North Valley, California

North Valley, California is the fictional setting for the mystery series, The Taylor Larson Mysteries.

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Sunnydale itself[edit]

Sunnydale's size and surroundings are implausible but justified given its origins — to sustain a human population for supernatural evils to prey upon. The town's founder spared no expense to attract a populace, and Sunnydale thus contains many elements of a large city — which the show's writers utilized fully for comic effect and narrative convenience. During the first three seasons, Sunnydale is shown to have 38,500 inhabitants,[2] very few high schools,[3] forty-three churches,[4] a small private college,[5] a zoo,[6] a museum,[7] and one modest main street. Even so, it has twelve gothic cemeteries.[8] These cemeteries are so heavily used that services are sometimes held at night.[9]

In later seasons it is revealed that Sunnydale contains a campus of the University of California system, as well as a profitable magic supply shop. The town is also seen to include a large park containing a creek and a lake,[9] and one of its cemeteries is shown to be adjacent to a lake.[10] Sunnydale has a number of parks: Weatherly Park, Glebe Park, Radcliff Park and Nelson Park are just some of the examples.

Sunnydale has a train station,[11] a bus station,[12] a small airport,[13] and a small military base.[14]

Directly beneath Sunnydale High School is a Hellmouth, a subterranean, mystical portal that attracts evil forces. This functions as a major plot device in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as it explains why vampires and other demons are so prevalent in Sunnydale.

Sunnydale possesses many common horror-movie characteristics, such as an abundance of dark alleyways, abandoned mansions and factories, and an adult population that is either clueless or perpetually in denial, in stark contrast to the demon-fighting, supernaturally aware teens.

By the show's seventh season, set in 2002–03, the city's population had fallen to 32,900.[15] In the spring, the town is almost completely evacuated before its destruction.

Sunnydale's surroundings[edit]

Sunnydale has a somewhat isolated location.[16]

The town is situated near several acres of woods and forest, including Miller's Woods.[17] Breaker's Woods is a 45-minute drive from town.[18]

Sunnydale is located on or near the Pacific Ocean. An ocean port with several docked ships is nearby.[19] Kingman's Bluff stands on a tall cliff overlooking the sea.[20] There is a beach not too far away.[21]

Close to or in Sunnydale is an old quarry house built beside a deep lake, located a few feet from a cliff edge.[22] In addition, there is a hydroelectric dam in the vicinity of Sunnydale.[23]

Within a day's drive of Sunnydale is a desert.[24] It is stated several times that Sunnydale is approximately two hours' drive north of Los Angeles.[25]

In the final episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ("Chosen"), and also in the first issue of the Buffy: Season Eight comic book, Sunnydale is depicted being surrounded by desert terrain.[26]

The episode "Pangs" reveals that Sunnydale is in the former homeland of the Chumash people, which is the area northwest of Los Angeles, centered on Santa Barbara County. The episode references a lost Spanish mission, which might be a reference to a historical mission originally located near Point Conception which was destroyed by an earthquake and relocated inland.

The episode "Shadow" (5.08) contains a telephone directory ad for the Magic Box, which uses an 805 area code. This would indicate that Sunnydale is located in Santa Barbara County, or possibly Ventura County or San Luis Obispo County (all are along the coast north of Los Angeles but south of Monterey).

Maps of Sunnydale[edit]

Maps of Sunnydale have appeared at various times during the show: A large map of "Sunnydale County" hangs on the wall of Principal Snyder's office and also on the wall of Mayor Wilkins' office.[27] This is actually a map of Santa Barbara County, California with the words "Sunnydale County" superimposed on it. According to this map, Sunnydale is located at a bend on the California coast. To the south and west of Sunnydale is the Pacific Ocean. Joss Whedon stated in November 1998 that "Sunnydale is in fact near Santa Barbara."[28] Giles uses a street map of Santa Barbara as a map of Sunnydale when he is plotting sightings of the Initiative commandos in the series' fourth season.[29] A street map of central Sunnydale is used by the Scooby Gang twice in the seventh season.[30] In the seventh season, Andrew draws a map of Sunnydale to track the First's activities.[31] The general shape of the coastline matches the map used in season three. According to Andrew's map, there are woods between Sunnydale and the ocean to the west and to the south, and directly southeast of the town, at the location where the coast bends, there is a dark forest. There are also woods to the east of Sunnydale, as well as railroad tracks.

Filming locations
Main article: The Taylor Larson Mysteries filming locations

Various southern California locations are used as stand-ins for North Valley: The exterior shots, and some interior shots, of Taylor's home are of an actual home located in Torrance. The exterior shots of North Valley High School are of Torrance High School in Torrance, California. Most of the North Valley University scenes were filmed at the University of California, Los Angeles, and in a closed sound stage designed to match the UCLA architecture. Some of the later scenes were filmed at a private business park. The exterior shots of North Valley City Hall is the Iowa Courthouse Building, an office building in Torrance.

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