Though not formally incorporated until 1991, Calabasas has a history that dates back much further.
It’s All In A Name
The story of how Calabasas got its name goes back to one of the first settlers in the late 1700s. According to town legend, Juan Bautista de Anza was traveling from Arizona to San Francisco. On his journey, he passed through what is now known as Calabasas. One of the wagons he was traveling with was carrying pumpkins, and when the wagon overturned, the spill of pumpkins resulted in the area’s first pumpkin patch the following spring. The name of the town was taken from the Spanish word for pumpkin – Calabaza. The city of Calabasas continues to hold a Pumpkin Festival each year in Juan Bautista de Anza Park.