Abandoned Oil Rig

The Santa Clarita Valley is famous for many things.  The history of the valley encompass  everything from railroads, to wagon trails to motion pictures, and oil.  While the oil industry isn't as big in the valley as it used to be,there are still some facilities working hard for those dead dinosaurs.

Placerita Canyon was a hot hotspot for oil drilling many years ago.  While the oil drilling equipment is long since gone there are still some remnants of this industry left for the adventurous soul.

I first spotted this gem a few years ago but it was so overgrown I was having a hard time blazing a trail.  The fires of July 2016 cleared the path for me and this past January I went full force into the wild to find what remained of and old truck and oil rig long since abandoned in Placerita Canyon.

Rivendale....gone but not forgotten

Rivendale started as a family home in Towsley canyon in the Santa Claerita Valley back in the mid seveties. At first just a home for a family looking to carve out a life for themselves it soon grew in to more than that.

 An equestrian center and stables which hosted many events over the course of many years were also built. First built to satisfy the desire for a little girl to have a horse it soon became a place where many could enjoy the beauty and serenity of the then quaint and quiet Santa Clarita Valley.

  While the equestrian center had laid abandoned for many years the house is still used by the park. I had long seen the abandoned Equestrian Center from The Old Road and finally, in 2013, I decided to visit this location. 

I'm glad I took that opportunity as well as my camera. Little did I know that I would document for myself a place that only a few years later would be torn down and gone forever, 

Below are the photographs I took on that December day in 2013.  Enjoy and share. 

Walker Homestead

I'm fortunate that the Santa Clarita Valley still has some history to be found. While it has built up over the past 20 years you can still find some remnants of what it used to be.

The Walker Family lived in Placerita Canyon in the early to mid 1900's. Frank walker built several homes there throughout the years and the remnants of a few as well as an entire cabin still exists.

I decided to take a trek down to what is left of what is referred to as the "Homestead" to see what was there.  It's a mild hike with some beautiful scenery as well as a really cool historical site.

The site today                             The site in 1910 




Enjoy the video...
















For more information on the Walker family as well as the entire history of the Santa Clarita Valley visit http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/scvhistory.htm