Hawaii

Picture of a couple on the Ventura Pier.  http://www.pixelmap.com/images/Scenic/California/sl_ventura_42.jpg

The last section of the book that we dealt with was all about the State of Hawaii and its history. Camarillo does not really share too many similarities with Hawaii. One of the main things that we both share is tourism. Hawaii relies heavily on tourism and the money that it brings to their state. Camarillo also benefits from tourism and people coming to the area to see our city. One of the reasons they come to Camarillo is to see the Outlets. Another reason people come is to experience the outdoors and some fresh air near the smog filled city of Los Angeles. One of the similarities that the areas share is the influence of the Polynesians. There is a section of Camarillo where there is a large community of Polynesians that are rich in culture just like in Hawaii, though not nearly as large as Hawaii can boast. Another big influence that both of the areas share is the influence of the Asian populations that have moved in. Camarillo in the past 20 years has become a major area for Asians to relocate. Many of them are business owners in the community and play a large role in the workings of the city. Another aspect they share is the fact that agriculture has a large influence on the area.\

Above is a picture of the Camarillo Premium Outlets sign.  http://www.ci.camarillo.ca.us/main.aspx?q=6080&p=9337

The North Pacific Coast

The North Pacific Coast and Camarillo are not that similar even though they are pretty close in distance. The North Pacific Coast is a wet and rainy area while Camarillo is more close to the national average. One thing that Camarillo and the N.P.C. share is that people tend to reside here who like outdoor activities. I have already talked about the amazing hiking and scenery you will see when in Camarillo. You can also do activities on the ocean, and in some of the lakes that surround the city. The elevation on the N.P.C. changes even more dramatically then it does in Camarillo. On the North Coast you can go from a beach setting to up a few thousand feet within less than 1 mile inland. There is a change in elevation in the areas surrounding Camarillo but it is not nearly as dramatic as more north. The population growth rate for both of these areas are similar and are growing faster than the national average. This is because the landscape is so gorgeous and people want to live in the nice climate.

Above is a picture of the changing landscape and how dramatically it changes. http://www.pixelmap.com/sl_ventura_03.html

California

Above is a picture of part of the islands of the coast. These are popular destinations for outdoor and sea lovers. http://www.pixelmap.com/sl_ventura_74.html
 

This chapter in the book was all about California and basically how awesome it is! Camarillo is located in Camarillo so I am going to try to give you a little bit of background that I have not covered before. Camarillo is a town nearing 100,000 in population. Camarillo is a popular destination for people looking to shop because the Camarillo Premium Outlets are located here which are home to hundreds of stores and shops. Camarillo is also very popular for people who are into outdoor activities. You can be at the beach right outside of Camarillo in the morning and then you can be up at 5000 feet in some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the country.
The islands of Camarillo are also popular destinations for people looking to get away from the hustle of daily life because you can camp on them but there is no electricity or any other luxuries we are used to. Camarillo is susceptible to earthquakes because it lies right next to some major fault lines. Camarillo is also affected by wildfires every few years. The surrounding area usually catches fire every few years and Camarillo is put on alert to be careful of the impending danger. It is a popular city because of its location between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara and also the Mediterranean like climate that we have. Many people come to Camarillo to retire which gives the city a very large elderly population.

Above is a picture of the Piru river which flows into Lake Piru which is a popular spot in the area for camping, hiking, boating, and swimming.  http://www.pixelmap.com/sl_ventura_213.html

The Southwest Border Area

This section of the Southwest Border Area and Camarillo actually have a lot in common. The area in the book is influenced by American Indians, Spanish Americans, and European Americans. Camarillo is very similar because these are the three cultures that have played the largest roles in the shaping of the community. The American Indians that were in Ventura County and modern day Camarillo were a large part of how the area was settled. They were basically taken over by the Spanish who built a mission in Ventura where they made the local Indians work in some terrible conditions. After the Spanish had settled they were very much influenced by European settlers that made their way over from the East Coast. Today the area is a melting pot for almost every race of people you can imagine. Camarillo is actually located in this area which is one of the reasons it is so closely linked. One of the ways in which you can see the influence of the different cultures is by the food. Camarillo is home to some of the best ethnic restaurants in the area. You can also see the influence of the Spanish because many of the street names in Camarillo are in Spanish. There is much cultural diversity when looking at the population of Camarillo. There is also a very large influence of Latinos because many work in the area. Another aspect that is seen in both the book and Camarillo is that there is a difference in socioeconomic aspects between the races. There are many wealthy parts of the city that are dominated usually by whites. The poorer communities in the city are the ones where Hispanics tend to be located more.

Above is a picture of the San Buena Ventura Mission. The Spanish built the missions but they forced the local Indians to do the work here. You can still see the influence of the Spanish and the Native Indians in the area through architecture and the place names.  http://www.pixelmap.com/sl_ventura_87.html

The Empty Interior

Above is a picture of the Mormon Temple in Los Angeles. This is the Temple that many of my friends woulf go to on Sundays. Mormonism is very prevalent in Camarillo.   https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkUl1xT3mV9At6cn5BvDQMYMQrsxQrOVIXu5OZJFowKE9sKuL9mvUnhbx130mDhPNivpPG_Zkz1k_uJnEcSTJotwv8Bv1cJEVe0YTfxepDHfDOF5EQvG4MNpNaJnwPr1LVpCT_vBvVkQ/s1600/los-angeles-mormon-temple.jpg


This was an interesting part of the country that in all honesty does not have that much in common with Camarillo. One of the biggest similarities that I saw when reading this section was that this area is very important for the Mormon religion and a big area of where Mormons are located together. This peaked my interest  because growing up in Camarillo i was aware that there was a large population of Mormons living in Camarillo. In Camarillo there is a total of about 11 percent of the population, that go to church, belong to the Mormon church. This is a fairly large percent of the population that actually goes to church. They have a large influence on the local area. Another thing that Camarillo shares with the Empty Interior is that it is home to some amazing scenery. Camarillo is surrounded by the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains, the amazing Pacific Ocean, and some of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the country. It is a popular spot for hikers and mountain climbers because you can be sitting at home in the morning and within  a couple hours you could be already climbing up some of the most beautiful trails in the country. Camarillo is located near the Angeles National Forest and the Los Padres National Forrest which have some of the best scenery in the country.

Above is a picture of the mountains that surround Camarillo. You can find some of the most beautiful hiking in the area here that overlooks Camarillo and at points the Pacific Ocean. http://www.pixelmap.com/sl_ventura_69.html

The Great Plains

One of the main points that I got from reading this section was that much of the great plains is dominated by agriculture. This is something that Camarillo shares with the area because agriculture seems to dominate much of the Camarillo landscape. Before the land was cultivated for crops, it was dominated by local grasses that thrived in the rich soil and large amount of rainfall. Another point that both of these areas share is that they were first settled by American Indians before the arrival of the Spanish. The area of Camarillo and its surroundings were some of the best areas for the local Indians because of its vicinity to the sea, the good soil, and the protection from many of the elements because it is located in a valley. And just like parts of the great plains it is not entirely flat. There are portions of Camarillo that are located in the hills overlooking the city. There are also points in the great plains where it is easy to see the change in regional boundaries. Camarillo is similar to this because it is straddled up to the Santa Monica Mountains which is a very different zone then Camarillo.

This is a picture of the agricultural plains that are a part of Camarillo. You can see the fields from on of the rolling hills that are a part of Camarillo as well.  http://www.camarillohomefinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Oxnard-plain.jpg

The Agricultural Core

 Above is a great picture of a tractor in the fields with some beautiful clouds above.  http://image63.webshots.com/463/3/5/33/2980305330025506147ZKJXeg_ph.jpg


This section in the book was about the Agricultural Core and how they have good soil and good water waterways. This is something that Camarillo shares in common with the Agricultural Core. This area known as the Agricultural Core is a vast area that encompasses many major cities in the United States. Just as in this area, Camarillo also overlaps with other parts of the region. This was an important place for immigrants because this is where many from Mexico come to look for agricultural work. Camarillo is well known in the area for producing many different agricultural products and the many immigrants that have benefited from the work in the area. The climate is good for growing many crops and is similar to the Mediterranean area. One thing that we saw in the Agricultural Core was that much of the land was split up and divided among people so they had a more uniformed city. Much of the agricultural fields around Camarillo have been split up like this so that farmers can have the same amount of land as each  other so it is more fair. Most of the farms that are around here are family owned but are more large scale then most farms. These are very large businesses that employ a lot of people in the area.

Above is a picture of one of the many fields on the outside of the city. There are many different fruits and vegetables that are grown here.  http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:fFGtAcAT3oIJ:www.city-data.com/picfilesc/picc22448.php+agriculture+camarillo&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com

The Southern Coastlands

This chapter was about the Southern Coast lands and how the play a major role in the everyday lives of the people that live there. There are some similarities with Camarillo because it is located right next to the coast and the coast lands still play a major role in the community. One of the problems that the Southern Coast-lands faces is that they have natural disasters that have a huge affect on the land and the people. In Camarillo we are lucky that we do not have to face these same problems. The biggest problem facing Camarillo and it's environment is the pollution and problems that have arisen because of over population. There are neighborhoods in Camarillo where they have built houses in the natural river overflows. There hasn't been too many problems as of yet but they have only been in existence for less then 10 years and haven't faced a major flood which the area is prone to. Another factor that both the Camarillo and the Southern Coast have in common is the fact that they both produce oil. It is not a major export but does employ a large amount of people from the area. The port at Hueneme which is only a few miles away, plays a major role in the local economy because they ship in anything from clothes and food to cars.

http://www.goodnite.com/images/img-prop-camarillo.jpg

Above is a picture of the islands that are right off the coast of Ventura County.These islands are very popular for tourism and for the local fisherman that fish in the waters off the islands.