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DHistory
History · Moorpark

Moorpark’s post office opened in 1900

More historic than 7% of U.S. towns · #752 of 847 in California. What drives it

Most of Moorpark was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1987. Below: maps from 1900 on and the census since 1950.

1900first post office
0on the National Register
1%homes built before 1940
5famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Justin N · CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answers

How Moorpark began

When was Moorpark founded?

1900

The Moorpark post office opened in 1900, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1983.

First census: 1,146 in 19502020 census: 36,284126 years

How historic is Moorpark?

D

More historic than 7% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: the first Moorpark post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1983.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Moorpark’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Moorpark is more historic than 7% of U.S. towns, #752 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Moorpark’s overall grade.
Founding era1900, from the first post office: founded 1900–1944, an older era than 9% of U.S. townsDHomes built before 19401.2% of homes (±0.8) · typical CA town 3.4% · U.S. 8.4%DNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical CA town 0.0 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 7%
NewerOlder
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 11%

Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Moorpark’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (31% of California towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be D. The pre-1940 share (±0.8 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata gives 1983.

Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Moorpark’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Moorpark are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19005 editions of the USGS map, 1900 to 1969. Watch Moorpark change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Moorpark’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Moorpark’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Moorpark on the map, 1900 to 1969

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Moorpark. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Moorpark on the 1900 USGS mapMoorpark on the 1921 USGS mapMoorpark on the 1941 USGS mapMoorpark on the 1951 USGS mapMoorpark on the 1969 USGS map1900Piru sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Moorpark.

The story

How Moorpark came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Moorpark.

Read it all →

Chumash people were the first to inhabit what is now known as Moorpark. A Chumash village, known as Quimisac (Kimishax), was located in today's Happy Camp Canyon Regional Park. They were hunters and gatherers who often traveled between villages to trade. The village of Quimisac once controlled the local trade of fused shale in the region. The area was later part of the large Rancho Simi land grant given in 1795 to the Pico brothers by Governor Diego de Borica of Alta California.

ChaptersEgg City

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Moorpark, 1900 to 2003

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 20th century
  2. 1900Post officeThe Moorpark post office opens
  3. 1900On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  4. 1985Born hereZach Penprase is born here
  5. 1996Born hereKelli Berglund is born here
  6. 1997Born hereAmanda Longan is born here
  7. 21st century
  8. 2003Born hereCarson Schwesinger is born here
By decade

Moorpark, decade by decade

Today16 recent
Grimes Canyon2026Grimes CanyonGrimes Canyon2026Grimes CanyonGrimes Canyon2026Grimes CanyonGrimes Canyon2026Grimes CanyonGrimes Canyon2026Grimes CanyonGrimes Canyon2026Grimes CanyonGrimes Canyon2026Grimes CanyonGrimes Canyon2026Grimes CanyonGrimes Canyon2026Grimes CanyonMoorpark Train Station Facing East 02-16-20242024Moorpark Train Station Facing East 02-16-2024Moorpark, CA landscape2022Moorpark, CA landscapeHigh Street Arts Center2022High Street Arts CenterSeal of the City of2016Seal of the City ofHigh Street Theatre in2009High Street Theatre inGrimes Canyon between Moorpark and Fillmore2009Grimes Canyon between Moorpark and FillmoreEntrance to meditation hall2005Entrance to meditation hall
People over time

Moorpark, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,000196019802000202036,284

Grew from 1,146 people in 1950 to 36,284 in 2020, more than tenfold.

8 censuses, 1950–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Moorpark’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

5 famous people were born in Moorpark

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Kelli BerglundAmerican actress, dancer, and singer · b. 1996
A
Amanda LonganAmerican water polo player · b. 1997
Carson SchwesingerAmerican football player · b. 2003
Z
Zach PenpraseIsraeli-American baseball player · b. 1985
B
Brian BlechenAmerican-football player · b. 1991
Places that used to be

Old corners

Moorpark’s post office has been open since 1900.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Villa del Arroyo Mobile Home EstatesVirginia Colony

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Simi Valley3 historic placesC−Santa Rosa ValleyIts storyD

Questions about Moorpark’s history

What year was Moorpark founded?

The Moorpark post office opened in 1900, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1983.

How does Moorpark rank for history?

Moorpark is more historic than 7% of U.S. towns, #752 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in Moorpark?

1% of Moorpark’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1987.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (16), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.