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3.8 Cultural Resources

Cultural Site Historical Significance

Oak of the Golden Dream Gold was first discovered in California under this tree in 1842.
(State Historic Landmark #168)
MRN 23

Old Ridge Route First opened in 1915, the narrow, curvy 30-mile Ridge Route is a
(National Register of Historic Places) 20-foot-wide roadway, carved out using horse-drawn dirt scrapers
MRN 24 that zigzagged across the ridges of the western San Gabriel
Mountains. The road was named for the way it followed the ridgeline
of the mountains. Paved in 1919, the Ridge Route Highway, officially
named the Castaic-Tejon Route, became the first direct road
connecting Los Angeles and Bakersfield. Often referred to as the
original Grapevine route, the nickname stems from the fact that early
wagoners had to hack their way through thick patches of Cimarron
grapevines that inhabited “La Canada de Las Uvas” (“Canyon of the
Grapes”). Without this road, California may have become two
separate states. In 1933 the State opened the Ridge Route Alternate, a
three-lane road with fewer curves that would eventually be
designated California Route 99. This alternate was widened to four
lanes in the 1950s, then realigned and rebuilt in the 1960s as a high-
speed interstate freeway. The original Ridge Route was abandoned,
but parts of the old road are still visible north of Castaic.
Pico # 4 Oil Well First successful oil well in California and longest producing
(National Register of Historic Places) commercial oil well in the world in 1876 by California Star Oil
(State Historic Landmark #516) Company, a predecessor of Standard Oil Company of California.
Located in Mentryville/Pico Canyon.
27201 West Pico Canyon, Newhall
MRN 25

St. Francis Dam Disaster Site On March 12, 1928, the dam, a part of the Los Angeles Aqueduct at
(State Historic Landmark #919) San Francisquito Canyon, collapsed, spilling more than 12 billion
DWP Power Plant 2 gallons of water into the Valley and killing at least 450 people.
San Francisquito Canyon Road
MRN 28

Vasquez Rocks This 745-acre park of unique geological rock formations is located
Agua Dulce near Agua Dulce Springs. The park features a history trail tour about
National Register of Historic Places (Site # the Tataviam Indians and early Spanish settlers. Located on the San
Andreas fault, the sandstone rock formations were uplifted during
72000228, 1972) the Cenozoic era, approximately 25 million years ago. In 1873-74, one
MRN 30
of California’s most notorious bandits, Tiburcio Vasquez, used these
rocks as a hiding place to evade law enforcement. His name has since
been associated with the geologic feature.
Walker Cabin Built by Frank Walker around 1920, the cabin served as the family’s
Placerita Canyon Natural Area second home for about 10 years. The cabin has been fully restored
MRN 31 and refurnished as part of the County-maintained Visitor’s Center.

Sources: Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/index2.htm, 1991; State of California, Office of Historic
Preservation, November 27, 2002, The Signal, and the City of Santa Clarita.

Impact Sciences, Inc. 3.8-10 One Valley One Vision Revised Draft Program EIR
0112.023 County of Los Angeles Area Plan
November 2010