Despite rainfall flooding Agua Dulce roads Saturday, dozens of Santa Clarita and local area residents attended the ‘History of Vasquez Rocks’ at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park’s Interpretive Center.
In her third installment in the ongoing series, presenter Sarah Brewer, the recreation leader at county of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation and volunteer curator at Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, led those in attendance through the area’s history in regard to it’s 19th century development and mining.
“I work inside the park, but even I need to learn more about the history of this area,” said Shirley Brandon, one of the regular volunteers at Vasquez Rocks who also runs the center’s gift shop. “It helps me explain the history better to the people that come here. So, I help her out with these … (Brewer) holds them about once a month.”
Included in the series was information about the various railroad tycoons who developed the first Santa Clarita infrastructure projects, multiple mining and tunneling projects that brought a workforce to Southern California, as well as historical anecdotes on why certain parts of the SCV have particular names.
“One of my favorite facts that she’s talked about before is just the story behind how the park itself got its name,” said Brandon. “Tiburcio Vasquez would steal horses to support his family … and eventually started robbing stagecoaches and banks as well. He’s supposed to have used the rocks as his hideout.”
The event was free for all who attended and refreshments were provided by the volunteers from the Interpretive Center.
For more information about upcoming events at the Vasquez Rocks Interpretive Center, visit the Los Angeles Department Parks and Recreation website at https://parks.lacounty.gov.
