Van Nuys is actually a part of the City of Los Angeles region, and a district of the San Fernando Valley. The are of Van Nuys was originally named after Dutch founder of the San Fernando Homestead Association, Isaac Van Nuys, in 1869. The association was the first to purchase the land and Van Nuys sits in the middle of the Valley. The very first house was built by the founder in 1872.In recent years, the Van Nuys area has been described as a "melting pot" of ethnical backgrounds and cultures by the Los Angeles Times. A major manufacturing plant for the American car company Chevrolet was once located in Van Nuys. The site of the Van Nuys Assembly Plant was shut down in 1998 and was converted into a shopping mall, conveniently named the Plant. Details on the Plant or other local businesses can be found on the local California yellow pages. The major attractions in Van Nuys are the Japanese Garden, at one time Busch Gardens, the Sepulveda Dam, and the Leo Magnus Cricket Complex. To see a more robust listing of things to do in Van Nuys you can use the business directory.