North of the Boulevard versus South: An Encino neighborhood perspective

Encino is one of the hidden gems of the San Fernando Valley, offering a good commute, recreational opportunities, and such a large slice of Hollywood history that it was one known as the “bedroom of the stars.”

Ventura Boulevard runs through the heart of Encino. Lately some have said that south of the Boulevard offers the better properties. North of the Boulevard however, is not so easily dismissed as in many ways, this is where Encino truly began to take root as a growing area. Before World War II, Encino was a sleepy hollow of a town, an enclave so quiet that early residents remember riding their horses down Ventura Boulevard and rarely encountering any cars. It was a town of horse stables and walnut farms.

In the 1950s, the movie folk of the growing Hollywood empire rapidly expanded into Encino. They settled north of the Boulevard. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans lived in the area as did Spencer Tracy, Lou Costello and Clark Gable. Even F. Scott Fitzgerald called Encino home for a time as he began work on his unfinished Hollywood novel, “The Last Tycoon.”

This was a family area where directors, producers, and stars moved in to experience a life similar to what they had enjoyed in towns on the East Coast, only with better weather of course. These expatriates from colder climes bonded together, throwing backyard parties, taking their kids to horseback riding and swimming lessons, and generally living the American Dream.

North of the Boulevard offers large flat lots with beautiful traditional houses and gently arching trees that are a testament to the area’s age and grace. There’s a feel here of relaxed living, life as it should be, set to a slightly slower pace. However, a quick jaunt down to Ventura Boulevard quickly puts you in touch with one of the most vibrant areas in the San Fernando Valley featuring must-try restaurants and plenty of shopping.

Woodley Estate at 5011 Woodley Ave was built in 1932 for Bobby Connolly, the choreographer of the Wizard of Oz and is considered one of the founding houses in the area. What makes this particular house so special is both the history (it was owned by a variety of notables including astronaut Gordon Cooper) but also its connection to a time when life was simpler. This was a home built not for the moment but to stand the test of time, as enduring and classic, as the special neighborhood it inhabits.