SCVHistory.com | City | Santa Clarita General Plan: Historic Resources (1991)

Webmaster's Note: This document was superseded in its entirety by the Cultural Resources section of the "One Valley One Vision" Joint City-County General Plan, approved by the Santa Clarita City Council on June 14, 2011. It should be further noted that although the spelling has been corrected here, the 1991 document, below, contains factual errors and omissions and should not be relied upon for historic research purposes.

SITE	HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Oak of the Golden Dream (State Historic Landmark #168)	Gold was first discovered in California under this tree in 1842.
Pioneer Oil Refinery (State Historic Landmark #172) 23552 Pine Street, Newhall	This is the oldest existing oil refinery in the world.
Pico #4 (State Historic Landmark #516) 27201 West Pico Canyon, Newhall	First successful oil well in California and longest producing commercial oil well in the world in 1876 by California Star Oil Company, a predecessor of Standard Oil.
Mentryville (State Historic Landmark #516-2) 27201 West Pico Canyon, Newhall	The town grew around Pico #4 for derrick workers. Three buildings remain. Many others have been relocated to Newhall.
Asistencia/Rancho San Francisco (State Historic Landmark #556) West of Magic Mountain Parkway near Route 126 (Plaque located at Blue Moon Restaurant), Castaic	The Santa Clara River Valley was a part of Mission San Fernando in 1797. A granery and Asistencia (mission) was established here in 1804.
Lang Station (State Historic Landmark #590) East of Lang Station Road	A health spa, hotel, and freight station were established here in 1871. In 1876, a golden spike was driven connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles by rail. Only relics of the station remain.
Lyon Station/ Eternal Valley Cemetery (State Historic Landmark #688) 23287 Sierra Highway, Newhall	A stage stop was built here in 1852. It was used by the Butterfield Overland Stage line from 1857 to 1861 as a resting place for Dragoons and camel caravans from Fort Tejon. Many pioneers are buried here in the Eternal Valley Cemetery.
St. Francis Dam Disaster Site (State Historic Landmark #919) DWP Power Plant 2 San Francisquito Canyon Road	On March 12, 1928, the dam, a part of the Los Angeles Aqueduct at San Francisquito Canyon, collapsed, spilling over 12 billion gallons of water into the Valley and killing 450 people.
Pardee House/Good Templars (State Point of Historical Interest) 24275 Walnut Street, Newhall	Built circa 1889 by Henry Clay Needham, prohibitionist candidate for president in 1920. Moved to its present 1920 [sic]. Moved to its present location by 1892. Used as a movie set by Tom Mix in the 1920s.
22621 13th Street (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Single-family dwelling: Built in February 1873 for Adam Malinszewski at Lyon's Station; moved by J.O. Newhall to San Fernando Road in the community of Newhall about 1879. At the turn of the century, it was acquired by the Frew family, who were pioneer blacksmiths, then Mr. Ed Jauregui, who moved it to its present location.
24148 Pine Street (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Single-family dwelling: Constructed in 1878 by California Star Oil Company as a guest house for visiting executives and politicians. Standard Oil sold it to Josh Woodbridge, who lived there until his death in 1950.
24522 Spruce Street (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Commercial structure: (Commonly known as "The Hoosegow"). Bids for a jail house were opened February 20, 1906, the result being this building of concrete in the Spanish Mission style. It retains to this day the original cell doors and barred windows. It served as a jail/constable's office until 1926, when a sheriff's substation was opened.
24427 Chestnut (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Single-family residence: Built circa 1908 as a dwelling for the Biscailuz family. Eugene Biscailuz became Los Angeles County Sheriff. Cowboy star and rodeo rider Bob Anderson was the second owner, followed by son-in-law Pablo Arujo, renowned teamster-mule skinner.
24311-24313 San Fernando Road (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Commercial structure: Thomas M. Frew arrived in Newhall in 1891, and opened a blacksmith shop on Railroad Avenue. The business moved to this location in 1910, when Mr. Frew built a shop in the Mission Revival style. This shop was expanded in 1924. His son, Thomas Frew Jr., changed it over to welding and a machine shop.
22502-22510 Fifth Street (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Commercial structure: Newhall Ice Company. This structure was built in 1922 by Fred Lamkin as a warehouse and storage yard. Lamkin came to Newhall in 1917, opening a garage facing San Fernando Road. Shortly after construction, the warehouse was converted into an ice house, which is still in operation.
24244 Walnut Street (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Church of Christ: The First Baptist Church of Newhall was erected in 1940 under the direction of Leroy Hux, Pastor. It was later acquired by the Seventh Day Adventists and finally, the Church of Christ.
22616 Ninth Street (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Single-family dwelling: This building was originally built about 1908 asa residence for Ray Osborne, Superintendent of the Sterling Borax Works in Tick Canyon. It was located in the small mining town of Lang in Canyon Country. It was moved to this location in 1928.
24287 Newhall Avenue (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Single-family dwelling: California Bungalow style house built in early 1910s. Commonly known as Erwin House. Unusual in design, one of the last Bungalows left in Santa Clarita.
22506 6th Street (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Commercial building: Structure was erected by Albert Swall in 1902 facing San Fernando Road as a rental. In 1925, it was moved to the present location and a year later taken over by the Los Angeles County Sheriff as the first substation in the Santa Clarita Valley. Swall developed San Fernando Road as a business district. It became the circulation office for the Newhall Signal during the 1960s, until they vacated in 1986.
24238 San Fernando Road (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Commercial building: Sheriff's deputies replaced the old constabulary (and jail) in 1926, building Substation #6 and staffing it with 8 men commanded by Captain Jeb Stewart. This was the second jail in what is now known as Santa Clarita. The Newhall Signal took over the buildng in 1968, using it as a "back shop" until they moved in 1986.
24307 Railroad Avenue (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Commercial building: Commonly known as "Ye Olde Courthouse." The Newhall Masonic Building Company, Ltd., was incorporated in 1931 and completed this two-story County project in 1932. The Courthouse occupied the ground floor, and the Masonic Lodge the second story. Lumber from the older Mayhue building was later used, including the floor of the Hap-A-Lan dance hall. The Court moved to Valencia in 1968 and the courtroom became offices.
24247-24251 San Fernando Road (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Commercial structures (7): Commonly known as the Tom Mix Cottages. The small building at 24247 was built by Halsey W. Russell in 1919. In 1922, the six other cottages were added, forming a motor court catering to drivers on the old Ridge Route. These structures were also used by motion picture people as housing during the filming of stories in this area near "Mixville." Tom Mix used one as a dressing room on several occasions.
William S. Hart Park and Museum (State Point of Historical Interest) 24151 San Fernando Road, Newhall	The Hart mansion, built in 1928, was filled with Western art and artifacts. Many Western movies have been filmed here.
Saugus Depot (State Point of Historical Interest) 24151 San Fernando Road, Newhall	The last remaining railroad depot in the Valley. Built in 1887 by Southern Pacific, completing the spur line to Ventura. The structure was moved to Hart Park.
Heritage Junction Historic Park (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	[The following six entries are associated with Heritage Junction Historic Park.]
— Newhall Ranch House [At Heritage Junction]	Built in 1861 (and enlarged in 1891) as the headquarters of the Rancho San Francisco, the original land grant comprising all of Valencia and some of Castaic. This ranch was owned by Henry Mayo Newhall and was administered by his son, George. Originally located in sight of the Asistencia de San Francisco (on what is now Six Flags Magic Mountain property), this structure was moved into Heritage Junction in August 1990.
— Mitchell Adobe Schoolhouse [At Heritage Junction]	Colonel Thomas Finley Mitchell, an officer of the Mexican-American War, homesteaded Sulphur Springs in the 1860s, building an adobe that served as his family's home. One room of the adobe was used as a schoolhouse for the local children, the first in the area and home of the second oldest school district in Los Angeles County. In 1986, the adobe was rescued from destruction and moved brick-by-brick to Heritage Junction, where it has been rebuilt.
— Kingsburry House [At Heritage Junction]	This house was built in the 1890s as a residence in the downtown Newhall area, and was originally on Walnut Street near Market. It is a one-story Colonial Revival cottage with a porch supported by four turned columns. This house is largely intact with original features, including double-hung windows. It was moved to Heritage Junction in 1987.
— Callahan's Schoolhouse [At Heritage Junction]	This structure originated at Callahan's Old West, a Western town/amusement area that operated in the 1920s as the Mission Village in Santa Monica, and was relocated to Mint Canyon when the freeway was built in the 1960s. It was built to house six antique school desks, which came from a mining camp in Vallejo. It also contains a podium and blackboard to complete its function as a one-room schoolhouse. It was moved to Heritage Junction in 1987.
— Ramona Chapel [At Heritage Junction]	Designed by Carrie Jacobs Bond, noted composer, this chapel was based on the one at Rancho Camulos made famous in Helen Hunt Jackson's novel "Ramona." It was built in 1926 as part of the Mission Village in Santa Monica, and Callahan's Old West when it was moved in the 1960s to accomodate the freeway. Wall paintings are by Frank Tinney Johnson. The altar is said to be over 200 years old, and the wooden pews date back to 1858. The chapel was moved to Heritage Junction in 1987.
— Edison House [At Heritage Junction]	This Bavarian-style structure was built in 1925 as part of a group of houses provided for Edison workers assigned to the Saugus Substation. In 1928, when the St. Francis Dam broke and flooded the area, killing 450 people, these structures escaped damage. After years as residences for a succession of Edison employees, the cottages became property of The Newhall Land and Farming Company, which demolished the other six cottages. This house, the best of the lot, was moved to Heritage Junction in 1989.
Beale's Cut (State Point of Historical Interest) Adjacent to Sierra Highway near San Fernando Road, Newhall	General Edward Beale widened Fremont's Pass between Route 14 and Sierra Highway to 90 feet in 1863. He operated a toll booth at the pass for 20 years. The Newhall Tunnel bypassed Beale's Cut in 1910.
Melody Ranch (City Point of Historical Interest) Newhall	Rancho Placeritos was developed by Ernie Hickson and Trem Carr of Monogram Pictures in 1930 consisting of authentic Western buildings. Four years later, Hickson moved the collection from the present day Golden Oak Ranch to the location at Placerita Canyon and Oak Creek Canyon roads. It was also known as the Monogram Ranch as so many of the company's Westerns were filmed there. From 1949 to 1951, it was the scene of Newhall's Old West 4th of July Celebration, when it became "Slippery Gulch." Purchased by Gene Autry in 1952, the name changed to Melody Ranch, with many early television programs using its sets, including the long-running "Gunsmoke." Most of the structures burned down in October of 1962. The trademark Spanish-style arches and parts of the main street and Mexican village are still intact. Current owners have extensive plans for rehabilitation and restoration to a working film location.