Early caption, probably by historian A.B. Perkins, reads: "Ed Pardee & Prize from his Stable."

Jerry Reynolds ran a similar photo, photographed from a different angle, in The Signal of January 25, 1980. Reynolds identifies the structure in the background at left as the Pardee House. We don't know if it's the same day or the same horse; the bridle is different. Click to enlarge.

Ed Pardee came out from Pennsylvania in 1883 to work in the Pico oil fields. His young family joined him in 1884. In 1887 they moved to Newhall where, according to Perkins (6/9/1958), Ed established a livery stable just south of Sam Smith's blacksmith shop (today's 24313 Main Street). The following year he moved his livery across the street as seen here.

For a residence, Pardee moved the Good Templars Lodge from Pine Street to the trianglular property bounded by Newhall Avenue, Walnut Street and Market Street. In 1992 this so-called Pardee House was moved down the road to Heritage Junction in William S. Hart Park. In 2006 the triangular property became the City of Santa Clarita's Veterans Historical Plaza.

We don't know the exact location of this photograph. If it were behind (east of) his livery, we would expect to see train tracks. Telephone lines were laid out in Newhall around 1900, so the poles seen here are probably for telegraph lines.

Further reading: Ed Pardee: Keeper of Peace, Maker of News.

This approx. 6x5x4-inch print is one of a grouping of six Pardee family photos that we suspect were assembled by A.B Perkins in the 1950s and which are badly faded (see below).