Piru

We are now approaching Piru. This town's name is derived from the native Chumash term for a reed that grew along the creek banks, and was used in basket-making.

Tucked back in a canyon on the north side of the valley and roadway beyond the hills sits lake Piru, the town's namesake. Largely spared due to its elevation, and like rancho camulos upstream, Piru was used as a first aid and temporary relief station for the victims of the flood disaster.

Its cemetery sadly holds the Gottardi family children and their mother with only the father and one daughter of the six siblings surviving the deluge as it struck his orchard and farmhouse east of the Kemp siding where over 80 Edison workers lost their lives that cold, early morning in 1928.

The flood destroyed 20 homes in Piru but no recorded deaths were suffered.

One of the largest citrus packing houses in the valley is located here as the orange and lemon orchards of Camulos and Piru were some of the grandest in the country in their day.

The property, which was patented to the Temescal Land Grant, was purchased in 1887 from the Del Valle brothers by David C. Cook of Elgin, Illinois, the proprietor of ab large publishing house. This was quickly followed by the founding of the town of Piru City, as it was once called, owned and controlled by Mr. Cook. Spared in the flood for the most part...