoga Avenue, which became a signature feature of the area. In 1972, these trees were designated as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #93.

By 1939, the area was described as a small business district at the Topanga Canyon Junction on Ventura Boulevard, surrounded by agricultural land. The community of Girard was later incorporated into Los Angeles, and in 1945, it officially became known as Woodland Hills—a name that continues to reflect its connection to nature, history, and growth.ding of Girard is part of the story arc in the first season of Perry Mason (2020).