Welcome to the hidden jewel.

A friendly and welcoming oasis offers quiet neighborhoods with the lowers crime rate in Orange County. Villa Park is Orange County's smallest city, but one of its friendliest and most welcoming places to live. Here, you will find people with a wide range of backgrounds,
interests, and occupations; quiet neighborhoods and attractive residential streets; the lowest crime rate in the County; and four schools within walking distance

A little history...

After the Mexican-American war of 1848, Alta California joined the United States in 1850. This is when American settlers began to migrate to this area. Known as Mountain
View in the 1860s, Villa Park was not incorporated until 1962 (to protect themselves from the zoning practices of Orange). Villa Park was decided when they tried opening
their post office and realized Mountain View was already the name of a city in Northern California.

Villa Park was known primarily for agriculture; grapes, apricots, walnuts, and citrus, the major crop for about 60 years. It was thanks to the citrus ranchers and their
families for molding Villa Park into what it is today, a vital community. They were also responsible for the establishment of the Serrano Water District and founding of the
Villa Park Orchard's Association, both still thriving today. After the destruction of the muscat grapes in 1887, the vineyards were replaced with Valencia orange
groves and by 1912 the Villa Park Orchards Association was shipping citrus fruit all over the world. All in all, the ranchers were instrumental in the overall
character we now know of Villa Park. You'll see many of them remembered in the street names; such as, Nichols, Collins, Morrow, Knuth, Adams, Abbott, Durfee, and Sterling.

Citrus groves to flourishing residences...

No longer a landscape of citrus groves, but panorama of luxurious homes on average 1/2 acre lots, rolling hills, lush landscaping and a small shopping center. Villa Park
remains a quiet and uncrowded haven for Orange County residents, based on population it's the smallest city in Orange County, who wish for a country feel in an suburban
environment. With little land left for development, it will remain a quiet oasis from surrounding cities for many years to come. And with many homes having back yards with
pools or tennis courts, why would anyone want to leave?

Villa Park Shopping Center

Ralph's grocery store
Banks, including Bank of America and Wells Fargo
Pharmacy w/ postal substation
Stores and offices
City hall
Community room
Branch of Orange County's Public Library
Restaurants, including Bagel Me, the Coffee Grove, and Rockwell's

Local Schools

Serrano Elementary School — Home of the Eagles
Villa Park Elementary — Home of the Bobcats
Cerro Villa Middle School — Home of the Vikings
Villa Park High School — Home of the Spartans

Government Officials and City Hall

All five of Villa Park's government officials serve without pay and are elected for four-year terms. Residents are welcome and encouraged to participate in the meeting held
on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. The city has full-time appointed City Managers, a small office staff, and a maintenance crew. The engineering, police, fire and
legal services are contracted outside the city.

Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm, telephone 998-1500

Noteworthy Natives

Kevin Costner graduated from Villa Park High School in 1973.
Henry DiCarlo (Wiehebrink), Television Meteorologist, KCBS-2 Los Angeles, graduated from Villa Park High School in 1985

Facts

Tree: weeping fig
Flower: orange blossom
bird: hummingbird
motto: Villa Park, the Hidden Jewel

For local news, look for the "Foothill Sentry." Without a newspaper of its own, this Orange Park Acre's paper, published once a month, includes local news and events for
Villa Park.