Van Nuys History Page
Copyright © 1998-2000 David G. Bartholomew
Revised August 25, 2000
Quick Jump to: [The_Name] [History] [Andy_Devine] [Cruising]
It's named after Isaac Newton Van Nuys, one of the early settlers in the area.
Settlement of the area really took off after 1913, when William Mulholland completed the aqueduct to carry water from the Owens Valley (over 200 miles away, near Bishop) to Los Angeles. (This is still a very controversial story in itself.) Two years later, most of the San Fernando Valley was annexed into the City of Los Angeles.
Van Nuys City Hall was built in 1933. It was originally the center of
political administration for the whole valley and housed the local
police station. Today, the tall building, along with the adjoining building
complex called the San Fernando Valley Administrative Center,
houses the offices for
various city, county, state and federal agencies.
These include the
L.A. Public Library,
L.A. Police Department,
and the courthouses.
Andy Devine (b.10/07/1905, d.02/18/1977) [sites: 1 2] was a popular radio and TV actor. His very distinctive high-pitched scratchy voice made him a regular in various horse operas, as well as bits with such legendaries as Jack Benny. He had lots of film roles including the 1963 comedy "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (the Sheriff of Crockett County at the beginning of the movie). He was on a number of TV series including "The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok", "Flipper", and what most of us might remember best, a classic episode of "The Twilight Zone" (Mr. Frisbee who nearly gets kidnapped by aliens who believe his tall tales).
Sometime way back in the 1930's, Mr. Devine was installed as the Honorary Mayor of Van Nuys, in order to help publicize the area. (Much the way that Johnny Grant is today's Honorary Mayor of Hollywood.) Apparently, the publicity campaign worked very well! He always rode in the front of parades and was very popular in the role. It continued for many years, and then after Mr. Devine's passing, faded away into obscurity.
It's important to note that it was merely an honorary title, since Van Nuys has always been a part of the City of Los Angeles and thus subject to the L.A. Mayor's authority. (Of course that could change! There's a big secession movement going on.)
Andy Devine lived right in Van Nuys. The Crystal Plunge Swimming Pool was on the northeast corner of Kester Ave. and Hart St. A reader tells me that Mr. Devine had the pool built, because Van Nuys High School (just down the street) didn't have a place for their swim team to practice. Mr. Devine's house was diagonal to the Crystal Plunge, on Kester Ave. (Both locations are now covered in apartment buildings.)
Some may think it was all in the name of fun. All I know is that it was a good place to avoid. The police would write a ticket for nearly anything on your car, like a burned-out taillight, or a crooked headlight, or whatever.
In 1979, problems with gangs and other matters made the police take more drastic action. They closed Van Nuys Blvd to all traffic on Wednesday nights. The streets were pitted from scores of road flares. It worked. Today the cruising is long gone.
Return to the Van Nuys main page.
|
This page is written and maintained by David Bartholomew.
The photographs on this page are mine, copyright David G. Bartholomew.
Return to my Home Page.  |
|
