Craig Walker

Ojai (Postcard History) Craig Walker

Nestled in the coastal mountains of Southern California, the Ojai Valley was first settled by ranchers in the 1870s. They were drawn by glowing reports from the renowned travel writer Charles Nordhoff. The valley soon became a popular tourist destination, with its own luxury hotel and small mountain resorts. One wealthy Easterner who wintered in the valley was Ohio glass tycoon Edward Drummond Libbey. In 1916, Libbey transformed the center of what was to become the city of Ojai into a beautiful expression of Mission Revival architecture. These historic structures have been preserved by the community and continue to define the town as a quaint Spanish village.