Leona Valley, California
Encyclopedia
Leona Valley is a census-designated place
located in the geographic Leona Valley of northern Los Angeles County
, California
, in the transition between the Sierra Pelona Mountains
and Mojave Desert
, just west of Palmdale
and the Antelope Valley. The population was 1,607 at the 2010 census.
Leona Valley is best known for its agriculture, particularly cherries and wine grapes. The town of Leona Valley holds its annual Leona Valley Cherry Festival in honor of its agricultural heritage.
Civic Center in Southern California
. Leona Valley town is located in its namesake, Leona Valley. This valley is a long narrow valley separated from the Antelope Valley
by the San Andreas fault ridge, known as Ritter Ridge, so named after one of the settlers from Nebraska in the 1880s. The valley is about a mile wide and 25 miles (40 km) in length. The geographic Leona Valley is also home to the towns of Lake Hughes
and Lake Elizabeth.
The ZIP Code
is 93551 and the community is inside area code 661
Native Americans
– the area's original inhabitants – to Indian Reductions
as Mission Indians
at the Mission San Fernando immigrants from Spain and Mexico quickly established themselves. The majority of the immigrants were primarily interested in the land in order to establish cattle ranches. During the 1880s, the ranches were broken up into smaller homesteads by farmers from Germany, France and the state of Nebraska. The Ritter family started one of the first wineries in this country in Leona Valley which was later shut down by the U.S. Prohibition
period in the early 20th century.
In 1913 Frank D Hall bought the 3000 acre St. Anthony Ranch. The valley was then known as Leonis and he changed the name of the ranch to Leona Valley Ranch and set about building a dairy farm. The Ranch was most of the land west of Bouquet Canyon Rd.
The dairy did not work out and the subdivision of the Leona Valley Ranch started in 1922. That first phase of the subdivision was for properties that had roads and water (either had water or was in an area known to be practical for drilling a well). One of the early sales was the southwest corner of Elizabeth Lake Rd and 90th St West. The Nolenberger's built a store and gas station on that lot which opened in 1924. The building is now Hemme Hay and Feed store. In 1927 Frank Hall incorporated Farm Home Builders to handle the next phase that required new roads and a water system. To that end Farm Home Builders took out a loan for $45,000. The Great Depression hit before many sold and it wasn't until the 1940s that most were sold.
The majority of those old large homestead
parcels have since been partially subdivided and developed with a mix of custom residences, with Leona Valley still maintaining a spacious beauty.
was 86.5 people per square mile (33.4/km²). The racial makeup of Leona Valley was 1,456 (90.6%) White, 11 (0.7%) African American, 4 (0.2%) Native American, 28 (1.7%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 51 (3.2%) from other races
, and 57 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 198 persons (12.3%).
The Census reported that 1,607 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 590 households, out of which 182 (30.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 394 (66.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 27 (4.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 23 (3.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 28 (4.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 5 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 114 households (19.3%) were made up of individuals and 42 (7.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72. There were 444 families
(75.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.16.
The population was spread out with 335 people (20.8%) under the age of 18, 142 people (8.8%) aged 18 to 24, 247 people (15.4%) aged 25 to 44, 632 people (39.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 251 people (15.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.4 years. For every 100 females there were 104.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.2 males.
There were 677 housing units (some outside of the Leona Valley Community Standards District) at an average density of 36.4 per square mile (14.1/km²), of which 515 (87.3%) were owner-occupied, and 75 (12.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 13.8%. 1,412 people (87.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 195 people (12.1%) lived in rental housing units.
s in 2001 and established Leona Valley Winery pioneering a new wine country with the Leona Valley AVA
and a new L.A. County Wine Ordinance promoting wineries and tasting rooms in the area.
operates the Antelope Valley Health Center in Lancaster
, serving Leona Valley.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
located in the geographic Leona Valley of northern Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, in the transition between the Sierra Pelona Mountains
Sierra Pelona Mountains
The Sierra Pelona Mountains , or the Sierra Pelona Ridge, is a mountain range in the Transverse Ranges of Southern California.. They are located within Los Angeles and Kern Counties.-Geography:...
and Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
, just west of Palmdale
Palmdale, California
Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...
and the Antelope Valley. The population was 1,607 at the 2010 census.
Leona Valley is best known for its agriculture, particularly cherries and wine grapes. The town of Leona Valley holds its annual Leona Valley Cherry Festival in honor of its agricultural heritage.
Geography
Leona Valley is located about 10 miles (16.1 km) west of the PalmdalePalmdale, California
Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...
Civic Center in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. Leona Valley town is located in its namesake, Leona Valley. This valley is a long narrow valley separated from the Antelope Valley
Antelope Valley
The Antelope Valley in California, United States, is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California, and constitutes the western tip of the Mojave Desert...
by the San Andreas fault ridge, known as Ritter Ridge, so named after one of the settlers from Nebraska in the 1880s. The valley is about a mile wide and 25 miles (40 km) in length. The geographic Leona Valley is also home to the towns of Lake Hughes
Lake Hughes, California
Lake Hughes is an unincorporated community northwest of Palmdale and the Santa Clarita Valley in the Angeles National Forest on the sag pond waters of Hughes Lake and Elizabeth Lake . The community is agricultural in character, with a population of 649 at the 2010 census, but also has a strong...
and Lake Elizabeth.
The ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 93551 and the community is inside area code 661
Area code 661
North American area code 661 covers the majority of California's Kern County, as well as part of Los Angeles County, Santa Barbara County, and Tulare County...
History
Leona Valley's post colonial history can be best described as land abundant with cattle ranches. In the late 18th century, after the loss of the TataviamTataviam
The Tataviam , were called the Alliklik by their neighbors the Chumash , are a Native American group in southern California...
Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
– the area's original inhabitants – to Indian Reductions
Indian Reductions
Reductions were settlements founded by the Spanish colonizers of the New World with the purpose of assimilating indigenous populations into European culture and religion.Already since the beginning of the Spanish presence in the Americas, the Crown had been concerned...
as Mission Indians
Mission Indians
Mission Indians is a term for many Native California tribes, primarily living in coastal plains, adjacent inland valleys and mountains, and on the Channel Islands in central and southern California, United States. The tribes had established comparatively peaceful cultures varying from 250 to 8,000...
at the Mission San Fernando immigrants from Spain and Mexico quickly established themselves. The majority of the immigrants were primarily interested in the land in order to establish cattle ranches. During the 1880s, the ranches were broken up into smaller homesteads by farmers from Germany, France and the state of Nebraska. The Ritter family started one of the first wineries in this country in Leona Valley which was later shut down by the U.S. Prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
period in the early 20th century.
In 1913 Frank D Hall bought the 3000 acre St. Anthony Ranch. The valley was then known as Leonis and he changed the name of the ranch to Leona Valley Ranch and set about building a dairy farm. The Ranch was most of the land west of Bouquet Canyon Rd.
The dairy did not work out and the subdivision of the Leona Valley Ranch started in 1922. That first phase of the subdivision was for properties that had roads and water (either had water or was in an area known to be practical for drilling a well). One of the early sales was the southwest corner of Elizabeth Lake Rd and 90th St West. The Nolenberger's built a store and gas station on that lot which opened in 1924. The building is now Hemme Hay and Feed store. In 1927 Frank Hall incorporated Farm Home Builders to handle the next phase that required new roads and a water system. To that end Farm Home Builders took out a loan for $45,000. The Great Depression hit before many sold and it wasn't until the 1940s that most were sold.
The majority of those old large homestead
Homestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
parcels have since been partially subdivided and developed with a mix of custom residences, with Leona Valley still maintaining a spacious beauty.
Businesses
Some local businesses that can be found in Leona Valley include Rancher's Market, a small convenience store, a Scramblez Cafe(aka: Jackie's), Casa Gutierrez and Hemme Hay and Feed Store.Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Leona Valley had a population of 1,607. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 86.5 people per square mile (33.4/km²). The racial makeup of Leona Valley was 1,456 (90.6%) White, 11 (0.7%) African American, 4 (0.2%) Native American, 28 (1.7%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 51 (3.2%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 57 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 198 persons (12.3%).
The Census reported that 1,607 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 590 households, out of which 182 (30.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 394 (66.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 27 (4.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 23 (3.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 28 (4.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 5 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 114 households (19.3%) were made up of individuals and 42 (7.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72. There were 444 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(75.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.16.
The population was spread out with 335 people (20.8%) under the age of 18, 142 people (8.8%) aged 18 to 24, 247 people (15.4%) aged 25 to 44, 632 people (39.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 251 people (15.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.4 years. For every 100 females there were 104.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.2 males.
There were 677 housing units (some outside of the Leona Valley Community Standards District) at an average density of 36.4 per square mile (14.1/km²), of which 515 (87.3%) were owner-occupied, and 75 (12.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 13.8%. 1,412 people (87.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 195 people (12.1%) lived in rental housing units.
Leona Valley AVA
The Reynolds Family Estate planted vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s in 2001 and established Leona Valley Winery pioneering a new wine country with the Leona Valley AVA
Leona Valley AVA
Leona Valley AVA has been recognized as an American Viticulture Area in southern California. On October 29, 2008 the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau announced the publication of Treasury Decision, TTB-71 establishing the Leona Valley American Viticulture Area in northeastern Los Angeles...
and a new L.A. County Wine Ordinance promoting wineries and tasting rooms in the area.
Government and infrastructure
The Los Angeles County Department of Health ServicesLos Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health services to over 10 million residents in the Los Angeles County are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mental health services are provided by the County Department of Mental Health...
operates the Antelope Valley Health Center in Lancaster
Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
, serving Leona Valley.