Ventura County Landmark No. 64: Hunt Olive Tree
Historical Background
Richard Orville Hunt and his wife Mary Jane purchased a large parcel of land in the Conejo Valley in 1876 in what is now the Lynn Ranch area of Thousand Oaks. He called it Salto Ranch, which in Spanish means a high bluff with a jumping-off place, named for the canyon in the area (now called Hill Canyon). The Hunt family moved to a house at today’s corner of Lynn Road and Hillcrest Drive in 1888. In 1891, the Hunt home became the Newbury Park Post Office, with Hunt appointed as postmaster. Hunt served in this role for 18 years and was well known in the local community. (Conejo Valley Guide, 2023).
The family orchard contained apricots, peaches, plums, apples, nuts, pomegranates, and olives. While his former land now is populated with family homes, one part of Hunt’s ranch lives on in the form of the Hunt Olive Tree. Richard Hunt met his death near the original location of this tree in 1918. He was accidentally thrown from his horse-drawn buggy while he was supervising peach picking and died from his injuries.
Current Location
In 1993, the Hunt Olive Tree was moved approximately 500 feet from its original location to accommodate commercial development. The 140+ year old Hunt Olive Tree is also City of Thousand Oaks Landmark No. 4.
Additional Reading
References
Conejo Valley Guide (March 4, 2023). The Hunt Olive Tree in Thousand Oaks is a Living Link to Conejo Valley History. https://www.conejovalleyguide.com/welcome/the-hunt-olive-tree-in-thousand-oaks-is-a-living-link-to-con.html.
Date Designated: March 1981
Location: Along Hillcrest Drive west of Lynn Road, Thousand Oaks
Photos:
