Santa Clarita Valley Communities & Neighborhoods
The Santa Clarita Valley is made up of various communities and neighborhoods.
The City of Santa Clarita was incorporated in 1987. At that time the Santa Clarita Valley cities and communities of Valencia, Saugus, Newhall, & Canyon Country joined together to create the City of Santa Clarita. The greater Santa Clarita Valley area includes additional towns, cities and communities, including:
Valencia was originally planned in the late 1960's by the architectural firm Victor Gruen Associates, and has been developed over the years by the Newhall Land and Farming company. Valencia Santa Clarita is a large, upscale master planned community, carefully integrating both affluent residential neighborhoods, and high end Santa Clarita commercial developments.
The name "Valencia" was chosen for the type of oranges that were grown in the area at the time.
Today, Valencia plays a major role in the Santa Clarita Valley. Valencia is the home to many of the best shopping centers in the area, including the Valencia Town Center, the Mall, and Town Center Drive. Within these shopping areas are located hundreds of retail stores, big and small, and some of the best restaurants in the area.
For entertainment, Valencia is home to the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center, the large Valencia Edwards Cinema, the Six Flags Magic Mountain Theme Park, and the Hurricane Harbour Water Park. Outdoors, Valencia residents enjoy a wide variety of local Valencia parks, as well as an extensive 35+ mile "Paseo" system. The Paseos are paved, lighted, hike and bike trails that employ multiple bridges and tunnels for the maximum safety of walkers and riders, who can be avoid traffic and crosswalks.
In addition, Valencia is home to the major governmental institutions of the Santa Clarita Valley, including City Hall, Chamber of Commerce and Civic Center. The College of the Canyons and the prestigious California Institute of the Arts also reside in Valencia.
For employment, in addition to the many retail and restaurant venues, over 1,500 business operate and employ over 45,000 employees in the Valencia Gateway.
The top employers in Valencia include: Six Flags Magic Mountain; Princess Cruises; the Saugus, William Hart and Newhall School Districts; College of the Canyons; the US Post Office; Specialty Laboratories, and the Henry Mayor Hospital.
Saugus is located in the northern central area of Santa Clarita, near Valencia. This community was named after Saugus, Massachusetts, the home town of Santa Clarita founder Henry Newhall. The term "Saugus" originally came from the Narragansut Indian phrase meaning "sandy spit of land." Today, Saugus is a community made up almost entirely of residential development, winding through Bouqet Canyon Road.
Saugus's main park is "Central Park," which has some of the best open air park facilities in Santa Clarita. Other Saugus parks include the Bouquet Canyon Park, Pamplico Park, and Santa Clarita Park.
Other notable Saugus landmarks include:
Saugus Speedway - One of southern California's largest and oldest open air markets.
Mountasia Family Fun Center - with arcade games, go karts, laser tag, mini golf, rock climbing wall and more.
Santa Clarita Sports Complex - with basketball courts, gyms, racquetball courts and game rooms.
Central Park - including various sports fields, restrooms, picnic areas, trails and dog park.
Santa Clarita Skate Park - One of the better skate parks in California!
Santa Clarita Aquatics Center - Including three pools, diving facilities, concession facilities, and slides and water play equipment
Saugus Cafe - Historic cafe and the oldest continually operating restaurant in LA county!
The Canyon Country neighborhood occupies the central and eastern portions of the City of Santa Clarita, in the Soledad and Mint Canyon areas. With a population of roughly 60,000 people, Canyon Country is the largest community within the City limits.
Canyon Country's history dates back to the mid 1800's. In 1872 Colonel Thomas Mitchell created the first school, now Sulphur Springs Elementary, which is Santa Clarita's first school in the area. The Canyon Country community has gone by various names in the past, most notably "Solemint," a name created by the combination of the "Soledad" and "Mint" canyon names. In 1968, by popular vote, the area was renamed to "Canyon Country".
Placerita Canyon Park
Currently, Canyon Country serves as both major residential area, and popular commercial/retail area, that is still quickly growing. Housing options are varied, from high end homes near the tops of the canyons, to more affordable housing options along the main road arteries throughout the neighborhood.
Canyon Country parks include the Todd Longshore Park, North Oaks Park, Canyon Country Park, Oak Spring Canyon Park, Begonias Lane Park. Canyon Country is also home to the majestic Placerita Canyon Park, where the "Oak of the Golden Dreams" resides -- the location of the first gold discovery in California.
Stevenson Ranch is one of the newer upscale communities in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Originally planned in the late 1980s, Stevenson Ranch covers an area of over 4,000 acres, and is located west of the I-5 freeway, at the foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains.
Stevenson Ranch enjoy it's own collection of retail and restaurant businesses, mainly in the Valencia Marketplace and Stevenson Ranch shopping center. It is also the location of Pico Canyon, and the historic oil town of Mentryville, both protected by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
Historic Oil Settlement of Mentryville
The City of Santa Clarita was incorporated in 1987. At that time the Santa Clarita Valley cities and communities of Valencia, Saugus, Newhall, & Canyon Country joined together to create the City of Santa Clarita. The greater Santa Clarita Valley area includes additional towns, cities and communities, including:
Valencia
Valencia was originally planned in the late 1960's by the architectural firm Victor Gruen Associates, and has been developed over the years by the Newhall Land and Farming company. Valencia Santa Clarita is a large, upscale master planned community, carefully integrating both affluent residential neighborhoods, and high end Santa Clarita commercial developments. The name "Valencia" was chosen for the type of oranges that were grown in the area at the time.
Today, Valencia plays a major role in the Santa Clarita Valley. Valencia is the home to many of the best shopping centers in the area, including the Valencia Town Center, the Mall, and Town Center Drive. Within these shopping areas are located hundreds of retail stores, big and small, and some of the best restaurants in the area.
For entertainment, Valencia is home to the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center, the large Valencia Edwards Cinema, the Six Flags Magic Mountain Theme Park, and the Hurricane Harbour Water Park. Outdoors, Valencia residents enjoy a wide variety of local Valencia parks, as well as an extensive 35+ mile "Paseo" system. The Paseos are paved, lighted, hike and bike trails that employ multiple bridges and tunnels for the maximum safety of walkers and riders, who can be avoid traffic and crosswalks.
In addition, Valencia is home to the major governmental institutions of the Santa Clarita Valley, including City Hall, Chamber of Commerce and Civic Center. The College of the Canyons and the prestigious California Institute of the Arts also reside in Valencia. For employment, in addition to the many retail and restaurant venues, over 1,500 business operate and employ over 45,000 employees in the Valencia Gateway.
The top employers in Valencia include: Six Flags Magic Mountain; Princess Cruises; the Saugus, William Hart and Newhall School Districts; College of the Canyons; the US Post Office; Specialty Laboratories, and the Henry Mayor Hospital.
Saugus
Saugus is located in the northern central area of Santa Clarita, near Valencia. This community was named after Saugus, Massachusetts, the home town of Santa Clarita founder Henry Newhall. The term "Saugus" originally came from the Narragansut Indian phrase meaning "sandy spit of land." Today, Saugus is a community made up almost entirely of residential development, winding through Bouqet Canyon Road. Saugus's main park is "Central Park," which has some of the best open air park facilities in Santa Clarita. Other Saugus parks include the Bouquet Canyon Park, Pamplico Park, and Santa Clarita Park.Other notable Saugus landmarks include:
Saugus Speedway - One of southern California's largest and oldest open air markets.
Mountasia Family Fun Center - with arcade games, go karts, laser tag, mini golf, rock climbing wall and more.
Santa Clarita Sports Complex - with basketball courts, gyms, racquetball courts and game rooms.Central Park - including various sports fields, restrooms, picnic areas, trails and dog park.
Santa Clarita Skate Park - One of the better skate parks in California!
Santa Clarita Aquatics Center - Including three pools, diving facilities, concession facilities, and slides and water play equipment
Saugus Cafe - Historic cafe and the oldest continually operating restaurant in LA county!
Newhall - Santa Clarita
Newhall was started in 1876 by Henry Mayo Newhall, owner of much of the land in the Santa Clarita Valley at the time. The land at the current location of Newhall was sold to a railroad company, who then named the little town in Henry Mayo Newhall's honor.
Today Newhall stands apart as one of the most historic communities in the Santa Clarita Valley. Historical attractions include: the Walk of the Western Stars, a series of street tiles honoring the Western film actors since 1900; the Veterans Historical Plaza, honoring our United States armed forces; Heritage Junction, location of various historic attractions and headquarters of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society; and the Hart Museum, location of the original home of the silent film cowboy movie start William S. Hart.
Other parks in the Newhall area include the Newhall Park, Old Orchard Park, Emmaus Park, the William S. Hart County Park, and Creekview Park. Attractions in Newhall include the Farmers Market, held every Thursday, and the Canyon Theatre, live theater venue.
Today, Newhall is the site of various affordable residential and commercial developments, and is continually revitalized by active local business owners, and programs such as the mixed-use Old Town Newhall development.
For more information about the history of Newhall, watch this short video on SCVTV.com, narrated by John Boston:
Historic Old Town NewHall - A Virtual Walking Tour
Canyon Country - Santa Clarita Valley
View from atop Mint Canyon
Canyon Country's history dates back to the mid 1800's. In 1872 Colonel Thomas Mitchell created the first school, now Sulphur Springs Elementary, which is Santa Clarita's first school in the area. The Canyon Country community has gone by various names in the past, most notably "Solemint," a name created by the combination of the "Soledad" and "Mint" canyon names. In 1968, by popular vote, the area was renamed to "Canyon Country".
Placerita Canyon Park
Canyon Country parks include the Todd Longshore Park, North Oaks Park, Canyon Country Park, Oak Spring Canyon Park, Begonias Lane Park. Canyon Country is also home to the majestic Placerita Canyon Park, where the "Oak of the Golden Dreams" resides -- the location of the first gold discovery in California.
Stevenson Ranch - Santa Clarita Valley
Stevenson Ranch is one of the newer upscale communities in the Santa Clarita Valley. Originally planned in the late 1980s, Stevenson Ranch covers an area of over 4,000 acres, and is located west of the I-5 freeway, at the foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains.
Stevenson Ranch enjoy it's own collection of retail and restaurant businesses, mainly in the Valencia Marketplace and Stevenson Ranch shopping center. It is also the location of Pico Canyon, and the historic oil town of Mentryville, both protected by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.Historic Oil Settlement of Mentryville
Castaic - Santa Clarita Valley
Castaic, California is an unincorporated community located in Castaic Canyon just north of the City of Santa Clarita. The geography of this region has served to shape this town into the community you will find today. Castaic local leaders strive to maintain the rural look, feel and natural resources which comprise the area.
Castaic dates back to 1915 and the opening of the original Old Ridge Route which brought tired travelers into this region in search of amenities such as food, gasoline and Castaic hotels. The earliest residents of Castaic provided these essential services along with the same genuine hospitality you can still find today.
This quiet mainly residential community is best known currently for it's proximity to Castaic Lake. Castaic Lake is the largest state water project reservoir in Southern California, and contains over 11,200 total acres of parkland and open space habitat. Castaic Lake is a favorite outdoor destination for many in the Santa Clarita Valley for boating, fishing, swimming, camping and all water sports. Castaic also has a Sports Complex which hosts a variety of events and programs for all community residents.
Jerry Reynolds, a late Santa Clarita historian, once wrote that the name "Castaic" had been spelled various ways through the years but the area was originally called "Kashtuk", an Indian word meaning "eyes".
Castaic dates back to 1915 and the opening of the original Old Ridge Route which brought tired travelers into this region in search of amenities such as food, gasoline and Castaic hotels. The earliest residents of Castaic provided these essential services along with the same genuine hospitality you can still find today. This quiet mainly residential community is best known currently for it's proximity to Castaic Lake. Castaic Lake is the largest state water project reservoir in Southern California, and contains over 11,200 total acres of parkland and open space habitat. Castaic Lake is a favorite outdoor destination for many in the Santa Clarita Valley for boating, fishing, swimming, camping and all water sports. Castaic also has a Sports Complex which hosts a variety of events and programs for all community residents.
Jerry Reynolds, a late Santa Clarita historian, once wrote that the name "Castaic" had been spelled various ways through the years but the area was originally called "Kashtuk", an Indian word meaning "eyes".
