When developed in the Simi Hills in the late s, a single road provided the only access to the community from Agoura Hills, California , in neighboring Los Angeles County. As of the census, Oak Park had a population of 14,, down from 14, at the census.
The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name. Oak Park is the biggest unincorporated community in Ventura County. Residents of the community have through votes declined to set up an independent city, and also declined to be annexed into neighboring Thousand Oaks. Oak Park has had human occupation from about B. It lies within a zone including the early Millingstone Horizon and inland Chumash Indians.
Indians camped throughout the area as they collected acorns, yucca, and other food. The sites in the area include major villages, smaller camps and several rock shelters. They lived off of trading, gathering and hunting. The Chumash originally settled in Oak Park due to an abundance of natural resources, including fresh water, acorns and rabbit-hunting. Lindero Canyon Road follows the western border-line lindero in Spanish of the land grant.
Throughout the 20th century, studios used the area to film movies and music videos, in particular westerns. Kanan-Dume Road named after a local family was the only access road to the community, from Agoura Hills, California , in neighboring Los Angeles County. As such, the community was served by police and firefighters based in the nearest Ventura County city, Thousand Oaks , 10 miles 16 km away, with L.
County services responding when able. In Ventura County officials who were concerned about the isolation of the community proposed a land swap with L.
