Happy post Cinco de Mayo, saddlepals. Hope you’re having a restful weekend morn, and, if you’re amenable, I’ve got the horses and vortex if you’ve got the time (which, I might point out, if we’re traveling through time in the first place, then you won’t even know you’ve come and gone).
Today, we’ll visit one of America’s most significant Native American sites turned toxic waste area and say howdy to a bevy of rodeo Hall of Famers. There’s bandits, movie stars, the valley’s first chartered taxi company, murderous swindlers and the Santa Clarita Valley’s Queen of the Treat Patrol, Genene Doty-Staats. (Hyphenating one’s name — it’s so passe …) (:- )
C’mon. Let’s be effortlessly tall in the saddle and tug down the brims so we aren’t recognized. Don’t want to startle our relatives from yesteryear …
WAY, WAY BACK WHEN
THE HISTORIC CHIQUITA CANYON CAVE — One of the most significant Amerindian archeological finds in U.S. history was discovered near present day Highway 126 back on May 2, 1884. Much of what we know about the Tataviam Indians who populated this valley prior to the 20th century came from the discovery of a cave by two Castaic boys.
Brothers Everette and McCoy Pyle discovered the caches near the allegedly stinky Chiquita Landfill today off Highway 126. It was later called Bowers Cave after the Ventura doctor to whom the boys sold their treasure. History offers two figures: $35 and $1,500. The artifacts apparently are still in boxes somewhere in the basement of the Peabody Museum at Harvard.
$54 BUCKS & A BIG-OL’ LAND GRANT — On May 3, 1842, the San Francisquito Mining District was established, commemorating the discovery of gold by Don Francisco Lopez, possibly in Placerita Canyon. While it has been celebrated as the first gold discovery in Southern California, gold mining had been going on in the SCV as far back as the late 1700s. Lopez got $54 from the governor and a serious land-grant near Piru.
THE BULLY PULPIT GUY — May I have a hearty, “Bully!!??” We had a pretty big celebrity staying at the Acton Hotel on May 4, 1903. President Theodore Roosevelt stopped off to visit some friends and do a little hunting. Coupla things? Roosevelt HATED being called “Teddy.” It had to do with a political cartoon of him hunting a tiny frightened bear cub (hence, the origin of Teddy bears!). Roosevelt was in Acton, visiting a friend, the big, affable, manly-man’s man, Rosey Melrose, the winner of the famous Crown Valley Gunfight a few years earlier in 1903. Melrose placed three bullets front-and-center in Mayor William Broome’s heart. The L.A. coroner would write, on his official report: “Good grouping.” Melrose also would end up nominating Theodore at the 1904 Republican convention after which he would become president of the United States.
MAY 9, 1926
YOU’D THINK WE WERE IN NEW YORK CITY — Besides having the Saugus Cafe open 24 hours a day, its counterpart a few miles south down the road, The Newhall Cafe, started keeping their kitchen open 24/7 due to increased traffic from the new State Route 6, which was part of the main highway along San Fernando Road.
BEFORE THE TALKIES — The old Sterling Borax Works was back at work again. No. It wasn’t grinding out borax. The Hoffman Universal Picture Co. was filming a major silent movie, starring Lillian Rich and using the abandoned site as a set.
ONE OF OUR BEST-EVER COWBOYS — On this date, Andy Jauregui started building his new home in Placerita Canyon. His property was adjacent to a movie lot.
MAY 9, 1936
WHAT!? INFLATION DURING THE DEPRESSION? — Three of Hollywood’s biggest Western stars on the planet (and two of them locals, to boot) were on hand to kick off the screening of “Powder Smoke Range” at the Newhall Elementary Auditorium. Lots of folks were grinning sheepishly at having Harry Carey, Tom Tyler and Hoot Gibson wandering among the peasants. Back then, admission was a rather steep 40 cents for adults and a quarter for kids.
TO HELD & TO HOLD — “Margaret Held” was one of The Mighty Signal’s front-page headlines 90 years back. The “Held” wasn’t a verb, rather Maggie’s last name. She died.
FROM THE WELL, DUH DEPT. — Our editorial was about safe driving. We noted that “safe drivers live longer than reckless ones.”
MAY 9, 1946
LONG BEFORE UBER — Here’s some extreme trivia for you. On this date, the valley’s first cab company was founded. Newhall Taxi was charted. Owner Bruce Brinkman was the first cabbie and he drove a snappy brand new two-tone green Chevy. He and his wife offered 24-hour service.
THE MENTALLY SICK ARE ALWAYS AMONG US — Local law enforcement were looking for the depraved arsonist who set fire to the Philbert Ranch stables in Placerita Canyon. A valuable riding horse was burned alive in the blaze.
DALBEY DRIVE — It had pretty much been common knowledge, this valley being essentially one small village. But, on this date, it was official: Lester Dalbey was named principal of Hart High for the 1946-47 year. That little street between Newhall Park and Placerita Junior High? It’s named after him.
MAY 9, 1956
HALL OF FAME VOCAL CHORDS — One of the world’s top rodeo announcers lived in a humble little cabin in Placerita Canyon. Abe Lefton entertained audiences from here to Calgary and Madison Square Garden with his melodious voice. He had a special dinner in his honor hosted by Montie Montana, Roy Rogers, the Sons of the Pioneers and Gene Autry. Autry took care of Lefton in his declining years as Abe suffered through a debilitating palsy, although the singing cowboy didn’t really want his good deeds to go public. That Gene was good medicine.
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! — Kicking and screaming, Sand Canyon joined the 20th century — or at least the county of Los Angeles. On this date, they were ordered to post new five-digit addresses.
LAW OF THE WEST: SHOOT NOT THYSELF, ESPECIALLY TWICE — TV Westerns were a cultural footnote for the 1950s. Later, in 1959-60 I believe it was, nine out of 10 of the top shows were oaters. This started a national fad of fast-draw competitions. I’ve oft mentioned that the No. 1 cause of admission to the little Newhall Hospital on San Fernando Road was the self-inflicted gunshot wound. On this date, Eugene Paynter made the record books for the most spectacular self-perforation. Imaginary gunslingers from all over Southern California used to come up here to practice their quick-draw in our desolate canyons. Paynter had put together a rig to mimic Wyatt Earp’s Buntline specials, those pistols with the barrels the size of irrigation pipes. Paynter pulled both weapons simultaneously, didn’t quite clear the holsters, then shot matching holes through his thighs, calves and feet.
MAY 9, 1966
OUR INFAMOUS SLAUGHTER HIGHWAY — Highway 126 used to be called “Suicide Highway” for all its fatalities. A few miles across the valley, another roadway carried a grisly nickname. Highway 14 was called, “Slaughter Highway.” On this date, there were two head-ons on 14, both involving local fatalities caused by drunk drivers. We should have added Highway 99. They had a pair of fatal wrecks on this date 60 years back. Locals formed the “Committee to End Death on Highway 14.” They didn’t stop it.
QUEEN OF THE TREAT PATROL — This isn’t exactly as historically significant as, oh, say, World War II. But on this date, my co-officer of The Treat Patrol (our college card-playing gang), Genene Doty (Genene Staats today, she under-married) won $25 for designing the 1966 Hart High Indian Booster Club pin.
BETTER THAN OLD FRENCH FRIES ELEMENTARY — On this date, the Newhall School District named its newest campus: Old Orchard. Funny, too. There wasn’t any orchard around the campus. More correctly, it should have been called “Old Potato Field.” Not quite as romantic though …
THE SHORT-LIVED DAYS OF THE VALENCIA DRIVE-IN — Briefly, the old Corral Drive-in up San Francisquito Canyon was called the Valencia Drive-In, and it was miles away from Valencia. On this date, “Clarence the Cross-eyed Lion” was on the big screen. Clarence was a local, calling upper Soledad Canyon his home.
MAY 9, 1976
MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS? — One of the strangest rituals in valley history occurred on this date. About 200 people showed up at Vasquez Rocks to participate or witness a mass divorce celebration. KFI radio personality Dick Whittington hosted the “Marriage on the Rocks” event and it was broadcast live. Ten couples participated, including one wearing a “Miss Nude America Pageant” T-shirt (and, well — pants).
IF THE DAM BREAKS, SURF’S UP!! — Spokesmen for the L.A. Department of Water and Power eased concerns of residents downstream from Bouquet Reservoir. Some locals were worried about the dam being able to hold in an earthquake. Folks in white lab coats tell us it will. Just a note: Bouquet holds about 12 billion gallons of water at capacity. To put that into reference for you: That’s like 24 billion half-gallon milk containers. Did that help?
AS THE CHIFFONS USED TO SING: DOO-LANG DOO-LANG DOO-LANG — In the late 1960s, the historic Lang Station was torn down. Carl Eppich of Saugus couldn’t save it, but he built a scale model of the depot and displayed it at Bank of America in Valencia. Eppich constructed the mini-Lang from the original blueprints. I believe it’s still on display at the SCV Historical Society.
OUR MOST FAMOUS CON MAN — On this date, The Mighty Signal unwittingly became a pawn in a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme by local con artist, Richard “The Swindler” Schindler. The Valencia man, who had offices in Plaza Posada, claimed he owned a gold mine in Nevada with “net ore reserves of $20 billion in the top 100 feet.” And that’s when $20 billion was worth something. Schindler would bilk many, most of them locals, out of about $12 million. Three years later he would be arrested on a variety of charges and serve time. Interestingly, he was arrested in Florida for failing to return a rental car. When he got out of jail, he strangled his wife outside of Palm Springs and then committed suicide via a shotgun.
INSTEAD OF A FUTURE TREE CITY, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PLASTIC AIR FERN CITY — Our attempts to beautify the valley dried up — literally. The county had planted grass, trees and plants in several SCV medians, then stopped watering them upon request by the California Highway Patrol. Seems the sprinklers were overflowing onto the streets. Eleven accidents were blamed on the wet roads in just a two-week period.
MAY 9, 1986
ROAD TO HELL, PAVED BY THE ACLU — Ever wonder how the quiet Wayside Honor Rancho minimum security site became the bucket-of-blood maximum-security jail it is today? In part, thank 1st District Supervisor Gloria Molina, 2nd District Supervisor Kenny Hahn and the ACLU. Forty years back, she was an East L.A. assemblywoman who lobbied hard to keep a jail out of her district. Molina kept pushing to have either a new jail built in Castaic or have Wayside turned into what would become the Pitchess Detention Center. Meanwhile, Hahn started the ball rolling to get overflow county prisoners stored in Quonset huts at Wayside. This all stemmed from an ACLU lawsuit against the state and county for having overcrowded prisons. The ACLU sued so that 2,000 Central Jail cons would either be transferred to tonier climes or released.
TOXIC TEJON? — Another government horror plan floated a balloon. The county sanitation district looked into turning Tejon Ranch into a toxic waste dump.
DEATH TO DEALERS — On this date, the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to urge the state to pass laws authorizing the death penalty for “large volume drug dealers.” Sadly, it never became a law, but, hey. A guy can hope …
• • •
As usual, this was just pure joy to ride with you friends and neighbors through the fascinating climes of our Santa Clarita heritage. I shall see you one and all next Saturday back here at The Mighty Signal hitching post with another exciting Time Ranger adventure, and, until then — vayan con Dios, amigos!
Local historian and the world’s most prolific satirist/humorist John Boston has launched his new eclectic bookstore — johnboston-books.com. His hilarious adventure/family/supernatural sequel to the national bestseller, “Naked Came the Sasquatch” — “Naked Came the Novelist” — is on sale now. Ditto with his two-volume “Monsters” series about the supernatural in the SCV.
