Newhall Ranch House (Heritage Junction)

Heritage Junction

The Newhall Ranch House was built in 1861 as the headquarters of Rancho San Francisco, the original land grant company comprising 48,800 acres of the Santa Clara River Valley, including all of Valencia and portions of Castaic. After 1875, the ranch was owned by Henry Mayo Newhall and administered by his son George. The ranch house was originally located within sight of the Estancia de San Francisco Xavier (now Six Flags Magic Mountain property). Henry M. Newhall bought the place at a Sheriff's sale in 1875. Years later the house became a ranch foreman's residence. It was severely damaged during the 1971 earthquake, but repaired.

This two-story, stick Victorian house with gabled roof and 8' wide veranda on three sides began as a shed-like structure built over a brick cellar. The original portion now houses the kitchen and was made with hand-hammered, square nails and rough-hewn redwood. The larger, gabled portion is also constructed of redwood, including its hand-chiseled, wooden gutters. The interior had been greatly modified, with its 14' ceilings lowered. It had three to four fireplaces, and wrought-iron registers for heat. The entire home is approximately 4,000 square feet, and is said to be haunted by several spirits of the past.

Courtesy of Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society