Ventura Boulevard

I didn't start out intending to rant about Wikipedia, but it is occasionally possible to see why professional researchers hold their noses.

Case in point: Ventura Boulevard.

The shallowness of the article is what astounds me. The worst part is that I don't know how to change it. The modern version of the description is going to be useful twenty years from now (probably), so how do you add the past history? I don't really know all that much about Ventura Boulevard, but I was hoping to learn a lot after learning that it was part of the original El Camino Real (I believe that means the royal road) of California. It's likely that Ventura Boulevard follows along (or near) what was the major trail in this area long before the Spanish arrived.

What I do know is that for many years, Ventura Boulevard was the main route from Los Angeles to Ventura and when the 101 freeway was built, the end didn't evaporate in Woodland Hills (nor on the other side in Hollywood). For instance, todays Thousand Oaks Boulevard was once a part of Ventura Boulevard as were some parts of Old Conejo Road, and on the opposite side, Agoura Road and Calabasas Road.

At a minumum, a history of Ventura Boulevard should contain some information about the Stagecoach Inn. It should also include something about Tarzana, Edgar Rice Burroughs and the legend of Tarzan. There are doubtless many of these stories directly (or peripherally) linked to the road of today that were completely missed.

It would also be useful to document how Ventura Boulevard contributed to the settlement of western Los Angeles County and eastern Ventura County. Most of the stories I've heard from old timers describe coming out this way as kids or young adults on the Boulevard and finding a place where no one else lived. What's interesting (perhaps) is that a lot of these folks now have second homes off in the weeds on the central coast (they're doing it again where possible). The best story I've heard is that of a retired pilot who basically determined which piece of property he was going to buy out here after scouting the area from above, but didn't move until Ventura Boulevard was well enough developed to make the commute possible.

A good dictionary in the classic (leather bound) sense provided a small summary for subjects like this and some good references within the set. An online dictionary is less bound by size and should provide more, even if only in the form of external links (and on this subject, there are many).