Until the mid 1950's, the land north of Cathedral Oaks Road and west of SR 154 was zoned as Agricultural. Between 1955 and 1965 several changes in land ownership occurred as property use rapidly changed from agriculture to residential. Cathedral Oaks Road ended at Patterson Avenue and everything west of Patterson was citrus ranches, mostly lemons, as was both sides of Cathedral Oaks. This had all changed by 1965, with new roads and residential areas being developed.

John Northrop, the founder of Northrop Aviation, lived in Hope Ranch after he retired. As an investment, he formed a corporation called Halnor around 1960. Halnor Corporation purchased the land that would be developed into Park Highlands. At the time, all the land that became Park Highlands – Phase 2 and most of Phase 1 – was open grazing land, with lemon orchards along the south side of lower Via Los Padres. (The Dennison family owned much of the property on the south side of Via Los Padres, so seven homes west of 950 Via Los Padres were not part of the Halnor purchase and never became part of the Park Highlands Association.)

The original CC&R's were established in December of 1962 in the name of Park Highlands Association (PHA). After developing the roads, lot sites, etc., five speculation homes were built in 1964. After the first five spec homes, all subsequent homeowners bought their own lots and built their own homes. These initial homeowners purchased their lots directly from John Northrop himself. One of those original 1964 owners still lives in Park Highlands today.

Phase 1 includes 44 lots in what is now referred to as the lower loop or lower Via Los Padres, which includes Via Los Santos and Paseo Los Santos. Phase 2, upper Via Los Padres or the upper loop, had its development of 33 lots slowed by the water moratorium imposed in 1972 which limited new water meters. Some homes were built with deep wells on their property, while other homes relied on distant condominium wells. All were later able to hook up to the Goleta Water District once the water moratorium ended in 1995.

The watershed event for PHA was the Painted Cave Fire of June 27, 1990. Most of the houses were destroyed in the face of a rapid firestorm moving down the mountain side and not stopping until it jumped the 101 freeway. For those who lost their homes, the next two years were spent dealing with insurance companies, architects, contractors, local building supply stores, housing rentals and finally the joy of moving back to Park Highlands. The common experience of the fire and its aftermath created a strong bond throughout the neighborhood that continues to this day.

Thanks to former neighbor Lowell McLellan, a longtime homeowner now living in Washington state, for the documents that were used to create this history.