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Santa Clarita, California

"Movie Ranch Capital"

Nestled in the canyons north of LA, Santa Clarita grew from Western movie ranches and oil fields into one of the safest and most family-friendly cities in Southern California.

Founded 1987 | Population 227,527 | Peak 227,527 (2024) | County Los Angeles County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Santa Clarita, California

1928 St. Francis Dam Collapse: The catastrophic failure of the St. Francis Dam sent a wall of water through the Santa Clara River Valley, killing over 400 people. It was the worst American civil engineering disaster of the 20th century.

1987 Santa Clarita Incorporated: Newhall, Saugus, Valencia, and Canyon Country voted to incorporate as Santa Clarita, creating the third-largest city in LA County to prevent unwanted development.

2019 Saugus High School Shooting: A student shot five classmates, killing two, before taking his own life. The shooting devastated the close-knit community.

1920 Movie Ranch Era: Film studios built ranches in the Santa Clarita canyons for filming Westerns. Melody Ranch, Vasquez Rocks, and others hosted thousands of productions.

1967 Valencia Master-Planned Community: Newhall Land developed Valencia with CalArts (founded by Walt Disney) and Six Flags Magic Mountain, transforming the valley's economy.

1876 Southern Pacific Railroad Arrives: The railroad connected the Santa Clarita Valley to Los Angeles through the San Fernando Tunnel.

1910 Oil Boom: Oil discovery in the nearby hills brought drilling operations and workers to the valley.

1971 Sylmar/San Fernando Earthquake: The 6.6 earthquake caused significant damage in the Santa Clarita area, including destroying the Veterans Hospital in Sylmar.

1994 Northridge Earthquake Impact: The Northridge earthquake severely damaged parts of Santa Clarita and collapsed sections of the I-5/SR-14 interchange.

2000 Safest City Rankings: Santa Clarita consistently ranked among the safest cities in California, driving family-oriented growth.

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Latest News in Santa Clarita

Mar 22, 2026

Parolee with Prior Double-Murder Conviction Sentenced to Life Without Parole in Killing of South Los Angeles Woman

LOS ANGELES—A man previously convicted of two murders in 1998 was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole …

Mar 16, 2026

Study: Cannabis Ineffective for Most Mental Disorders

A major review of past studies has delivered a clear verdict on the role of cannabis-based medicines in treating mental health and…

Mar 16, 2026

Investigator Exposes $170M Fraud in California

Investigator Nick Shirley has brought to light a massive $170 million fraud scheme operating within California, representing a sig…

Mar 15, 2026

NYPD Captain Arrested for Assaulting Alleged Child Predator

NYPD Captain Kai Bowen is now facing serious legal repercussions following an off-duty incident that escalated into violence. Repo…

Mar 13, 2026

What’s Behind Trump’s Push to Revive California Oil?

The Trump administration’s directive to Sable Offshore Corp. to restore the Santa Ynez oil unit in California represents a s…

Mar 10, 2026

CBS Investigation Reveals Hospice Fraud Hotspot in Los Angeles

CBS News has exposed a troubling epicenter of hospice fraud in Los Angeles, California, shedding light on a systemic issue that ha…

Complete Historical Timeline

1876 Transport

Railroad connects valley to LA

1910 Industry

Oil boom in the valley

1920 Culture

Movie ranches built for Western films

1928 Disaster

St. Francis Dam collapse kills 400+

1967 Architecture

Valencia planned; CalArts and Six Flags come

1971 Disaster

Sylmar earthquake causes damage

1987 Government

Four communities incorporate as Santa Clarita

1994 Disaster

Northridge earthquake damages area

2000 Government

Named among safest cities in California

2019 Crime

Saugus High School shooting

2024 Government

Population surpasses 227,000

Did You Know?

The St. Francis Dam collapse in 1928 was the worst civil engineering disaster in 20th century America — the flood carried bodies as far as the Pacific Ocean, 54 miles away.

Thousands of Western movies and TV shows were filmed at ranches in the Santa Clarita Valley, including classics like 'The Lone Ranger' and modern films at Vasquez Rocks.

CalArts, the art school founded by Walt Disney in Valencia, has produced more Pixar and Disney animators than any other institution in the world.