Welcome!
Thank you for visiting this site, which is dedicated to the preservation of Moorpark's historic structures! Our goal is to:
· Increase public awareness of Moorpark's historical structures
· Provide historical background & information
· Provide a hub for communication
· Prevent the destruction of historical structures
Moorpark Historic Structures
Wesley Chapel, 1894
The Wesley Chapel was built in the small farming community of Epworth, just north of Moorpark, in 1894. The church was eventually moved in 1906 to its present location on the northeast corner of Charles and Walnut Streets and became the Moorpark Methodist Church. In 1919, the M.E. Fowler church was moved from Somis and added to the Wesley Chapel, which more than doubled its size. When the congregation outgrew the structure, a new Methodist church was built on the corner of Flory Avenue and Third Street. Until recently, this Ventura County Historic Landmark served as the Moorpark Southern Baptist Church. The structure is now privately owned.
Birkenshaw House, 1920
James and Edith Birkenshaw were early settlers and farmers in Epworth, a small community just north of Moorpark. The family eventually moved into town and raised four children in their beautiful home on Moorpark Avenue. The house, designed by Alfred F. Priest in 1919, was originally built with 12 rooms, two bathrooms, a cement basement, oak floors, a solar water heater, a furnace, plumbing, and wiring. The home is still privately owned by the Birkenshaw family.
Tanner's Corner, circa 1916
Tanner's Corner, named after Moorpark resident Ira G. Tanner, has been a welcoming and historic part of High Street since the early days of our city. Tanner came to Moorpark in 1913 and opened his Mission Garage on the corner of Moorpark Avenue and High Street sometime around 1916. The brick facade was built circa 1917 and has become an iconic and recognizable landmark of downtown Moorpark and represents one of the last of our city's historic commercial structures. Over the years, the structure has been home to an automobile garage, gas station, Moorpark's first fire station, Moorpark's first and only court house, an auto parts store, and a carpet/upholstery store. In the year 2000, the building was added to the historical register of California. Visit www.preservetannerscorner.org for more information on this historic site.
The Munger Home, circa 1905
The Munger family came to Moorpark around 1904 to operate the Moorpark Hotel. They lived in this modest home on Charles Street until they sold it to Frank and Mary Cornett circa 1909. Newspaper articles from 1909-1910 report that the Cornett’s gave the house a new coat of paint and added a large wrap-around porch. This beautiful home is still standing in its original location on Charles Street just west of Walnut Street.
Whitaker Block, 1926
The Whitaker family has owned and operated Whitaker’s Hardware in this location since 1926. The building was built in 1922 by Dr. Frank Yoakam in approximately the same location where the Moorpark Hotel stood until it was destroyed by fire in 1920. This structure has housed many businesses over the years, including the Moorpark Post Office and Library.
William's Service Station, circa 1926
The quaint little building located on the northeast corner of High and Bard Streets served Moorpark for many years as a service station owned by the Williams family. The building was purchased by Curran and Joy Cummings in 1973 and became Four Suns Bike Shop. The Cummings kept the bike shop open until 1985 and the following year they converted it to The Gas Station, a clothing and accessory store. In 2012, it became a succulent garden art and gift shop. The building was purchased in 2020 and was slated to become an ice cream shop/bakery. Unfortunately, the building was demolished in February of 2023.
Moorpark Women's Fortnightly Clubhouse, 1912
The Moorpark Women’s Fortnightly Club (MWFC) was founded in 1905, making it Moorpark’s oldest service organization. By 1912, the club had raised enough money to build a clubhouse to hold meetings and host civic functions. When the town saw a need for a high school, the MWFC offered free use of their clubhouse as Moorpark’s first high school in 1912. This structure also housed Moorpark’s first library, which was started by the MWFC in 1912. The building is still standing in its original location on Charles Street and is now a private residence.
High Street Theater, 1930
The theater on High Street was built in 1930 and replaced an old wooden structure that housed silent movies. For many years, it was called the El Rancho and had the distinction of being the only “talking” movie theater in the east end of Ventura County. Although it was closed as a movie house in the 1950’s, it was still used by the community for school functions and other events. From 1983 to 1999, it served the community as the Magnificent Moorpark Melodrama and Vaudeville Company. In 2001, the theater was purchased and restored by Larry Janss and renamed The Theater on High Street. In 2005, the city of Moorpark purchased the theater and it is known today as the High Street Arts Center.
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