Camarillo in Ventura County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Cal State Channel Islands
Camarillo State Hospital
Photographed by Craig Baker, November 14, 2024
1. Cal State Channel Islands Marker
On this day of October 1, 1998 California State University Channel Islands campus was established at the site of the former Camarillo State Hospital and Developmental Center.
Erected 1998 by State of California.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1998.
Location. 34° 9.761′ N, 119° 2.542′ W. Marker is in Camarillo, California, in Ventura County. It can be reached from University Drive east of Lewis Road. Located east of Richard R Rush Hall. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 45 Los Angeles Ave, Camarillo CA 93012, United States of America. Touch for directions.
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 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Rainbow Bridge (approx. 0.2 miles away); Naval Air Missile Test Center, Point Mugu, California (approx. 3.9 miles away); F-14 Tomcat (approx. 3.9 miles away); Adolfo Camarillo Heritage Grove (approx. 4 miles away); Camarillo Ranch House (approx. 4.1 miles away); El Camino Real Bell (approx. 4.1 miles away); Rancho Sierra Vista (approx. 4½ miles away); Fruit Brandy Still (approx. 4.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Camarillo.
Regarding Cal State Channel Islands. Camarillo State Hospital
this page online
CSH was the largest mental hospital in the world when it opened in 1936. It was a pioneering research institution for schizophrenia and autism, and the first state hospital to treat the developmentally disabled. The hospital was also a major employer in the community and had a partnership with UCLA's psychiatric facility.
CSH closed in 1997 and was acquired by California State University to house the new CSU Channel Islands campus. The hospital's closure was due to legislative policy changes at the state and federal levels.
The hospital has been featured in movies and television shows. Due to the hospital's proximity to the media center of Los Angeles, it has been referred to in movies, television, and music. Some famous persons with mental illnesses or detoxing from drugs or alcohol stayed there to recover in Ventura County's mild climate. Jazz musician Charlie Parker's "Relaxin' at Camarillo", written while he was detoxifying after a drug addiction, is a tribute to the facility.
It has been rumored that the Eagles' 1977 "Hotel California" was a reference to Camarillo State Mental Hospital.
Additional keywords. Camarillo, Camarillo State Mental
Photographed by Craig Baker, November 14, 2024
2. Cal State Channel Islands Marker
Photographed by Craig Baker, November 14, 2024
3. Dedication Plaque
Camarillo State Hospital - 1936
Photographed by Craig Baker, November 14, 2024
4. Bell Tower
The 1936 dedication plaque is under the arches.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 16, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 294 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 16, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
