The mountain passes of the Santa Clarita Valley were a critical part of the early history of Los Angeles and the transportation history of Southern California. On Saturday, November 10 at 2:00 pm, the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society will be presenting a talk by John Robinson, an historian and expert on the history of the mountains of Southern California and author of the books "Gateways to Southern California" and "Mines of the San Gabriels". Mr. Robinson will be speaking on the history of the mountain passes of the Santa Clarita Valley, to include the Newhall Pass, Tejon Pass, and Soledad Canyon. These mountain corridors possess a rich history that should excite the imagination of all in attendance. The talk will be given at the Saugus Train Station at Heritage Junction in William S. Hart Park in Newhall.

First used as pathways by Native Americans such as the local Tataviam people, the first European group to cross the San Gabriel Mountains between the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys was the Portola Expedition in 1769. Led by Catalonian soldier Gaspar de Portola, the purpose of the expedition was to explore and colonize Upper California and establish settlements in San Diego and Monterey before they could be taken by Russian fur traders coming down from Alaska. After establishing a mission in San Diego with famed missionary Father Junipero Serra, Portola set out to find Monterey Bay accompanied by a group of Spanish soldiers and Father Juan Crespi. They crossed into the Santa Clarita Valley, most likely through Elsmere Canyon in August of 1769. There they were greeted with a warm welcome by the local Tataviam Indians. Father Crespi was responsible for naming the valley that would become Santa Clarita. In his words: " I named it for the lady St. Clare (Santa Clara), both that behind us and that which is still to come, trusting that in time it will become a very large mission, with a vast number of heathen folk, the finest that we have encountered so far."

Life for the Tataviam people had not changed significantly for hundreds of years since their arrival around 450 AD. Had they been able to predict the monumental change in their lives within a few decades of the arrival of these "alien" people, they may not have been so tolerant of their new visitors. A mission was established in San Fernando in 1797. Within a few years, the Santa Clarita Valley had been depopulated of the Tataviam, most of whom were brought to the San Fernando Mission to serve and be "civilized" by the Spanish.

Mr. Robinson will argue that the Newhall Pass is misnamed and should actually be called by an earlier name, the San Fernando Pass. The pass also came to be known as the Fremont Pass. Explorer John C. Fremont led a group of soldiers through this pass in January, 1847 on his way into the San Fernando Valley to accept the surrender of Andres Pico's Mexican forces at Campo De Cahuenga (near present day Universal Studios) to end the Mexican War in California. Historian Arthur Perkins noted that Fremont's troops most likely camped near the current intersection of San Fernando Road and Sierra Highway prior to crossing the mountains.

Prior to the 1860's, traveling between the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys was a difficult hike and ordeal over rugged mountain pathways. In 1852, local pioneer Henry Clay Wiley (namesake for Wiley Canyon) established a windlass system at the top of theSan FernandoPass to lower wagons into the Valley. Los Angeles freighting king Phineas Banning wanted to expand his business empire to the newly established Fort Tejon and to the miners of the Kern River gold rush. In 1854 he had his workers make a 30 foot cut to smooth out the pathway over the Pass. He attempted to drive the first stagecoach over his new cut, resulting in a tangled mass of horses and stagecoach at the bottom of the hill. He would still proclaim, as described in "Reminiscences of a Ranger" by Major Horace Bell, " Didn't I tell you?' said Banning. 'A beautiful descent, far less difficult than I anticipated."

As can be seen, Banning did not really succeed in easing the ride over theSan FernandoPass. A much more successful operation was accomplished by Edward F. Beale in 1863. Beale had become well known in California for his heroics in the battle of San Pasqual during the Mexican War in which he breached enemy lines with Kit Carson during a siege of Stephan Watts Kearney's troops by the Mexicans under Andres Pico. He and Carson escaped to San Diego where they were able to get reinforcements that saved the Americans at San Pasqual from being massacred. Beale's other accomplishments included traveling to Washington to bring news of the California gold discovery to the rest of the country, first Superintendent of Indian Affairs in California, leading an experiment in the use of camels for transportation through the Southwest, and Surveyor General of California. Most significant for Santa Clarita History, Beale was commissioned by the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County to deepen the cut through the Pass to 90 feet, a project he completed in 1863. Named Beale's Cut, this passageway finally made the route between the two valleys much easier to accomplish. For his efforts, Beale was given a 20 year franchise to charge tolls to anyone crossing through his cut.

The pass was renamed Newhall Pass after the establishment of the town of Newhall in 1876. That same year a mile long railroad tunnel was completed by Chinese workers under the mountains of the pass which facilitated the completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad at Lang Station in September, 1876. The pass would later be home to the Newhall Auto Tunnel, Sierra Highway, Highway 6, and presently Highway 14. Branching out into nearby Weldon Canyon would be Highway 99 and eventually Interstate 5.

There is much more to tell about these famed mountain passes of the Santa Clarita Valley. John Robinson has done extensive research into the history of the mountains of Southern California and will share his renowned expertise when he comes to the Saugus Train Station on November 10. The general public is welcome. Admission will be free. For more information on this and other upcoming programs from the SCVHS, please call Pat Saletore or Alan Pollack at 661-254-1275. Website: www.scvhs.org.