Devonshire Downs

Devonshire Downs, sometimes informally called The Downs, was a horse racing track and multipurpose event facility in Northridge, California. It was located at the southwest corner of Devonshire Street and Zelzah Avenue, east of Reseda Boulevard. The site is now owned by the California State University, Northridge (CSUN), which renamed it North Campus, and leased in part to Medtronic MiniMed.[1][2][3]

1940s

In 1943, Helen Dillman and Pete Spears purchased 40 acres for $80,000 with plans to construct a harness racing track, but a wartime construction moratorium temporarily put the project on hold. Weekly Sunday afternoon harness races, called matinees, began in 1946. The State of California bought the property for $140,000 in 1948, at which time it also became the home of the 51st District Agricultural Association's annual San Fernando Valley Fair.

1950s

During the 1950s, as the San Fernando Valley's population boomed and tract housing rapidly replaced Northridge's citrus groves and small ranches, the venue increasingly served to host a wide variety of mostly non-equestrian expositions, festivals, carnivals, concerts, swap meets, rallies and other events.[4] These alternative uses eventually predominated. A new California State College campus was built on adjacent land and opened in 1958 as San Fernando Valley State College, which soon became the owner of Devonshire Downs.

1960s

During the 1960s, poor track maintenance and declining interest in the sport led to the end of horse racing at the facility. The last race horse was removed in 1971.[5] In the same year, the college, which became California State University, Northridge (CSUN) in 1972, built a football stadium on some of the acreage. Other parts of the property continued to be put to diverse uses. During the first half of the 1980s, Devonshire Downs was the venue for numerous hardcore punk rock shows. Devonshire Downs is most widely known for hosting the three-day Newport Pop Festival in June 1969, also known as Newport '69, featuring Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker and nearly thirty other top acts.[6] With over 200,000 people attending the festival over three days, it was the by far the largest music event in the United States up to that time.[7]

1970s

While the San Fernando Valley Fair utilized Devonshire Downs as its venue as early as the 1950s,[8][9] the fair hit its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s,[10] finally moving away from Northridge in the late 1980s.[11][12]

Later years

In 2001, the football stadium and practically everything else was razed and most of the land was leased out for development as a private industrial park.[13] CSUN also developed part of the property for housing needs related to the University.[14]

References
  1. "North Campus Development Corporation". California State University, Northridge. 18 April 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  2. Gregory J. Wilcox for the LA Daily News. 11 June 2015 Medtronic Diabetes laying off more than 400 at Northridge site
  3. Lucas, Michael P. (May 9, 2000). "CSUN and MiniMed Seek Synergy on Campus". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  4. An undated flier touts the facility's amenities and versatility. Retrieved 2013-11-06.
  5. Murphy, J. "The Downs: Though Harness Racing's Bustling Sights and Shrill Sounds Have All Faded, Sparkling Memories of the Sport Linger On". The Los Angeles Times, 1985-10-27. Retrieved 2013-11-05.
  6. Beardsley, J. "Newport '69, a retrospect". LA Observed, 2009-06-17. Retrieved 2013-11-05.
  7. Wharton, David (August 6, 1989). "The Lost Love-In : It was the Woodstock they forgot: Newport '69, Los Angeles' own weekend of music, masses and mayhem". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  8. "San Fernando Valley's Fair Opening Today". Los Angeles Times. August 30, 1951. p. 32.
  9. "Devonshire Downs Fair Will Open Tomorrow". Los Angeles Times. August 27, 1952. p. B9.
  10. O'Shaughnessy, Lynn (July 18, 1985). "Beginning Four-Day Run : Fair Officials Stay Hopeful Despite Cloudy Past". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  11. Lozano, Carlos V. (July 12, 1988). "Fair Opens for a Last Fling at the Old Stand". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  12. Puig, Claudia (February 12, 1988). "Valley Fair to Be Held at CSUN; Move to Pierce College Delayed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  13. Kowalick, Vince (September 16, 2000). "Northridge Preparing to Leave Shabby Home". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  14. Senzee, Thom (November 2007). "Remember the Ponies at Devonshire Downs? They're Coming Back -- Or at least the Downs Are" (PDF). Community News. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
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