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CAL?A??BAS??AS
History of Calabasas, Indians, explorers, squatters, and bandits are all part of Calabasas history. The Chumash Indians led a peaceful life amidst the rolling hills, making their homes in canyons. Acorns from the massive old oak trees that thrive in the area formed an important part of their diet. Some of these oaks in Calabasas may be 500-700 years-old today. Chumash Indians named the area Calabasas, a word that may have descended from the Indian word for "where the wild geese fly." Another theory is that Calabasas comes from the Spanish word for pumpkin or wild gourd. The 1700's Spanish expeditions forever changed the Indians´ way of life. The Diary of Miguel Costanso, which documents the Portola expeditions in 1769-1770, refers to encounters with the Chumash in the area. Six years later, the Juan de Anza party camped just west of Calabasas. |