Van Nuys, started in 1911, is located in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, and is home to about 100,000 residents. The main thoroughfare, Van Nuys Boulevard, functions almost as a county seat; The Government Center which contains a branch of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the Van Nuys police station, a branch of the Los Angeles Public Library and many other government buildings are located along the boulevard. Van Nuys is also home to many historical building including Van Nuys High School built in 1914 and St. Elisabeth Catholic Church built in 1920. Other notable locations in Van Nuys include the Japanese Gardens, located at 6100 Woodley Avenue, the Sepulveda Dam, and the Van Nuys Airport. The gardens were officially opened in 1984 and have been ranked tenth out of 300 Japanese gardens in the United States. The Sepulveda Dam, built in 1941, was a project part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering, and keeps water to avoid flooding of the Los Angeles River. The airport is currently the worlds busiest general aviation airport; no large commercial airlines fly through the airport, but it is used for chartered, private and some small commercial airlines. Van Nuys was also once home to the Van Nuys Assembly Plant, a branch for the General Motors Chevrolet manufacturing division, until it closed in 1998. After closing down of the plant, the land was converted into a shopping mall called The Plant.