Ventura Boulevard

Ventura Boulevard

Part of El Camino Real
Type	US
Maintained by	Los Angeles County, City of Los Angeles
West end	Valley Circle Boulevard in Woodland Hills
East end	Lankershim Boulevard and Cahuenga Boulevard by Universal City

Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east–west thoroughfares in the San Fernando Valley, California, United States; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real (the trail between Spanish missions), Ventura Boulevard is one of the oldest routes in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S. Route 101 before the freeway (which it is parallel to for much of Ventura Boulevard's length) was built and it was also signed as Business U.S. Route 101.

Running 18 miles, Ventura Boulevard is the world's longest avenue of contiguous businesses. The Boulevard begins near Calabasas in Woodland Hills at an intersection with Valley Circle Boulevard, passes through Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks, and finally in Studio City (where it intersects with Barham Boulevard) it becomes Cahuenga Boulevard, which then winds through Cahuenga Pass into Hollywood.

It has always been the most concentrated location for mom and pop shops and small businesses in the Valley; nowadays it has pockets of housing, mini-malls, and shops, along with a wide assortment of businesses, schools, and other establishments. Homes south of Ventura are considered to be among the most expensive in Los Angeles County, ranging from $2 million to $50 million and home to numerous celebrities, executives, athletes, and entertainers alike.

Due to natural springs, one of the first inhabited areas of the San Fernando Valley was the land around what is now known as Los Encinos State Historic Park, at the corner of Balboa and Ventura boulevards, which was inhabited by the Tongva Indians possibly for thousands of years. This five acre (2 hm²) park now includes the original nine-room De La Osa Adobe (built in 1849) and a reservoir shaped like a Spanish guitar that collects the spring water.

...
Wikipedia