Educational/Historic Field Trips in Southern California

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Educational/Historic Field Trips in Southern
California

• By Kirsten Anderberg

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Anacapa IslandVentura County

• Anacapa Island is located approximately 20 miles
  from Ventura. It takes about an hour and a half
  to reach by boat from Ventura Harbor. On the way
  to Anacapa, you may see dolphins, pelicans and
  whales. On the island, you may see pelicans,
  cormorants, other sea birds, seals and sea lions.
  The geology and history of the island are both
  educational and entertaining.

For more information on Anacapa Islands history,
visit http//resist.ca/kirstena/pageanacapa.html
For school field trip information from Island
Packers, visit http//www.islandpackers.com/fieldt
rips.html
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
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Seals haul out on the rocks of Anacapa Island
(photo on left) and many species of fish and sea
life live in the kelp forests surrounding the
island (below).
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
For lesson plans about Anacapa Island, go to the
bottom of http//www.islandpackers.com/fieldtrips.
html
There are over 100 sea caves around the base of
the island. In the photo to the right, notice the
small cave opening in the middle of the photo.
People kayak into these caves, and amazingly, at
the back of some of the caves are sand beaches!
Anacapa Island is part of the National Parks
System and you can camp and hike on the island.
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
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Big Pines, CAAbandoned Angeles Zoo
Photo K. Anderberg 2009

• In the Angeles National Forest, off of Highway 2,
  in Big Pines, is an abandoned zoo. It is an
  interesting trip into the past, and the
  surrounding area is geologically and historically
  interesting, as well. There is an old tale that
  once it snowed so much that the animals just
  walked out over the bars of their cages! This is
  not true, nor are other tales that the animals
  burned in the zoo in a wildfire. The animals were
  taken to the L.A. Zoo and other surrounding zoos
  when the area was found inhospitable for a zoo
  due to fires, summer heat, and winter snow. Table
  Mountain up the road from this site was a NASA
  astronomical viewing site in the 1960s and 70s,
  and below this site, are popular winter ski
  resorts. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/maps/broc
  hures/big_pines.pdf

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The Geology of Big Pines

• The white rock coming off of the hill to the
• left in the photo is called fault flour" as
• that white rock is literally created by the
• grinding of rocks on the San Andreas Fault
• underneath. This photo was taken on Table
• Mountain Road, just off of Highway 2.
• Mountain High ski resort is in the
• background.

Photo K. Anderberg 2009
"The Divide, which is the location of the Big
Pines Visitor Center (photo at right), is the
highest point (6,862 feet) along the entire
length of the (San Andreas) fault. The large rock
tower, just to the west of the Visitor Center,
marks the exact location of the San Andreas
highest elevation." - Big Pines Visitors Center
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
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Carpinteria Tar Pit Beach

• Carpinteria is named after this beach, where
  Chumash Indian carpenters would use the naturally
  occurring tar coming out of the cliffs and pits
  to waterproof canoes for use in the ocean and
  rivers.

To learn more about this interesting field trip,
which is approximately one hours drive north of
Los Angeles, visit http//www.parks.ca.gov/default
.asp?page_id25116 http//www.lotsafunmaps.com/San
ta_Barbara/Carpinteria_Beach_and_the_Tarpits.html
gallery
Photo K. Anderberg 2010
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Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary

• From December to May, harbor seals and their pups
  use the beach just a bit southeast of the Tar Pit
  Beach as a protected rookery. From the cliffs
  above, you can watch them during this time, as
  the beaches are closed for the seals during this
  season.

Read more about the seal reserve at
http//www.carpinteria.com/points_of_interest/thes
ealrookery/ You can view a fun video of the seal
sanctuary at http//www.youtube.com/watch?v6n47Kz
Xn0nU
Photo K. Anderberg 2010
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William S. Hart ParkNewhall, CA
William S. Hart was a famous movie star in the
early 1900s. He shot films at the Hart Ranch
back in the 1920s and lived there, as a quiet
place in the country away from Hollywood. He
eventually built the famous adobe ranch house on
the hill. At the Hart Park, there is an animal
park, a museum, interesting buildings and plants,
oak trees, picnic tables, and more!
Hart Animals, Photo K. Anderberg 2008

• Left,
• Hart Dog
• Cemetery
• Right,
• Tower at
• Hart Park,
• San
• Gabriel
• Mountains
• In background

Hart Dog Cemetery, Photo K. Anderberg 2008
Hart Park Tower, Photo K. Anderberg 2008
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Photo from www.scvhistory.com
W.S. Hart was a Silent Movie Star in the 1920s

• Free tours of
• the Hart
• Adobe are
• available at
• http//www.h
• artmuseum.o
• rg/tours.html

Photo from http//www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/fi
lm.htm
Above is a photo of the WSHart Park grounds in
the 1940s when Hart still owned the property.
Notice the house on the hill, and the tower to
the rightand the hill in the foreground is now
where there are picnic tablesThe photo on the
left is Harts adobe house on the hill. You can
learn more about Hart at http//en.wikipedia.org/w
iki/William_S._Hart
Photo K. Anderberg 2008
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Mentryville/Pico CanyonLos Angeles County

• In 1876, Charles Mentry drilled CAs first
  successful commercial oil well. This was one of
• the first oil towns, but it is now a ghost town.
  Restored by the County as a park, the old
• buildings and beautiful scenery make for a fun
  day trip. Behind Mentryville is Pico
• Canyon, the site of the first successful oil
  well, and it has hiking paths. Learn more at
• http//www.lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid35
• Also visit http//www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/p
  ico.htm

Photo K, Anderberg 2009
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
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San Fernando Mission

• The San Fernando Mission was built in 1797 by
  Catholic priests from Spain and Mexico. In the
  mid-1800s, Mexico took CA from Spanish rule,
  taking control of the missions from the priests.
  In 1875, President Lincoln signed a declaration
  at the behest of Bishop Alemany, to return the
  missions to the churches that created them.

Photo K. Anderberg 2010
Photo from http//digital-library.csun.edu/SFV/
The San Fernando Mission in 1915
The San Fernando Mission in 2010
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Mission billboard, 1950s
Photo from http//digital-library.csun.edu/SFV/

• Lesson Plans for the Mission http//californias-mi
  ssions.org/lesson_plans.htm
• Teachers can apply for field trip grants to the
  San Fernando Mission at http//www.californiamissi
  onsfoundation.org/aatb.html

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Vasquez RocksAqua Dulce, CA

• Vasquez Rocks are named after the famous bandit
  Tibursio Vasquez, who used to hide out from the
• law in these rocks in the late 1800s. Many TV
  shows, such as Star Trek, were filmed here, using
  the
• landscape to simulate the moon or other planets
  due to the unusual rock formations. Vasquez Rocks
  
• are located in the Mojave Desert and thus it can
  be hot, and precautions must be taken on field
  trips to
• this area. Summer visits are not recommended.
  This 932 acre park has lots of hiking trails,
  rocks, etc.
• And is located within Los Angeles County, outside
  of Santa Clarita. These rock formations were
• created by the San Andreas Fault. The rocks were
  formed about 25 million years ago, and this is an
  
• historic site where native people, including the
  Chumash, lived, around 450 AD.

Photo K. Anderberg 2009
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
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• Resources for Vasquez Rocks
• For information about tours and park
  presentations for school groups, visit
• http//parks.lacounty.info/Parkinfo.asp?URLcms1_0
  33383.aspTitleVasquez
• For some Hollywood history about Vasquez Rocks,
  visit http//www.moviesites.org/vasquez.htm
• For information about the geology of the region
  http//scvresources.com/geology/aguadulc.htm

Photo K. Anderberg 2009
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
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Olivas AdobeVentura County

• The Olivas Adobe estate is one of the only two
  story adobes left standing. It was built in
• the 1800s by the Olivas family, and it has
  become a museum with artifacts of the 1800s
• on display, along with historic farming
  equipment, a small garden, grapes from the
• Mission, and other interesting and educational
  exhibits. It is located amidst farmlands and
• could be coordinated with a trip to the Ortega
  Adobe and the Ventura mission for more
• examples of adobes of the late 1700s 1800s.
  This adobe helps tell the story of the
• Wild West and docents on site enjoy entertaining
  visitors with tales of life in these times.

Photo K. Anderberg 2009
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
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The Olivas Adobe portrays life as it was in the
mid-1800s. Photo to the left is the fountain,
bottom left is the kids room in the museum, and
on the bottom right is a photo of the outdoor
oven they used.For information, visit
http//www.olivasadobe.org/
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
Photo K. Anderberg 2009
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Ortega Adobe in Ventura County

• Visit http//www.ventura.com/points_of_interest/o
  rtegaadobe/

The Ortega Adobe is an interesting little adobe
on the edge of town in Ventura. From the classic
adobe period of the mid-1800s, this adobe shows
how life was lived in those times. Interior views
of the bedroom, kitchen and living rooms are
especially beautiful in the morning light as it
lights up the rooms. This adobe was the
birthplace of the famous Ortega Chili Company,
whose canned chilis you can still buy at stores
today. This adobe is now a public park.
Photo from www.ventura.com
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Ventura Mission

• Built in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the
  Ventura Mission gives a glimpse of life in the
• 1800s. The beautiful church and outdoor
  courtyard also has a Mission Museum and next
• door, there is an archaeological dig at the
  Albinger Museum, where artifacts 3,500 years old
  are on
• display. (http//www.albingermuseum.org/)
• For more information about the Ventura Mission,
  visit
• http//www.sanbuenaventuramission.org/history_main
  .html

Photo K. Anderberg 2010
Photo K. Anderberg 2010
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Rancho Camulos Along Highway 126

• Another adobe from the mid-1800s, this is
  another example of a look into life during
• those times. The site has an orange grove, an old
  barn and old ranch equipment and
• buildings, the adobe house is being rebuilt and
  it is very beautiful. There is a huge house
• in the back of the property with historical
  merit, as well.
• Visit http//www.ranchocamulos.org/
• The City of Fillmore is also close by and they
  have a train graveyard and museum. And a few
  miles
• further up the road in Santa Paula is the Oil
  Museum. Visit them at http//www.oilmuseum.net.

Photo K. Anderberg 2010
Photo K. Anderberg 2010
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Rancho Camulos
The barn at Rancho Camulos is being held up by
wooden lean-tos after earthquake damage in 1994.
Rancho Camulos has special docent-led educational
tours for school groups. Visit http//www.ranchoca
mulos.org/tours_at_rancho_camulos.html for more
information.
Photo K. Anderberg 2010
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More So. CA Field Trip Resources

• More field trip ideas in the L.A. area -
  http//teachtopia.com/los-angeles-field-trip-guide
  .html
• Creative Teaching with Historic Places
  http//crm.cr.nps.gov/issue.cfm?volume23number0
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• La Brea Tar Pits Field Trips
• School groups are free!! http//www.tarpits.or
  g/education/visits.html
• Los Angeles Museum of Natural History
• School groups are free!!
• http//www.nhm.org/site/for-teachers