Ojai's center changed when Nordhoff became Ojai

Ojai’s name reaches back farther than the storefronts on Ojai Avenue. The Ojai Valley Museum traces it to ‘Awha’y, a Chumash village name tied to the moon. The valley later became Rancho Ojay during the Mexican period, then changed again as settlers and visitors arrived.

The town site was laid out in the 1870s and called Nordhoff. It became known as a healthy, pretty valley town, especially for people looking for winter sun, clean air, hot springs, and a quieter place to stay. Hotels, farms, and local businesses grew around that reputation.

In the 1910s, Edward Drummond Libbey helped reshape the town center. Working with architects Frank Mead and Richard Requa, he pushed for a Spanish-style village look. The Arcade, Pergola, Post Office Tower, Libbey Park, the Ojai Library property, and the building now used by the Ojai Valley Museum all fit into that civic makeover.

In 1917, Nordhoff took the name Ojai, and the first Ojai Day was held at what is now Libbey Park. That is why the center of town feels so planned without feeling huge. The main blocks are carrying several layers at once: Chumash place name, rancho history, health-resort memory, and a carefully shaped downtown.