90-547: The Leonis Adobe is a historic adobe located in what is now Calabasas , California . One of the oldest surviving private residences in Los Angeles County and one of the oldest surviving buildings in the San Fernando Valley , it was built in 1844 and was occupied by the wealthy rancher Miguel Leonis (October 20, 1824 – September 20, 1889) until his death. Afterward, the property was the subject of
180-427: A 1 g lateral acceleration earthquake load. Such an acceleration will cause lateral loads on the walls, resulting in shear and bending and inducing tensile stresses. To withstand such loads, the codes typically call for a tensile modulus of rupture strength of at least 50 lbf/in (0.345 newton/mm ) for the finished block. In addition to being an inexpensive material with a small resource cost, adobe can serve as
270-421: A 10-inch wall R 0 =4.1 hr ft °F/Btu. Another source provides the following properties: conductivity=0.30 Btu/(hr ft °F) or 0.52 W/(m K); specific heat capacity=0.24 Btu/(lb °F) or 1 kJ/(kg K) and density=106 lb/ft or 1700 kg/m , giving heat capacity=25.4 Btu/(ft °F) or 1700 kJ/(m K). Using the average value of the thermal conductivity as k = 32 Btu/(hr ft °F) or 0.55 W/(m K), the thermal diffusivity
360-516: A battle in what is now Hidden Hills . It was said that at the time of his death: "His flocks and herds ranged over a hundred hills, and his lands were measured in mileage rather than acres. When he died he left an estate valued at approximately $ 1,000,000." In 1889, Leonis died from wounds suffered by falling off and being run over by his wagon near Cahuenga, California . The accident was said to have resulted from his unsteady condition after "too free indulgence in sour wine." After his death, his will
450-453: A blanket conveyance of all her property to him on the pretense that it would be easier to transact business in his name; further litigation followed to recoup income taken for his own benefit and to contest conveyances and mortgages he had made to others. So completely was Espiritu taken advantage of that "it is said that she was at one time reduced to a diet of acorns which she picked up off the ground at her home, her property being so tied up in
540-741: A ceremony on February 20, 2010. Ladyface Mountain is another prominent mountain on the west side of the Conejo Valley and stands at an elevation of 2,031 feet (619 m). Agoura Hills is called the "Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area ". Natural areas of Agoura Hills are part of the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion and are covered by hundreds of local plant species, some of which are very rare, and others of which have become popular ornamentals. The range
630-865: A chimney can greatly influence the construction of the roof supports, creating an extra need for care in choosing the materials. The builders can make an adobe chimney by stacking simple adobe bricks in a similar fashion as the surrounding walls. In 1927, the Uniform Building Code (UBC) was adopted in the United States. Local ordinances, referencing the UBC added requirements to building with adobe. These included: restriction of building height of adobe structures to 1-story, requirements for adobe mix (compressive and shear strength) and new requirements which stated that every building shall be designed to withstand seismic activity, specifically lateral forces. By
720-454: A factor which has contributed to its longevity as a building material. Thermodynamic material properties have significant variation in the literature. Some experiments suggest that the standard consideration of conductivity is not adequate for this material, as its main thermodynamic property is inertia, and conclude that experimental tests should be performed over a longer period of time than usual - preferably with changing thermal jumps. There
810-420: A few hours, the bricks are turned on edge to finish drying. Slow drying in shade reduces cracking. The same mixture, without straw, is used to make mortar and often plaster on interior and exterior walls. Some cultures used lime -based cement for the plaster to protect against rain damage. Depending on the form into which the mixture is pressed, adobe can encompass nearly any shape or size, provided drying
900-474: A greater expanse is covered when placing the bricks onto the roof. Following each individual brick should be a layer of adobe mortar, recommended to be at least 25 mm (1 in) thick to make certain there is ample strength between the brick's edges and also to provide a relative moisture barrier during rain. Roof design evolved around 1850 in the American Southwest. Three inches of adobe mud
990-451: A guest at the adobe reportedly seeing an image in the upstairs hallway that spoke in a female voice, "Chichita, Chichita" and thought to refer to the name by which Espiritu's granddaughter reported that her grandmother called her. A young Calabasas resident claimed to see the ghost of Leonis dressed in an old-fashioned coat walking his sheep dog down the street near the adobe. There are tales of people allegedly hearing digging sounds coming from
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#17327799542411080-583: A horizontal bearing plate for the roof beams and to redistribute lateral earthquake loads to shear walls more able to carry the forces. To protect the interior and exterior adobe walls, finishes such as mud plaster, whitewash or stucco can be applied. These protect the adobe wall from water damage, but need to be reapplied periodically. Alternatively, the walls can be finished with other nontraditional plasters that provide longer protection. Bricks made with stabilized adobe generally do not need protection of plasters. The traditional adobe roof has been constructed using
1170-448: A legal dispute between his common law wife Espiritu Chijulla (1836 – May 10, 1906), heirs, and a daughter born out of wedlock; the dispute lasted more than 15 years in the courts. In 1961, the adobe had fallen victim to vandalism, and its owner applied for a permit to raze the structure and erect a supermarket in its place. Preservationists succeeded in having the adobe declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #1 in 1962, saving it from
1260-632: A mix of not more than 1 ⁄ 3 clay, not less than 1 ⁄ 2 sand, and never more than 1 ⁄ 3 silt. During the Great Depression , designer and builder Hugh W. Comstock used cheaper materials and made a specialized adobe brick called "Bitudobe." His first adobe house was built in 1936. In 1948, he published the book Post-Adobe; Simplified Adobe Construction Combining A Rugged Timber Frame And Modern Stabilized Adobe, which described his method of construction, including how to make "Bitudobe." In 1938, he served as an adviser to
1350-410: A mixture of soil/clay, water, sand and organic materials. The mixture was then formed and pressed into wood forms, producing rows of dried earth bricks that would then be laid across a support structure of wood and plastered into place with more adobe. Depending on the materials available, a roof may be assembled using wood or metal beams to create a framework to begin layering adobe bricks. Depending on
1440-403: A significant heat reservoir due to the thermal properties inherent in the massive walls typical in adobe construction. In climates typified by hot days and cool nights, the high thermal mass of adobe mediates the high and low temperatures of the day, moderating the temperature of the living space. The massive walls require a large and relatively long input of heat from the sun ( radiation ) and from
1530-410: A strong soap aroma, a smell associated with Leonis who always appeared impeccably clean and smelled of soap. The noises continued, and the new owners learned to live with what they concluded was the prior owner's ghost. According to legend, in the 1930s, a woman who lived there was leaning against a railing that cracked and was pulled back by a ghost, saving her from serious injury. Other stories include
1620-511: Is a building material made from earth and organic materials. Adobe is Spanish for mudbrick . In some English-speaking regions of Spanish heritage, such as the Southwestern United States , the term is used to refer to any kind of earthen construction, or various architectural styles like Pueblo Revival or Territorial Revival . Most adobe buildings are similar in appearance to cob and rammed earth buildings. Adobe
1710-622: Is a city situated in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California , United States. With a population of 20,330 as of the 2010 census , which decreased to 20,299 in 2020. Agoura Hills lies in the eastern Conejo Valley , nestled between the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. Located 35 miles (56 km) northwest of Downtown Los Angeles and less than 10 miles (16 km) west of
1800-424: Is among the earliest building materials, and is used throughout the world. Adobe architecture has been dated to before 5,100 BCE. Adobe bricks are rectangular prisms small enough that they can quickly air dry individually without cracking. They can be subsequently assembled, with the application of adobe mud to bond the individual bricks into a structure. There is no standard size, with substantial variations over
1890-424: Is an effective R-value for a north facing 10-in wall of R0=10 hr ft °F/Btu, which corresponds to thermal conductivity k=10 in x 1 ft/12 in /R0=0.33 Btu/(hr ft °F) or 0.57 W/(m K) in agreement with the thermal conductivity reported from another source. To determine the total R-value of a wall, scale R 0 by the thickness of the wall in inches. The thermal resistance of adobe is also stated as an R-value for
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#17327799542411980-481: Is calculated to be 0.013 ft /h or 3.3x10 m /s. Poured and puddled adobe (puddled clay, piled earth), today called cob , is made by placing soft adobe in layers, rather than by making individual dried bricks or using a form. "Puddle" is a general term for a clay or clay and sand-based material worked into a dense, plastic state. These are the oldest methods of building with adobe in the Americas until holes in
2070-678: Is chosen by the City Councilmembers to serve a one-year term. The City Manager is appointed by the City Council to supervise the administrative personnel and contract services. As of May 2024 the Agoura Hills City Council consists of Illece Buckley Weber (Mayor), Penny Sylvester (Mayor Pro Tem), Jeremy Wolf, Deborah Klein Lopez, and Chris Anstead. The City Manager is Nathan Hamburger and the city attorney
2160-767: Is contracted through RWG Law. As of 1990 the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District includes Agoura Hills. In the California State Legislature , Agoura Hills is in the 27th Senate District , represented by Democrat Henry Stern , and in the 50th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Eloise Reyes . In the United States House of Representatives , Agoura Hills is in California's 26th congressional district , represented by Democrat Julia Brownley . The Board of Supervisors
2250-436: Is even and the mixture includes reinforcement for larger bricks. Reinforcement can include manure, straw, cement, rebar , or wooden posts. Straw, cement, or manure added to a standard adobe mixture can produce a stronger, more crack-resistant brick. A test is done on the soil content first. To do so, a sample of the soil is mixed into a clear container with some water, creating an almost completely saturated liquid. The container
2340-468: Is governed by a City Council/City Manager form of government. A five-member City Council is elected by the residents to oversee city operations and guide the development of the community. Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms. The terms are staggered so that a measure of continuity is maintained from one Council to the next. The role of Mayor rotates among the Councilmembers. The Mayor
2430-638: Is home to the Great Race of Agoura Hills, an annual running event held at Chumash Park in Agoura Hills in March of every year. The Great Race was established in 1986 and features six races including Pacific Half (half-marathon), Chesebro Half (half-marathon), Old Agoura 10K, Deena Kastor (5 kilometers), Kids 1 Mile, and the Family Fun Run (1 mile). The Chesebro Half was voted best half-marathon in
2520-496: Is host to an immense variety of wildlife, from mountain lions to the endangered Southern California Distinct Population Segment of steelhead . The mountain lion population within the Santa Monica Mountains (which includes the Simi Hills & Santa Susana Pass) is severely depleted with only seven known living adult individuals. The primary cause of the decline is due to a combination of traffic-related mortality (three from
2610-570: Is part of the Reyes Adobe Museum built around 2004 and owned by the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department. ) By 1900, the area was being used as a popular stage stop for travelers because of its natural spring. In the 1920s, the community was briefly known as Picture City, as Paramount Pictures owned a ranch known as Paramount Ranch used for filming Westerns . To obtain a post office of their own,
2700-523: Is shaken vigorously for one minute. It is then allowed to settle for a day until the soil has settled into layers. Heavier particles settle out first, sand above, silt above that, and very fine clay and organic matter will stay in suspension for days. After the water has cleared, percentages of the various particles can be determined. Fifty to 60 percent sand and 35 to 40 percent clay will yield strong bricks. The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service at New Mexico State University recommends
2790-618: Is stabilized with either emulsified asphalt or Portland cement up to 10% by weight. No more than half the clay content should be expansive clays , with the remainder non-expansive illite or kaolinite. Too much expansive clay results in uneven drying through the brick, resulting in cracking, while too much kaolinite will make a weak brick. Typically the soils of the Southwest United States, where such construction has been widely used, are an adequate composition. Adobe walls are load bearing, i.e. they carry their own weight into
Leonis Adobe - Misplaced Pages Continue
2880-608: Is the governing body of the County of Los Angeles, a charter county. Lindsay P. Horvath is the Supervisor for Los Angeles County's 3rd District where Agoura Hills is incorporated. Las Virgenes Water District serves Agoura Hills along with Westlake Village and other parts of western Los Angeles County. State water provided by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the sole source used by
2970-470: Is useful in binding the brick together and allowing the brick to dry evenly, thereby preventing cracking due to uneven shrinkage rates through the brick. Dung offers the same advantage. The most desirable soil texture for producing the mud of adobe is 15% clay, 10–30% silt, and 55–75% fine sand. Another source quotes 15–25% clay and the remainder sand and coarser particles up to cobbles 50 to 250 mm (2 to 10 in), with no deleterious effect. Modern adobe
3060-490: The 1976 Guatemala earthquake , the 2003 Bam earthquake , and the 2010 Chile earthquake . Buildings made of sun-dried earth are common throughout the world (Middle East, Western Asia, North Africa, West Africa, South America, Southwestern North America, Southwestern and Eastern Europe.). Adobe had been in use by indigenous peoples of the Americas in the Southwestern United States, Mesoamerica , and
3150-515: The 2010 census Agoura Hills had a population of 20,330. The population density was 2,599.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,003.5/km ). The racial makeup of Agoura Hills was 17,147 (84.3%) White, (78.6% Non-Hispanic White), 267 (1.3%) African American, 51 (0.3%) Native American, 1,521 (7.5%) Asian, 24 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 590 (2.9%) from other races, and 730 (3.6%) from two or more races. There were 1,936 Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race (9.5%). The census reported that 20,242 people (99.6% of
3240-766: The Andes for several thousand years. Puebloan peoples built their adobe structures with handsful or basketsful of adobe, until the Spanish introduced them to making bricks. Adobe bricks were used in Spain from the Late Bronze and Iron Ages (eighth century BCE onwards). Its wide use can be attributed to its simplicity of design and manufacture, and economics. The word adobe / ə ˈ d oʊ b iː / has existed for around 4,000 years with relatively little change in either pronunciation or meaning. The word can be traced from
3330-608: The Middle Egyptian ( c. 2000 BC ) word ḏbt "mud brick" (with vowels unwritten). Middle Egyptian evolved into Late Egyptian and finally to Coptic ( c. 600 BC ), where it appeared as ⲧⲱⲃⲉ tōbə . This was adopted into Arabic as الطوب aṭ-ṭawbu or aṭ-ṭūbu , with the definite article al- attached to the root tuba . This was assimilated into the Old Spanish language as adobe [aˈdobe] , probably via Mozarabic . English borrowed
3420-481: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21 km ), of which 8.2 square miles (21 km ) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km ) of it (0.37%) is water. Agoura Hills has a mountain called Ballard Mountain named after pioneer settler and freed slave John Ballard. The name of the mountain was officially changed from Negrohead to Ballard in
3510-577: The "Sensational Disclosures." After a five-week trial, the jury took less than a day to return its verdict finding in favor of Espiritu and awarding her one-half of the Leonis estate. However, Espiritu's legal troubles continued, as competing claims were made to the lands and swindlers pursued the uneducated Espiritu's money. The estate produced a "hopeless jumble" of over 100 lawsuits and was "rich feeding for many law firms." A young Hollywood tavern owner persuaded Espiritu to appoint him as her agent and to sign
3600-481: The 1880s by touring the property and participating in recreations of 1880s lifeways. Students are able to pet, feed, and observe ranch animals under supervision of museum tour guides. In January 2010 Huell Howser spotlighted the Leonis Adobe on his show Visiting... for PBS (a spin-off of his California Gold series). The program featured the grounds, the adobe, the staff, and interviews with several characters at
3690-930: The 1980s however, seismic related changes in the California Building Code effectively ended solid wall adobe construction in California; however Post-and-Beam adobe and veneers are still being used. The largest structure ever made from adobe is the Arg-é Bam built by the Achaemenid Empire . Other large adobe structures are the Huaca del Sol in Peru, with 100 million signed bricks and the ciudellas of Chan Chan and Tambo Colorado , both in Peru. Agoura Hills, California Agoura Hills ( / ə ˈ ɡ ɔːr ə ˈ h ɪ l z / )
Leonis Adobe - Misplaced Pages Continue
3780-429: The California homestead laws. Wherever his livestock grazed, he built a shack and had one of his 100 employees become a "tenant" to support his claim under the homestead law. To prevent competing homestead claims, Leonis and his vaqueros were in constant conflict with squatters. In 1875, a conflict with a group of former Union soldiers who tried to settle on his lands led to two weeks of violence and killings, culminating in
3870-658: The Hidden Hills Corp., the principal sponsor of the Hidden Hills country community. Hidden Hills Corp. subdivided the surrounding 100 acres (0.40 km) into sites for ranch style homes ranging from 1.5 acres (6,100 m) to 10 acres (40,000 m). At the time, A.E. Hanson , president of Hidden Hills Corp., announced plans to restore the adobe. However, by early 1961, Milton Katz of the Woodland Hills Building and Finance Co. had acquired
3960-721: The Los Angeles Conservancy arranged with the county to move the front part of the Plummer House to its current location on the Leonis Adobe grounds. The Plummer House has been restored and is used as the visitor center and gift shop for the Leonis Adobe Museum. 34°09′27″N 118°38′25″W / 34.1576°N 118.6402°W / 34.1576; -118.6402 Adobe Adobe ( / ə ˈ d oʊ b i / ə- DOH -bee ; Spanish pronunciation: [aˈðoβe] )
4050-576: The Los Angeles city limits at Woodland Hills , Agoura Hills is bordered by Bell Canyon and Ventura County . Neighboring communities include Calabasas , Oak Park , and Westlake Village , while the unincorporated area of Agoura sits adjacent. The area was first settled by the Chumash Native Americans around 10,000 years ago. The Alta California (Upper California) coast was settled by Spanish Franciscan missionaries in
4140-535: The Los Angeles press. At a jury trial in 1891, Espiritu called 40 witnesses who testified that Leonis had publicly acknowledged her as his wife. When Espiritu appeared in court dressed in black with mourning veil attached to a black flat straw hat, the Los Angeles Times described her as "a typical Mexican of the original cast," with "a very dark complexion, small black eyes, nose blunt, mouth large and lips tightly compressed when in repose." When Espiritu took
4230-673: The San Fernando Valley's history, with some opining that "the San Fernando Valley has no historical buildings or landmarks worth preserving." As efforts proved unsuccessful to find funding to pay the $ 240,000 demanded by the adobe's owner, Kay Beachy announced in March 1963 that she had paid the requested $ 240,000 to Milton Katz for the property. Mrs. Beachy agreed to hold the property until the Leonis Adobe Association could buy it from her, and Mayor Sam Yorty presented her with an award for her efforts in saving
4320-482: The adobe and sought to rezone the property to commercial use and to build a shopping center where the adobe sat. Opponents submitted petitions to the City Planning Commission and sought to establish protected landmark status for the property. While plans to demolish the adobe were pending, it was victimized by vandalism. Windows were smashed, walls and fixtures shattered, floors ripped, handrails on
4410-405: The adobe came in the 1920s when the first people outside the Leonis family moved into the adobe and began to remodel. According to Leonis' biographer Laura B. Gaye (1905–1981), the new residents heard footsteps on the stairs followed by two loud thuds from the upstairs bedroom resembling the sound of boots dropping to the floor. When the residents went upstairs to investigate, the room was filled with
4500-492: The adobe was reportedly used as a chicken dinner restaurant and later as a retirement home. In 1962, the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner reported that the last person to reside in the house was motion picture actor John Carradine , who had reportedly moved out of the refurbished adobe several years earlier. Around 1950, the site of the Leonis Adobe, then including 100 acres (0.40 km), was purchased by
4590-489: The adobe with his family. Menendez built the barn that stands at the back of the adobe. Menendez was a blacksmith who also made wine and built the tank house at the adobe to store it. Menendez sold the property in 1922 to the Agoure family, for whom the community of Agoura was named. The Agoures remodeled the house in 1920, adding bathrooms and expanding the living room. The Agoures lost the property to foreclosure in 1931, and
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#17327799542414680-448: The adobe, where according to legend, Leonis kept his fortune. Leonis Adobe is one of only four adobe residences remaining in the San Fernando Valley . It has been listed as a historic building at the city and national level as follows: The Leonis Adobe in recent years has operated as a living history museum to the California ranch style of life. The museum is a popular location for school field trips in which students step back in time to
4770-529: The adobe. The Leonis Adobe Association finally collected the funds to purchase the property in 1965. Extensive research was done to restore the adobe to its condition when Miguel Leonis lived there. After the restoration was completed, the adobe was opened to the public in 1966. According to legend , the Leonis Adobe is haunted, and was featured in the British paranormal television series Most Haunted in 2005. The first accounts of Leonis' ghost appearing at
4860-518: The architects Franklin & Kump Associates, who built the Carmel High School , which used his Post-adobe system. The ground supporting an adobe structure should be compressed, as the weight of adobe wall is significant and foundation settling may cause cracking of the wall. Footing depth is to be below the ground frost level. The footing and stem wall are commonly 24 and 14 inches thick, respectively. Modern construction codes call for
4950-574: The area were killed within a matter of months,) anti-coagulants ingested from human-poisoned prey (two individuals within the Simi Hills), and attacks by other, more dominant mountain lions (an elder male, known as P1, killed both his son and his mate, this is thought to be due to a lack of space available.) The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is a proposed vegetated overpass spanning the Ventura Freeway and Agoura Road at Liberty Canyon on
5040-697: The community. One victim was found on Tuesday November 13 in the 32000 block of Lobo Canyon Road. Agoura Hills is known regionally for its live music scene and originality in the nu metal scene, a fame that has given rise to such acts as Linkin Park , Dub Thompson , Skye Aspen, Incubus , Hoobastank , and Fort Minor . Agoura Hills is home to The Canyon Club, a concert venue that hosts touring acts such as Peter Frampton , Smash Mouth , Pat Benatar , Cyndi Lauper , REO Speedwagon , X , Steel Pulse , The New Cars , Asia , Boyz II Men , Alan Parsons , Foreigner , Bret Michaels and The Smithereens . According to
5130-514: The courts." When the 65-year-old Espiritu married an 18-year-old man, the Los Angeles Times could not restrain itself, noting that her new husband was "barely out of pinafores" and that the "frisky" old woman's "affections appear to have been bubbling at a lively rate, in spite of her well-worn widow's weeds." Litigation over the estate continued until 1905, and Espiritu continued living at the adobe until her death in 1906. When Espiritu died, her son (by her first marriage), Juan Menendez, moved into
5220-612: The district. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Malibu/Lost Hills Station in Calabasas , serving Agoura Hills. The United States Postal Service Agoura Hills Post Office is located at 5158 Clareton Drive. The Las Virgenes Unified School District serves Agoura Hills. Agoura Hills is the corporate headquarters of the Los Angeles Rams since 2016. Agoura Hills
5310-505: The dwelling into the Monterey Colonial -style mansion that remains today. He walled in the upper and lower porches to add more rooms. He added a Queen Anne-style veranda on the front of the house and paneled the walls of the living room. Leonis came to Southern California as "an ignorant Basque sheep herder and blossomed into a robber baron holding feudal sway by the aid of a small army of vaqueros ." The first land he acquired
5400-822: The east end of the city. Snakes are common but only occasionally seen. Local species include the Southern Pacific Rattlesnake , Mountain Kingsnake, California Kingsnake , Gopher snake , and Garter snake . The mountains are also home to the Western fence lizard . In 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported that the New Zealand mud snail had infested watersheds in the Santa Monica Mountains, posing serious threats to native species and complicating efforts to improve stream-water quality for
5490-570: The endangered steelhead trout . According to the article, the snails have expanded "from the first confirmed sample in Medea Creek in Agoura Hills to nearly 30 other stream sites in four years." Researchers at the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission believe that the snails' expansion may have been expedited after the mollusks traveled from stream to stream on the gear of contractors and volunteers. At
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#17327799542415580-512: The federal poverty line. At the 2000 census there were 20,537 people in 6,874 households, including 5,588 families, in the city. The population density was 2,511.8 inhabitants per square mile (969.8/km ). There were 6,993 housing units at an average density of 855.3 per square mile (330.2/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 86.96% White, 1.32% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 6.50% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.09% from other races, and 2.78% from two or more races. 6.85% of
5670-412: The first City Council were Mayor Fran Pavley , Mayor Pro Tem Carol Sahm, Councilmembers Ernest Dynda, John Hood, and Vicky Leary. Incorporating a year after neighboring Westlake Village , the drive for cityhood in the region was largely based on public discontent with the county's failure to limit residential development of the area, motives that influenced Calabasas to follow suit in 1991. The 1980s
5760-412: The foundation rather than by another structure, hence the adobe must have sufficient compressive strength. In the United States, most building codes call for a minimum compressive strength of 300 lbf/in (2.07 newton/mm ) for the adobe block. Adobe construction should be designed so as to avoid lateral structural loads that would cause bending loads. The building codes require the building sustain
5850-401: The ground were used as forms, and later wooden forms used to make individual bricks were introduced by the Spanish. Bricks made from adobe are usually made by pressing the mud mixture into an open timber frame. In North America, the brick is typically about 25 by 36 cm (10 by 14 in) in size. The mixture is molded into the frame, which is removed after initial setting. After drying for
5940-483: The late 18th century. In about 1800, Miguel Ortega was granted a Spanish grazing concession called Rancho Las Virgenes or El Rancho de Nuestra Señora La Reina de Las Virgenes. The grant was abandoned after Ortega's death in 1810, and José Maria Dominguez was given Rancho Las Virgenes as a Mexican land grant in 1834. Maria Antonia Machado de Reyes purchased the rancho from Dominguez in 1845. (The "Reyes Adobe" ranch headquarters sits today in central Agoura Hills, where it
6030-539: The museum. In 1983, the Plummer House was moved to the grounds of the Leonis Adobe Museum. The Plummer House was built in 1874 in Plummer Park , West Hollywood by Eugene Raphael Plummer. It was known as the "Oldest House in Hollywood" and was designated as a California Historic Landmark #160 in 1935. It fell into disrepair and was the victim of vandalism and fires. The Leonis Adobe Association in conjunction with
6120-415: The occupied units 5,715 (78.0%) were owner-occupied and 1,612 (22.0%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%. 16,111 people (79.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,131 people (20.3%) lived in rental housing units. The median household income was $ 107,885, according to the 2010 United States Census, with 7.1% of the population living below
6210-504: The pieces, and it is preferred to ram the mud in situ , resulting in a different typology known as rammed earth . In dry climates, adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for some of the oldest existing buildings in the world. Adobe buildings offer significant advantages due to their greater thermal mass , but they are known to be particularly susceptible to earthquake damage if they are not reinforced. Cases where adobe structures were widely damaged during earthquakes include
6300-408: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 6,874 households, 47.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.7% were non-families. 13.8% of households were one person and 3.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size
6390-613: The population) lived in households, 15 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 73 (0.4%) were institutionalized. There were 7,327 households, 2,799 (38.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,565 (62.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 726 (9.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 302 (4.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 263 (3.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 36 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 1,346 households (18.4%) were one person and 438 (6.0%) had someone living alone who
6480-399: The property had been appraised at $ 135,000, Katz reportedly wanted $ 100,000 more than that to sell. In August 1962, Katz's application to demolish the adobe was denied, and the newly formed City of Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Board designated the adobe as the city's first Historic-Cultural Monument. The debate over preservation of the Leonis Adobe led to a broader discussion about preserving
6570-557: The residents were required to choose a one-word name, and in 1927 chose the shortest name proposed: a misspelling of the last name of Pierre Agoure, a local Basque man and French immigrant who had settled in the area in 1871 to live the lifestyle of the Mexican rancher. Styling himself Don Pierre Agoure, he was a successful sheep herder. Agoura began to grow in the late 1960s after the Ventura Freeway section of U.S. Route 101
6660-408: The stairs broken, and doors torn off. The Leonis Adobe Association appealed to the owner to take steps to safeguard the adobe and offered to fence the site at its own expense. Owner Milton Katz declined the offer of fencing and said there was "no need to safeguard the two-story building from vandals because he plans to tear it down as soon as his plans for a supermarket on the site are completed." Though
6750-537: The stand, she testified that she met Leonis at the Escorpion Indian camp in 1859, lived with him for 30 years, and even had a daughter with him who died before adulthood. The grave identifying Leonis as the deceased child's father was offered as proof of their relationship. When an old friend of Leonis reported that Espiritu had previously lived out of wedlock with two other men, the Times reported in detail on
6840-406: The surrounding air ( convection ) before they warm through to the interior. After the sun sets and the temperature drops, the warm wall will continue to transfer heat to the interior for several hours due to the time-lag effect. Thus, a well-planned adobe wall of the appropriate thickness is very effective at controlling inside temperature through the wide daily fluctuations typical of desert climates,
6930-562: The thickness of the adobe bricks, the framework has been preformed using a steel framing and a layering of a metal fencing or wiring over the framework to allow an even load as masses of adobe are spread across the metal fencing like cob and allowed to air dry accordingly. This method was demonstrated with an adobe blend heavily impregnated with cement to allow even drying and prevent cracking. The more traditional flat adobe roofs are functional only in dry climates that are not exposed to snow loads. The heaviest wooden beams, called vigas , lie atop
7020-434: The use of reinforcing steel in the footing and stem wall. Adobe bricks are laid by course. Adobe walls usually never rise above two stories as they are load bearing and adobe has low structural strength. When creating window and door openings, a lintel is placed on top of the opening to support the bricks above. Atop the last courses of brick, bond beams made of heavy wood beams or modern reinforced concrete are laid to provide
7110-418: The wall. Across the vigas lie smaller members called latillas and upon those brush is then laid. Finally, the adobe layer is applied. To construct a flat adobe roof, beams of wood were laid to span the building, the ends of which were attached to the tops of the walls. Once the vigas, latillas and brush are laid, adobe bricks are placed. An adobe roof is often laid with bricks slightly larger in width to ensure
7200-559: The word from Spanish in the early 18th century, still referring to mudbrick construction. In more modern English usage, the term adobe has come to include a style of architecture popular in the desert climates of North America, especially in New Mexico , regardless of the construction method. An adobe brick is a composite material made of earth mixed with water and an organic material such as straw or dung . The soil composition typically contains sand , silt and clay . Straw
7290-594: The wrecking ball at the last minute. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The adobe was restored and is operated as a living museum. The original portion of the adobe dates to 1844, but little is known about its use before it was acquired by Miguel Leonis. Some reports indicate that the adobe served as a stagecoach stop on the Camino Real between Mission San Buenaventura and Mission San Fernando Rey de España . The adobe
7380-426: The years and in different regions. In some areas a popular size measured 8 by 4 by 12 inches (20 cm × 10 cm × 30 cm) weighing about 25 pounds (11 kg); in other contexts the size is 10 by 4 by 14 inches (25 cm × 10 cm × 36 cm) weighing about 35 pounds (16 kg). The maximum sizes can reach up to 100 pounds (45 kg); above this weight it becomes difficult to move
7470-405: Was 3.30. The age distribution was 30.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males. According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Agoura Hills
7560-582: Was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.76. There were 5,593 families (76.3% of households); the average family size was 3.15. The age distribution was 4,904 people (24.1%) under the age of 18, 1,582 people (7.8%) aged 18 to 24, 4,465 people (22.0%) aged 25 to 44, 7,089 people (34.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,290 people (11.3%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males. There were 7,585 housing units at an average density of 969.7 per square mile, of
7650-523: Was a period of growth, with large land areas being subdivided into housing tracts . In the 1990s, businesses set up shop downtown including shops and restaurants. In 1995, the murder of Jimmy Farris awakened the city to a rising drug problem and petty theft by its young. As a result, the city began sponsoring live music competitions and concerts in local parks. In November 2018, the Woolsey Fire occurred during Santa Ana winds burning through
7740-481: Was acquired by Miguel Leonis (1824–1889) in the 1850s or 1860s. Leonis was a bearded, 6-foot-4-inch (1.93 m) native of Cambo-les-Bains , a town in the traditional Basque province of Labourd in the French Pyrenees . He controlled much of the west end of the San Fernando Valley and part of Ventura County. The adobe was built in stages and, by the 1870s, Leonis had extensively enlarged and remodeled
7830-445: Was applied on top of the latillas, then 18 inches of dry adobe dirt applied to the roof. The dirt was contoured into a low slope to a downspout aka a 'canal'. When moisture was applied to the roof the clay particles expanded to create a waterproof membrane. Once a year it was necessary to pull the weeds from the roof and re-slope the dirt as needed. Depending on the materials, adobe roofs can be inherently fire-proof. The construction of
7920-483: Was built through the area, dividing the community into northern and southern sections. The first housing tracts in Agoura were Hillrise , Liberty Canyon and Lake Lindero . Rapid growth continued during the 1970s when schools were built and much of downtown erected. In 1982, the residents of the proposed city voted in favor of cityhood by a 68% majority. Agoura Hills became the 83rd City in Los Angeles County . Elected to
8010-439: Was read, identifying Espiritu Chujilla as his "faithful housekeeper" and leaving her only $ 10,000 with the balance of his estate going to his siblings. The Los Angeles Times reported that the entire French population was surprised that he left such a small sum to the woman "who has for nearly thirty years been considered his wife." Espiritu contested the will, and a decade of court battles followed that were covered in detail by
8100-490: Was the 1,100-acre (4.5 km) Rancho El Escorpión , in what is now the West Hills section of Los Angeles. He started as an employee at the ranch and bought half of the ranch from its owner when he became ill. The other half of the ranch was owned by a widowed mission Indian, Espiritu Chujilla . Leonis acquired Espiritu's land by marrying her, though the marriage was later denied by Leonis. He added to his holdings using
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