Santa Clarita Valley History In Pictures


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Pat Kelly
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ALSO: Walking Tour with Darryl Manzer
Pico Canyon Oil Well Production Records
List of Pico Canyon Oil Wells
      With abandonment dates

CSO-4 (Pico No. 4), 1876-1990
      With documentation re: maintaining National Landmark status after closure

Star No. 1, 1884-1977
      Drilled by Hardison & Stewart

Pico Canyon | Mentryville

The Story of Mentryville by Leon Worden • Friends of Mentryville

SZ2901 - Mentryville: Origins of Standard Oil Co. of California • Among Ourselves (Standard Oil), September 1929.

California's Oldest Well • The Standard Oiler, August 1953.

History of Pico Canyon Oil Production by Arthur B. Perkins • HSSC Quarterly, December 1958.

Early Oil & Gas Production in California DOGGR Video 1985.

Description of Early Petroleum Activity in Pico, Towsley, Wiley, Rice Canyons • Peckham 1866.

Oil Production in Santa Clarita Valley, 1876 by Ludwig Salvator, Archduke of Austria • Prague 1878.

The Pico Canyon Oil Field • Report by Edward North, with Map & 12 Plates, 1890.

National Register Survey: Well No. 4, Pico Canyon Oil Field • National Park Service, 3-12-1963.

October 2003 Fire Coverage

*WAY BACK WHEN: Commentaries by Darryl Manzer • The Signal, 2004-05

Eulogy to Charles Alexander Mentry, 1847-1900 by Demetrius G. Scofield • Gazette, Sept. 1997

The Pico Ghost Camp by Arthur B. Perkins, 1962.

Ghost Town Memento to Oil Field's Past • Los Angeles Times, 4-23-1962.

CN9501 - Inventory at Mentryville, 6-30-1995.

Some Notes About Alec Mentry's Birth Name by Leon Worden • 3-1-2014


Ramon Perea & Others Prior to 1865

Ramon Perea: A Forgotten Name at Pico by Leon Worden • The Signal, 2-17-2004

Motorists Visit Site Where First Oil Well Was Drilled • San Francisco Chronicle, 12-1-1918.

Ramon Perea, San Francisquito Canyon Rancher by Joanne Holm • December 2000

TS1915 - Graves of Ramon & Antonia Perea. Color photograph, 3-2002.

Hughes Claim: Medium Helps 'Spiritualist' Strike Oil in Pico, 1865 • News Articles 1874-1877

Letter from Christopher Leaming to Edward F. Beale, San Fdo. Petroleum Mining District • 7-3-1866

The San Fernando (Incl. Newhall/Pico) Oil Region • Titusville Morning Herald, 1-9-1877

Petroliopolis: Pico Oil District; Refineries at Lyon's, Andrews • San Francisco Chronicle, 5-28-1877

Description of Newhall Town & Pico Oil Equipment (Earliest Known Mention of Mentryville) • Los Angeles Times, 9-26-1882.

Oil Tank Erected, Worker Killed News Reports • 1883

About Matthew McCormick, Mentry's Assistant in the Pico Oil Field, 1880s-1890s

The Mysterious Disappearance and Death of Alec Mentry's Father News Reports • 1886-1899

Charles Alexander Mentry: Biography During Life Pen Pictures | Illustrated History of Los Angeles County 1889.

LW3545 - Sen. Felton (Mentryville School Namesake) Stumps for Stricter Chinese Exclusion Act, 4-21-1892.

Description of 1893 Pico Canyon Earthquake • Smithsonian Institution, 1898.

An Epidemic of Earthquakes in Pico Canyon • Los Angeles Herald, 4-10-1893.

Standard Oil Co. Acquires Pacific Coast Oil Co. • News reports, 1900.

Newhall Oil Field Notes, Including Pico, Needham Ranch, Elsmere, Placerita Canyon • News reports, Early 1900s.

The Other Great Fire of 1906: Blazes Erupt at Lang Hotel and Pico Oil Field by Dr. Alan Pollack, Dispatch, 3-2015.

Standard Oil Experiments with Natural Gas-to-Gasoline Conversion in Pico Canyon, 1913-1914.

Walton Young Retires from Standard Oil Co. • The Signal, 5-19-1927

Wildfire: "Worst Threat to Newhall Since 1914," 12 Oil Wells Ruined, Backfire Saves Mentryville • News reports, July-August 1940.

How did Alex Mentry die? by John Boston • The Signal, 10-4-2001.

Pico Canyon Boarding House Days, 1906-1915 by Ruth Saunders Albright

Paul & Barbara (Sitzman) Cook: Happy Valley Poultry Farming, Mentryville School Days • The Signal, 9-4-1985.

HS8802 - Oral History: Barbara Sitzman Cook, Pico Resident 1920s-1930s, Interviewed 5-26-1988.

Patricia Westcott Kelly's Pico Canyon Scrapbook • 2001

Special Memories of Pico Canyon by Bill Rundberg • The Gazette, July 4, 1997

The Only Kid in Mentryville by Darryl Manzer • The Gazette, Spring 1997

Why There's Wood Fences in Mentryville by Darryl Manzer • The Signal, 12-13-2004

Lagasses Kept Town Alive for 30 Years by Laurie Sachtleben • Gazette, Sept. 1997

New Plaque Marks Mentryville's 125th by Stacey Klein • The Signal, 9-27-2001

Mentryville Barn: Plans Call for Restoration • Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, 2-8-2002

Before Quigley, There Was Mentry by Leon Worden • The Signal, 4-19-2003

Pieces of Pico's Past by Leon Worden • The Signal, 4-26-2003

Sitzman's Mentryville Collection Comes Home by Patti Rasmussen • The Signal, 2-15-2004

Video - SCV History Moment: Mentryville (2007).

Video: Mentryville Walking Tour with Darryl Manzer SCVTV, 7-24-2011

Perspectives Shape Memories of Mentryville by Darryl Manzer • SCVNews.com, 3-17-2013

Removing Our History, Piece by Piece by Darryl Manzer • SCVNews.com, 6-9-2013

Life at Pico, 1960s Style by Darryl Manzer • SCVNews.com, 1-5-2014

Heart of Heavy Steel: A Mentryville Story by Darryl Manzer • SCVHistory.com, 4-9-2020

Mentryville Memories from Carol Lagasse, 3-22-2021.


LW3555 - California Star Oil Works Stock Certificate, Issued 1901.

CH1000 - Pico (CSO) No. 4, 6/26/1877.

LW2222 - Pico (CSO) No. 4, c. 1877.

CH1020 - CSO Hill, 1883.

AP2102 - Jackline Hookup, 1920s-30s.

AP2019 - CSO Jackline Plant, pre-1962.

CH1030 - The Mentry Family, c. 1883-1884.

CH1030a - Mr. & Mrs. Charles Alexander Mentry, c. 1883-1884.

LW2498 - Oil Works 1885 (2 Versions).

SZ8701 - California Star Oil Works Time Book, 1887-1889.

AP0123 - Mentryville Residences, 1885-1891.

CH1050 - Town Fathers, c. 1891.

AP0127 - Oil Men of Pico, 1880s-90s.

HS9301 - Railroad Avenue: Freighter Delivering Boiler to Pico Oil Field, 1893?

CH1040 - Charles Alexander Mentry, 1893.

CH1070 - Charles Alexander Mentry, undated.

LW2451 - William E. Youle, Pioneer Oil Driller.

LW2452 - Dr. Vincent Gelcich, Early Pico Oil Field Promoter & Investor. 2 Views.

DM0100 - Pico Cottage (Mentryville Big House), date unknown.

CH1060 - Mentryville Dance Hall (inside), ~1890s.

AP9001 - PCO Hill, ~1890s.

DP9901 - Charles A. Mentry: Specifications, Patent No. US647605-A: Expansion-Reamer (Granted 1900).

AS0001 - Charles Alexander Mentry's Death Certificate: Shows Typhoid Fever, 10-4-1900.

HS0500 - Overview of Mentryville, c. 1900.

HS9015 - Walton Young Family Homestead, June 1905.

AP1732 - Pico Boarding House, ca. 1900s.

AP0629 - Pico Oil Worker's Tent Home, ca. 1900s.

AP2006 - Machine Shop Area (Oil Works), November 1910.

AP2118 - Machine Shop Area (Oil Works), 1910s.

CH1260 - Felton School & Dance Hall, c. 1920s.

RL2801 - Overview of Mentryville, c. 1920s.

SZ2701 - Portrait of Charles E. Sitzman, Pico Oil Field Superintendent 1927-1937.

SZ2702 - William J. Biscailuz, Pico Canyon Petroleum Engineer, ~1900-1920s.

CY0000 - Mentryville: Cheney Family Photos, 1922-1939. Multiple Images.

LW2323 - Multiple Views of Mentryville in "The Last Roundup" (1929) — Dance Hall, School, Tin Garage, Barn, Chicken House, etc.

TLP3002 - Pico Oilmen at Pioneer Refinery Dedication, 11-5-1930.

TLP3001 - Pico Oiler Children at Pioneer Refinery Dedication, 11-5-1930.

CH1010 - Pico (CSO) No. 4, 3-11-1931.

HS7010 - Pioneer Oil Refinery & Pico Derrick Float, 1939 Pasadena Rose Parade.

LW3658 - "Days of Jesse James" Clips: Roy Rogers in Mentryville, 1939.

BR4801 - Pico Cottage, aka Big House, 2 Views, 1948.

BR5120 - Bill Rundberg, Pico Resident, 1948-1953. 2 Views, 1949 & 1951.

BR5130 - Inside the Schultz Home. Photo, 1951 or 1952.

BR5201 - Outdoor Wedding & Party in Pico Cottage (Big House), 2 Views, 1952.

AP2104 - CSO No. 4 Petroleum Production Pioneers Plaque, Placed 6-6-1953.

AP0911 - Jackline Plant Remnants, ca. 1960.

KT0100 - Alton & Pat Manzer, Pico Residents, 1960-1966. Color Photo, 1950s.

NP6101 - The Big House sans chimney, 1961.

NP6102 - Felton School, 1961.

NP6103 - Pico No. 4 Oil Well, 1961.

AP2016 - Darryl Manzer at Firehouse, PCO Hill, ca. 1961.

AP2017 - Darryl Manzer at Field Office, CSO Hill, ca. 1961.

KT0200 - Alton Manzer at Pico No. 4 Oil Well, 1960s.

KT0110 - Darryl Manzer, Pico Resident, 1960-1966. Photo, 1968.

GA7101 - Newhall Woman's Club Visits Mentryville House, Johnson Park, 10 Views, 6-9-1971.

GJ0003 - Collectors Remove, Salvage Pico Jackline Plant Engines, 1974-75. 119 Views.

Mentryville 100th Anniversary Celebration, 9-26-1976

CN7601 - Crude Oil Sample, Pico No. 4.

Mentryville State Historic Landmark Dedication, 10-8-1977

CN7701 - Mentryville Dedicated as Calif. State Historic Landmark 516-2: Program Book.

CN7702 - SCV Historical Society Board Visits Mentryville, 1977.

JD7902 - Photo Gallery: Historical Society Event at Mentryville, 12-9-1979.

CN8005 - Mentryville Docent Group, June 1980.

CL0100 - Carol & Frenchy Lagasse, Pico Residents, 1967-1994. Color Photo, 1980s.

LW2302 - Quake-damaged Big House. 2 Views, 1995-1996.

Gallery - Sheriff's Office & Jail Set Built for ABC's "High Impact," with Mentryville Caretaker Jack Beitzel, December 1996.

LW2435 - Southern Oaks Section of Stevenson Ranch Under Constuction, 3 Views, 11-17-1999.

LW-SG2058 - Larinan Ranch House Burns Down, 7-22-2000 by Eric Thayer • The Signal, 7-23-2000.

LW2147 - Cheney Family Visits Mentryville After 63 Years (Multiple Views), 10-12-2001.

LW2843 - Duane Harte Leads Cub Scout Pack 490 on Tour of Mentryville (Multiple Views), 11-17-2004.

DM0601 - Comtemporary Photos: Mentryville Big House, Felton School & Barn in January 2006.

LW2480 - Small Marine Fossils, Pico Canyon, 9-21-2013.

Gallery - Old Oil Field Equipment at Mentryville, Multiple Views, 5-8-2014.

ED1401 - Photo Gallery: Pico Cottage, aka Big House, Interior & Exterior. 31 Views, 8-6-2014.

LW2762 - Farrar & Tufts Boiler from Pico at California Oil Museum. 20 Views, 3-1-2015.

LP1502 - Photo Gallery: Interior Damage, Dry Rot, Detritus in Pico Cottage, Felton School, 10-14-2015.

LW3267 - Photo Gallery: Arthur Charles Mentry's 1901 Blacksmith Forge Rediscovered in 2018.

Signal (Marker) Tree

SZ2001 - Pico Canyon Signal (Marker) Tree, ~1920s.

MS0113 - Pico Canyon Signal (Marker) Tree in "Ripley's Believe It Or Not!," 7-28-1930.

CY3016 - Milford Cheney at the Signal Tree, 1930.

SZ3602 - Child Waves from Pico Canyon Signal (Marker) Tree, ~1930s.

SZ3601 - Pico Canyon Signal (Marker) Tree, RPPC Postmarked Newhall 6-10-1936.

SZ3603 - Local Women Stand at Pico Canyon Signal (Marker) Tree, 7-4-1936.

SW8001 - Pico Canyon Signal (Marker) Tree, 4 Views, ~1970s/80s.

LW3609 - Photo Gallery: Pico Canyon Signal (Marker) Tree Loses Large Limb, 8/2019.

Stevenson Ranch New Home Communities

HB1813 - Diamondhead (Townhomes): Sales Brochure & Floor Plans, 1989.

STANDARD OIL (CALIF.) PRODUCTS.

LW3778 - Oronite Cleaning Fluid, 8-oz. Can, 1920s-30s.

LW3788 - 5-Gal Service Station Fuel/Oil Can, 1920s-(1950s?).

LW3767 - Salesman's Samples: Chevron Industrial Lubricants (3), 1960-1962.

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