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C−History
History · Santa Clarita

Santa Clarita was first counted by the census in 1950, and 1 of its places is on the National Register

More historic than 16% of U.S. towns · #564 of 847 in California. What drives it

1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 2 buildings. Most of Santa Clarita was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1987. Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1903 on, and the census since 1950.

1950first census
1on the National Register
1%homes built before 1940
4old photos & papers
12famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Santa Clarita’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Santa Clarita began

When was Santa Clarita founded?

1950

Santa Clarita first appears in the census in 1950. Two smaller post offices, Lyon's Station (1874) and Thompson (1888), opened inside today’s city and later closed.

First census: 2,895 in 19502020 census: 228,67376 years

How historic is Santa Clarita?

C−

More historic than 16% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: the first census.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Santa Clarita’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Santa Clarita is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #564 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Santa Clarita’s overall grade.
Founding era1950, from the first census: founded 1945 or later, an older era than 2% of U.S. townsD−Homes built before 19401.0% of homes (±0.3) · typical CA town 3.4% · U.S. 8.4%DNational Register1 listing, 2 historic buildings, 0.1 per 10,000 residents · typical CA town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 16%
NewerOlder
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 33%

Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Santa Clarita ranks #363 on History.

Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Santa Clarita’s 0.1 sits near the middle of its state (63% of California towns have fewer) while its 2 historic buildings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.

Newer cities are common at Santa Clarita’s size: in the typical U.S. city of 100,000 or more, 5% of homes predate 1940.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to C. The pre-1940 share (±0.3 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: the first census (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Santa Clarita’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Lost villages2 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Santa Clarita, and 12 old place names are still on the map.A history waiting to be writtenOnly 4 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19038 editions of the USGS map, 1903 to 1995. Watch Santa Clarita change.Famous sons and daughtersHarry Carey, Colton Herta and 10 more were born here.
★ What stands out · Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone

Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Lyon's Station
1874–1875
Thompson
1888–1903
Saugus
1915–today
18701950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Bouquet JunctionCanyon CountryElayonHonbyHumphreysMint CanyonNewhallPardeeRancho Santa ClaritaSaugusSolemintWaltz
Gone or out of use
Bouquet Canyon Elementary SchoolschoolHonby SchoolschoolNew Era SchoolschoolNewhall Community Hospitalhospital

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Start Santa Clarita’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Santa Clarita’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
3 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewAutomobile touring route from Los Angel…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Santa Clarita on the map, 1903 to 1995

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Santa Clarita. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Santa Clarita on the 1903 USGS mapSanta Clarita on the 1929 USGS mapSanta Clarita on the 1933 USGS mapSanta Clarita on the 1941 USGS mapSanta Clarita on the 1952 USGS mapSanta Clarita on the 1969 USGS mapSanta Clarita on the 1988 USGS mapSanta Clarita on the 1995 USGS map1903Santa Susana sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Santa Clarita.

The story

How Santa Clarita came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Santa Clarita.

Read it all →

The Santa Clarita Valley has been settled for millennia before European arrival. The oldest archaeological site in the area dates back to roughly 3000 BC. About AD 450, the Tataviam arrived, displacing the Chumash people who previously inhabited the area. The Tataviam lived in approximately 20 villages in the valley and surrounding areas including Piru, Agua Dulce, Elizabeth Lake, and Tochonanga.

ChaptersPre-Columbian and Spanish colonial eras1822–1899: Gold discovery, Mentryville, and Henry Mayo Newhall1900–19871987–present: Incorporation

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Santa Clarita, 1874 to 2000

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1874Post officeThe Lyon's Station post office opens
  3. 1875Post officeThe Lyon's Station post office closes
  4. 1888Post officeThe Thompson post office opens
  5. 20th century
  6. 1903Post officeThe Thompson post office closes
  7. 1903On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  8. 1912In the archiveAutomobile touring route from Los Angeles to Pico Canyon and Wiley Canyon, 1912 (AAA-SM-0…
  9. 1915Post officeThe Saugus post office opens
  10. 1921Born hereHarry Carey is born here
  11. 1922In the archiveAutomobile road map- Los Angeles to Ely via the Midland Trail. Part one- Los Angeles to P…
  12. 1936In the archiveDry Canyon Reservoir 1908-1935
  13. 1971Born hereCameron Smyth is born here
  14. 1987Born hereKevan Miller is born here
  15. 21st century
  16. 2000Born hereColton Herta is born here
By decade

Santa Clarita, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1910s to the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s–1930s4 items
Automobile touring route from Los Angeles to Pico Canyon and Wiley Canyon, 1912 (AAA-SM-004635)1912Automobile touring route from Los Angeles to Pico Can…Automobile touring route from Los Angeles to Placerita Canyon, 1912 (AAA-SM-004615)1912Automobile touring route from Los Angeles to Placerit…Automobile road map- Los Angeles to Ely via the Midland Trail. Part one- Los Angeles to Palmdale-Elizabeth Lake, 1922 (…1922Automobile road map- Los Angeles to Ely via the Midla…MapDry Canyon Reservoir 1908-19351936Dry Canyon Reservoir 1908-1935
1940s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today14 recent
Mint Canyon Formation, Coursegold Rd2026Mint Canyon Formation, Coursegold RdMint Canyon Formation, Coursegold Rd2026Mint Canyon Formation, Coursegold RdMint Canyon Formation, Coursegold Rd2026Mint Canyon Formation, Coursegold RdMint Canyon Formation, Coursegold Rd2026Mint Canyon Formation, Coursegold RdMint Canyon Formation, Coursegold Rd2026Mint Canyon Formation, Coursegold RdMint Canyon Formation, Coursegold Rd2026Mint Canyon Formation, Coursegold RdMint Canyon Formation, Coursegold Rd2026Mint Canyon Formation, Coursegold RdSunset in Santa Clarita, CA - Flickr - Kevin M. Gill2024Sunset in Santa Clarita, CA - Flickr - Kevin M. GillNewhall Pass interchange viewed from I-5 looking north2021Newhall Pass interchange viewed from I-5 looking northDSC 00792021DSC 0079Sunset in Santa Clarita, California - June 17 20182018Sunset in Santa Clarita, California - June 17 2018Sunset in Santa Clarita, CA - June 17 20182018Sunset in Santa Clarita, CA - June 17 2018Sunset in2018Sunset inSanta Clarita, California - ISS - June 18 20162016Santa Clarita, California - ISS - June 18 2016
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Automobile touring route from Los Angeles to Pico Canyon and Wiley Canyon, 1912 (AAA-SM-004635)
Retake this viewAutomobile touring route from Los Angeles to Pico Canyon and Wiley Canyon, 1912 (AAA-SM-004635), 1912

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Santa Clarita’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Santa Clarita

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
2
each building in a district counts
first listed
2020
Pioneer Oil Refinery
Pioneer Oil Refinery
Districts
All 1 listings
Pioneer Oil RefineryDistrict · listed 2020

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Santa Clarita, census by census

020,00040,00060,00080,000100,000120,000140,000160,000180,000200,000220,000240,0001960198020002020228,673

Grew from 2,895 people in 1950 to 228,673 in 2020, more than tenfold.

8 censuses, 1950–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Santa Clarita’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

12 famous people were born in Santa Clarita

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Harry CareyAmerican actor · b. 1921
Colton HertaAmerican racing driver · b. 2000
Kevan MillerAmerican ice hockey defenceman · b. 1987
Cameron SmythAmerican politician · b. 1971
M
Marcus FerkranusAustralian-American soccer player · b. 2003
D
Derek WaldeckAmerican soccer player · b. 1998
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Stevenson RanchIts storyD−

Questions about Santa Clarita’s history

What year was Santa Clarita founded?

The Santa Clarita post office opened in 1950, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1987.

How does Santa Clarita rank for history?

Santa Clarita is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #564 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Santa Clarita?

One place: the Pioneer Oil Refinery (listed 2020).

How old are the homes in Santa Clarita?

1% of Santa Clarita’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1987.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (18), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.