Near Simi Valley in Ventura County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Rocketdyne Recreation Center
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| | Boeing | |
Photographed by Craig Baker, April 20, 2019
1. Rocketdyne Recreation Center Marker
This rocket was stationed at the Rocketdyne Recreation Center in West Hills and served a very important mission providing a place to play and dream for thousands of boys and girls. The center is long gone, but fond memories of the playground rocket remain. This is dedicated to the children who dreamed of blasting off into space and their parents - the men and women whose sacrifice and determination built and tested the rocket engines to get us there.
photo captions:
G-26 Navaho Two Engine Cluster - 1955.
Children at play - Rocketdyne Recreation Center, circa 1980.
COCO A-3 SSME Test Crew - 1978.
J-2 Engine Production Line - 1966.
Children at play - Rocketdyne Recreation Center, circa 1980.
RS-2 Sled Engine - 1960.
Erected 2017 by Boeing.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1960.
Location. 34° 14.15′ N, 118° 40.489′ W. Marker is near Simi Valley, California, in Ventura County. It can be reached from Facility Road south of Woolsey Canyon Road, on the left when traveling south
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles, on Central Coast, and in the Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory (here, next to this marker); Santa Susana Railroad Depot (approx. 1.9 miles away); Velocipede Hand Car (approx. 1.9 miles away); Railroad Motor Car (approx. 1.9 miles away); Silvertown (approx. 2.2 miles away); a different marker also named Silvertown (approx. 2.3 miles away); T.R. Craig Residence (approx. 2.3 miles away); Orcutt Ranch (approx. 2.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Simi Valley.
Regarding Rocketdyne Recreation Center. Rocketdyne was a rocket engine company in Canoga Park, created by North American Aviation (later Rockwell) in 1955. Rocketdyne was sold to Boeing in 1996, and in 2005 Boeing sold Rocketdyne to Pratt & Whitney. In 2013 new owners merged Aerojet with Rocketdyne to form todays Aerojet Rocketdyne. Boeing retained ownership of Rocketdyne's Santa Susana Field Lab. The facility ended rocket testing in 2006. Environmental cleanup is ongoing. The facility is not open to the public except during occasional guided tours.
Photographed by Craig Baker, April 20, 2019
2. Rocketdyne Recreation Center Marker
Photographed by Craig Baker, 2020
3. Rocketdyne Recreation Center Relic
Photographed by Wayne Williams, 1994
4. Rocketdyne Recreation Center
5. Rocketdyne Recreation Center
Credits. This page was last revised on June 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 24, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 1,251 times since then and 177 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 24, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4. submitted on June 26, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 5. submitted on June 25, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
