The Santa Clarita Valley’s Historical Society celebrated 50 years of preserving local history with its “SCVHS50: Live from Santa Clarita, It’s Saturday Night!” gala on Saturday at the Canyon Country Community Center.
Approximately 250 people, including local dignitaries, attended the evening event for a chance to witness local leaders deliver jokes and skits in a “Saturday Night Live” style for laughs while simultaneously supporting the local nonprofit that works to preserve the Saugus Train Station Museum, the William S. Hart Ranch House and other local treasures.
Ed Masterson served as the SNL-style “host,” and the musical guest was the band, The Funslingers.
“It has been a long, amazing journey for a city that has saved so much of its history in such a short period of time, and it was all being lost. But thanks to the efforts with the Historical Society and the city of Santa Clarita and a lot of wonderful partners out there in the community, we’re saving almost all of our history,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste.
“Very few young cities have this kind of trail, but you got to really give the Historical Society a lot of credit. They stuck to it 50 years through thick and thin,” she added. “I love what we’re doing, and I think it will matter for all the future generations.”
The first major piece of local history saved by the Historical Society was the Saugus Train Station and it now has a home at the Santa Clarita History Center, on the William S. Hart Park property, where guests can pay a visit.
What Carol Rock appreciates most about the preservation of history is educating the public.
“Teach the kids, teach the adults. There’s great interest in history that doesn’t wane so we’re trying to keep that alive, and preserve and protect everything beautiful,” she said. Rock helped organize the gala and serves as the marketing director for the nonprofit.
During the evening, SCVHS President Alan Pollack and Treasurer Leon Worden also gave awards of recognition.
The Canyon Questers were given the award of outstanding nonprofit supporter, The Signal was awarded outstanding business supporter, and Pollack was named the outstanding individual supporter.
The Questers’ mission is to “support restoration of historical artifacts in our community” and “support programs that give education to the public about about historical artifacts and so on, and so that’s the main reason why we support this Historical Society, because it’s the main source of the history in our community,” said quester Libby Hinze on Tuesday during a followup.
Being recognized during the gala was “a real thrill because we have worked really hard for many years to build up a program to help the Historical Society succeed and get different projects started,” Hinze added.
Signal Editor Tim Whyte accepted the business supporter award on behalf of The Signal, noting that the community newspaper — founded in 1919 — has been chronicling the Santa Clarita Valley’s history since then, including the 50 years since the Historical Society was founded, first in print, then online and now with a new live streaming channel, The Buzz.
