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Earl!! in 1928, Los Angeles
 Times photographer George
 R. Watson was inspired by
 the massive St. Francis Dam
 ancl the tranquil waters of
 the reservoir he!Jond. He
 could not have imagined
 then that he would soon
 retum to record the horrible
 aftermath of Southern
 California's worst disaster,
 including the cover photo
 of the monolith which stood
 like a memorial tombstone
 for the hundreds who lost
 their lives.
 photos courtesy of
 Watson Family Archives








 NA STILL MARCH NIGHT in 1928, most of the
 0  residents of San Francisquito Canyon, Santa Clarita   Progran1.
 Valley and the Santa Clara River Valley had gone to sleep.
 Only a handful of the proverbial night people - the
 telephone operators, policemen and utility employees -
 were awake as midnight approached.   1-2: 30  Reception for survivors and guests in banquet room
                   of the Ranch House Inn.
 They were the first ones to hear, feel and finally see the
 thunderous hell that had been unleashed upon them. Others
           2:30    Invocation/Rev. RaymondP. Smith
 were jolted from their sleep and swept away in the churning
                   Memorial dinner.
 deluge.
 The more fortunate were given at least some advance notice   3:30  Welcoming remarks/Prof. William S. Thomas
 by sirens, barking dogs or loved ones. They barely had   Presentations/Don Ray, memorial dinner host
 enough time to scramble to higher ground and shiver in the
 darkness until the dawn unveiled an unimaginable scene   Introductions, historical account, video
 of destruction. Monday, March 12, 1928, would be the last   program and special recognitions by California
 time the survivors would see many of their loved ones, their   Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County.
 homes and, at best, the way things used to be.   Bell rededication and group picture will follow
 Fifty years later we gather in honor of the more than 400   presentations.
 who lost their lives and were spared the scene on that
 morning after.
 Lest we forget.
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