Santa Clarita, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Santa Clarita, California
City
City of Santa Clarita
Clockwise: Central Park; Packard Humanities Institute; Bridgeport Marketplace Lake; William S. Hart Museum; Westfield Valencia Town Center.
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  Where the Good Life Takes You
Location of Santa Clarita in California and Los Angeles County
Santa Clarita, California Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Santa Clarita, California Location in California Show map of California Santa Clarita, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
Incorporated	December 15, 1987
Named for	Santa Clara River
Government
• Type	Council–Manager
Area
• Total	70.82 sq mi (183.42 km2)
• Land	70.75 sq mi (183.26 km2)
• Water	0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2)  0.099%
Elevation	1,207 ft (368 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	228,673
• Rank	3rd in Los Angeles County 17th in California 98th in the United States
• Density	3,232/sq mi (1,250/km2)
Demonym(s)	Santa Claritan
Time zone	UTC−08:00 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−07:00 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	91321–91322, 91350–91351, 91354–91355, 91380, 91385–91387, 91390
Area code	661
FIPS code	06-69088
GNIS feature IDs	1662338, 2411819

Santa Clarita ( Spanish for "Little St. Clare") is a city in northwestern Los Angeles County, California. With a 2020 census population of 228,673, it is the third-largest city by population in Los Angeles County, and the 17th-largest in the state of California. It is located about 30 miles (48 km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, and occupies 70.75 square miles (183.2 km²) of land in the Santa Clarita Valley, along the Santa Clara River. It is a notable example of a U.S. edge city, satellite city, or boomburb.

Human settlement of the Santa Clarita Valley dates back to the arrival of the Chumash people, who were displaced by the Tataviam circa 450 AD. After Spanish colonists arrived in Alta California, the Rancho San Francisco was established, covering much of the Santa Clarita Valley. Henry Mayo Newhall purchased the Rancho San Francisco in 1875 and established the towns of Saugus and Newhall. The Newhall Land and Farming Company played a major role in the city's development. In December 1987, the city of Santa Clarita was incorporated, encompassing the communities of Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia. The four communities retain separate identities, and residents commonly refer to one of them when asked where they are from. Santa Clarita is bounded on the west by the Golden State Freeway (I-5). The Antelope Valley Freeway (CA-14) runs northeast–southwest forming part of the city's irregular east boundary. The two freeways meet at Newhall Pass, near the city's southernmost point.

Santa Clarita is home to three institutions of higher education: California Institute of the Arts, an internationally renowned art university; The Master's University, a Christian liberal arts university; and College of the Canyons, a community college. Companies headquartered in or near the city include Princess Cruises, Sunkist, Remo, and the Newhall Land and Farming Company. Santa Clarita has a low crime rate and high-ranking schools, and is one of the state's fastest-growing cities. The unincorporated communities of Castaic and Stevenson Ranch, located to the north and west of the Santa Clarita city limits, respectively, are closely associated with the city. Six Flags Magic Mountain, though commonly thought to be in the Valencia part of Santa Clarita, is also west of Interstate 5 and outside of the Santa Clarita city limits.

History

The Santa Clarita welcome sign in May 2010.

A typical stretch of Valencia Boulevard in the Valencia part of Santa Clarita in July 2004. The bridge in the distance carries a paseo (a type of dedicated pedestrian pathway) over the roadway.

Santa Clarita was incorporated in December 1987, but its history stretches back several centuries. About AD 450, the Tataviam arrived, numbering around 2,000 at their zenith.

The Santa Clara River was named by Spanish explorers for Clare of Assisi. The valley and the settlement later became known as "little Santa Clara" in deference to the Northern California mission and city of Santa Clara, California. In time, "little Santa Clara" became "Santa Clarita."

In 1842, Francisco Lopez made the first "documented" discovery of gold in California. The event is memorialized in an 1842 mining claim issued by Gov. Juan B. Alvarado. The discovery was made in Placerita Canyon, an area later used as Hollywood's original back lot.

The community of Newhall is named after Henry Newhall, a businessman who made his fortune during the California Gold Rush after opening up the H.M. Newhall & Company, a successful auction house in San Francisco. Newhall's next business interest was railroads. He invested in rail companies that would connect San Francisco to other cities and became president of the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad. In 1870, he and his partners sold the company to Southern Pacific Railroad, on whose board of directors he then sat.

After railroads, Newhall turned to real estate and ranching. He purchased a number of the old Spanish and Mexican land grants in the state for a total of 143,000 acres (58,000 ha) between Monterey and Los Angeles counties. The most significant portion was the 46,460 acres (18,800 ha) Rancho San Francisco in northern Los Angeles County, which he purchased for $2/acre, and which became known as Newhall Ranch after Newhall's death. Within this territory, he granted a right-of-way to Southern Pacific through what is now Newhall Pass, and he also sold them part of the land, upon which the company built a town named after him: Newhall. The first station built on the line he named for his hometown, Saugus, Massachusetts. After his death, Newhall's heirs incorporated the Newhall Land and Farming Company, which oversaw the development of the communities that now make up Santa Clarita.

On September 26, 1876, Charles Alexander Mentry brought in the state's first productive oil well at Mentryville, giving rise to the California oil industry. The oil was brought to a refinery at Newhall, now the oldest existing petroleum refinery in the world; it was operational from 1874 to 1888.

A few days earlier, on September 5, 1876, Charles Crocker and Leland Stanford joined their railroads in Canyon Country, linking Los Angeles with the rest of the nation for the first time.

The Saugus Cafe, on Railroad Avenue in Saugus, was established in 1887 and appears to be, by far, the oldest still-operating restaurant in Los Angeles County.

Filming in Santa Clarita began shortly after the turn of the 20th century with a veritable Who's Who of actors, including William S. Hart, Tom Mix, Harry Carey and a young John Wayne. Hart and Carey made their homes in the Santa Clarita Valley; today both are operated as county parks.

The Santa Clarita Valley was the scene of the second worst disaster in California's history in terms of lives lost, known as the "worst civil engineering failure of the 20th century". Shortly before midnight on March 12, 1928, the St. Francis Dam collapsed. By the time the floodwaters reached the Pacific Ocean near Ventura five hours later, nearly 600 people were dead. Within modern Santa Clarita city limits, the present day site of the Westfield Valencia Town Center mall would have been buried beneath muck, mud and debris. Some buildings in Newhall became makeshift morgues.

After failed attempts to form a city and at least two failed attempts to form a separate county, the people of the Santa Clarita Valley finally incorporated the City of Santa Clarita at 4:30 PM on December 15, 1987 after voting in favor of incorporation by a margin of two to one in that year's general election. The other proposed name for the new city, which was narrowly defeated, was "City of the Canyons."

Geography

Santa Clarita, according to the United States Census Bureau, has an area of 62.16 square miles (161.0 km²), of which 62.10 square miles (160.8 km²) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km²) (0.099%) is water.

Santa Clarita is near the San Fernando fault zone and was affected by the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, also known as the Sylmar quake. The city was also affected by the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and many commercial and residential buildings were devastated by its aftermath, including the nearby Newhall Pass, the Valencia Town Center, and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Magic Mountain's 38-story Sky Tower swayed six feet in each direction during the Northridge earthquake with only minor damage.

Santa Clarita has hiking trails in the surrounding mountains including Agua Dulce Canyon, Central Park, East Walker Ranch, Elsmere Canyon, Golden Valley Ranch, Haskell Canyon Open Space, Quigley Canyon, and Wildwood Canyon.

Climate

Santa Clarita is within a Mediterranean climate zone, characterized by warm and dry days most of the year with mild-moist winters. During the summer, hot weather is predominant with occasional high humidity and cumulus buildups over the higher terrain surrounding the valley. During influxes of monsoonal moisture in the summer, thunderstorms sometimes occur. Due to its close proximity to the Mojave/Upper Desert and Pacific Ocean, varying micro-climates are common.

Characterized by dry hills covered in brush and chaparral, late summer and early autumn are often referred to as "fire season." Moreover, wildfire activity occurs throughout the year during drought conditions. The warmest months are July through September, although it is not unusual to have hot weather in early October. During this time, temperatures typically remain in the high 90s and low 100s, but temperatures can reach as high as 117 degrees, as it did in September 2010. Winters are mild, with temperatures dropping below freezing only occasionally on clear winter nights. Rain falls primarily from December through February. The area received measurable snow on January 2, 2011 (1-4 inches). Snow was also seen on February 26, 2011 and April 8, 2011, where some areas received a dusting.

Demographics

Historically, Santa Clarita's population has been predominantly non-Hispanic white. Since its founding, the proportion of white residents has decreased as Hispanic, Asian, and black Americans have moved into the city. The non-Hispanic white percentage of the population has dropped from 80.6% in 1990 to 44.5% in 2020. When white Hispanics are included, the percentage of whites has fallen from 87.3% in 1990 to 50.8% in 2020. Non-Hispanic whites remain the largest ethnic group in the city, and Santa Clarita's non-Hispanic white percentage is higher than the California statewide average of 34.7% but lower than the national average of 57.8%.

Santa Clarita's population growth rate outpaces county, state, and national averages. In 2019, Santa Clarita was ranked 20th out of 515 U.S. cities in population and economic growth, and was second among California cities. During the 2010 census, Santa Clarita was the fourth-largest city in Los Angeles County, however it has since surpassed Glendale as the county's third-largest city. It is the largest city in Los Angeles County north of the Newhall Pass. The city's median household income of $99,666 is higher than both statewide and national averages. ZIP code 91321 (Newhall) is the only ZIP code in the city with a median household income below the statewide average.

As in most United States cities, different ethnic groups in Santa Clarita are concentrated in different areas. Non-Hispanic whites are present in most areas of the city but are especially dominant in Saugus and Valencia. Canyon Country, Newhall, and Val Verde have large Hispanic populations — some areas around Railroad and Newhall Avenues in Newhall, as well as Jakes Way in Canyon Country, are almost entirely Hispanic. There are significant Asian-American populations in Stevenson Ranch, Valencia, and parts of Saugus and Canyon Country. However, most communities throughout the city are racially mixed. Socioeconomic status also varies throughout the city: the highest median household incomes are found in northern Valencia and Saugus and areas of Canyon Country east of State Route 14, while the lowest median incomes are found near Old Town Newhall and the western and central parts of Canyon Country. As of the 2019-20 school year, the percentage of students at high schools eligible for free or reduced-price lunch ranged from 13% at Valencia High School to 51.2% at Golden Valley High School.

As a part of Los Angeles County, Santa Clarita is located within the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan statistical area and the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA combined statistical area.

2020

As of the 2020 United States census, Santa Clarita had a population of 228,673. The city's racial makeup was 50.8% white (44.5% non-Hispanic white), 12.0% Asian American, 4.2% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 16.1% of other races, and 15.5% from two or more races. 34.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the city's 78,586 housing units, 1,894 (2.4%) were vacant.

2019

The 2019 American Community Survey reported that the city's population was 212,979, and the population of the larger Santa Clarita urban area (including unincorporated Stevenson Ranch, Valencia, and Castaic) was 260,999. The ethnic composition of the city was 72.6% white (47.2% non-Hispanic white), 34.6% Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 10.4% Asian American, 4.9% black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 8.3% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. The median household income in the city was $99,666, and the median family income was $113,167. 5.3% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line.

20.8% of the city's population was born outside the United States. Among residents 25 years of age and older, 36.9% had a bachelor's degree or higher. 65.3% of the population 5 years and older spoke only English at home, while 23.4% spoke Spanish, 3.4% spoke other Indo-European languages, and 6.1% spoke Asian or Pacific Island languages.

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Santa Clarita had a population of 176,320. The population density was 3,340.6 people per square mile (1,289.8/km²). The racial makeup of Santa Clarita was 125,005 (70.9%) White (56.1% Non-Hispanic White), 5,623 (3.2%) African American, 1,013 (0.6%) Native American, 15,025 (8.5%) Asian (3.4% Filipino, 1.7% Korean, 0.8% Indian, 0.8% Chinese, 0.6% Japanese, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.9% Other Asian), 272 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 21,169 (12.0%) from other races, and 8,213 (4.7%) from two or more races. There were 51,941 people of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race (29.5% of the population).

The census reported that 174,910 people (99.2% of the population) lived in households, 1,281 (0.7%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 129 (0.1%) were institutionalized. There were 59,507 households, out of which 24,677 (41.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 34,126 (57.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 6,888 (11.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 3,322 (5.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,134 (5.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 484 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 11,634 households (19.6%) were made up of individuals, and 4,335 (7.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94. There were 44,336 families (74.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.37.

In terms of age, the population included 46,180 people (26.2%) under the age of 18, 17,565 people (10.0%) aged 18 to 24, 47,788 people (27.1%) aged 25 to 44, 47,936 people (27.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 16,851 people (9.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.

There were 62,055 housing units at an average density of 1,175.7 per square mile (453.9/km²), of which 42,335 (71.1%) were owner-occupied, and 17,172 (28.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.0%. 124,532 people (70.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 50,378 people (28.6%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the Census Bureau, Santa Clarita had a median household income of $82,607, with 9.5% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 151,088 people, 50,787 households, and 38,242 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,159.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,219.6/km²). There were 52,442 housing units at an average density of 1,096.5 per square mile (423.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.5% White (69.3% Non-Hispanic White), 20.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 8.5% from other races, 5.2% Asian, 3.9% from two or more races, 2.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, and 0.1% Pacific Islander.

There were 50,787 households, out of which 44.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were non-families. 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.38.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.3% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $79,004, and the median income for a family was $91,450. Males had a median income of $53,769 versus $36,835 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,841. 6.4% of the population and 4.7% of families were below the poverty line. 6.7% of those under the age of 18 and 5.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Religion

According to bestplaces.net, 53.4% of Santa Clarita's population is religious. Christians comprise 50.5% of the city's population. Of these, 37% are Catholic, 2% are Baptist, 1.8% are Pentecostal, 1.6% are Mormon, 1.2% are Methodist, and 5.2% were other Christians. Among non-Christians, 1.1% of Santa Clarita residents are Jewish, 0.7% are Muslim, are 1.1% follow Eastern religions.

Christianity is the dominant religion in Santa Clarita, and the city has many Christian churches of the Protestant, Catholic, and Latter-day Saint denominations — among them are North Oaks Church of Christ, Church of the Canyons, Santa Clarita Baptist Church, The Church of Hope, and Friendly Valley Community Church in Canyon Country; Elevate Church, Village Church, First Presbyterian Church of Newhall, Placerita Bible Church, and Faith Community Church in Newhall; Grace Baptist Church, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Church, Bouquet Canyon Church, Calvary Chapel, and Santa Clarita United Methodist Church in Saugus; and Real Life Church, Higher Vision Church, Valencia Hills Community Church, and NorthPark Community Church in Valencia.

Synagogues in Santa Clarita include Chabad of Santa Clarita Valley and Temple Beth Ami in Newhall, and Congregation Beth Shalom in Saugus.

There are three mosques in the city: the Islamic Center of Santa Clarita Valley in north Saugus, Unity Center in Newhall, and Al Umma Center of Santa Clarita in Canyon Country.

Homelessness

In June 2020, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported 168 homeless people in Santa Clarita, down from 258 in 2019. The Bridge to Home organization provides assistance for homeless people in the valley. Its administrative offices are located on Newhall Avenue in Newhall, and its client housing shelter is on Drayton Street in Saugus. Santa Clarita's percentage of homeless people is low compared to Los Angeles County as a whole.

Sister cities

• Tena, Napo, Ecuador
• Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines

In popular culture

• Santa Clarita Diet, a 2017 Netflix Original television series set in Santa Clarita, CA

Economy

Companies based in Santa Clarita include Princess Cruises, Honda Performance Development, Precision Dynamics Corporation, condomman.com, Newhall Land and Farming Company, HASA, and the American division of Advanced Bionics. Sunkist, Mechanix Wear, Remo, and WayForward are headquartered just outside the city in unincorporated Valencia.

Largest employers

Princess Cruises headquarters in Santa Clarita

According to the city's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, the top employers in the city are:

Shopping and commercial centers

Westfield Valencia Town Center

Westfield Valencia Town Center

The largest shopping center in Santa Clarita is the Westfield Valencia Town Center. This large shopping mall owned by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield occupies an area bounded by Valencia Boulevard to the south, McBean Parkway to the west, Magic Mountain Parkway to the north, and Citrus Street to the east. It includes over 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m²) of retail space and contains 134 stores and 46 restaurants. Anchor stores include Macy's, JCPenney, H&M, Gold's Gym, and Forever 21; there is also a Regal Edwards movie theater. Town Center Drive circles the interior of the mall. Westfield Valencia Town Center and the surrounding area functions as one of the city's major business districts — within the area are the headquarters of Princess Cruises, the Santa Clarita City Hall, Santa Clarita Courthouse, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, and Santa Clarita Valley Medical Plaza. Six of the city's ten tallest buildings, including the three tallest, are in or adjacent to the Town Center; the two tallest buildings are 24305 Town Center Drive (headquarters of Princess Cruises) and the Hyatt Regency Valencia, both of which are 72 feet (22 m) tall. Most of the city's car dealerships are just north of the Town Center, near Magic Mountain Parkway, Creekside Road, and Auto Center Drive.

Old Town Newhall

The historic district of Old Town Newhall (a.k.a. Downtown Newhall) is a major cultural and business center. It contains many independent restaurants, stores, and theaters, as well as a public library. Notable businesses in Old Town Newhall include Newhall Refinery (a gastropub), Newhall Press Room, The Old Town Junction, Brewery Draconum, Jazmin's Bakery, Commando Military Surplus, Pulchella Winery, National Glass, The Schiitr (a home audio store), Placerita Liquor, Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, and Hotel Lexen. The areas surrounding Old Town Newhall are predominantly Hispanic, and there are many Mexican restaurants including La Charrita, El Pueblo, El Taco Llama, and El Pariente. Theaters in Old Town Newhall include Canyon Theater Guild, The Main, and Laemmle. The Old Town Newhall Farmers Market is located on the grounds of the public library. Other notable sites in the area include the William S. Hart Park; Newhall DMV; Newhall Elementary School (part of the Newhall School District); Newhall Metrolink station; Newhall Terrace, Newhall Crossings, and Californian apartment complexes; Veterans Historical Plaza; First Presbyterian Church of Newhall; Unity Center mosque; Newhall Community Center; and the historic Saugus Train Station (Heritage Junction). The official Old Town Newhall website describes it as "Santa Clarita's premier arts and entertainment district." The Hart and Main wedding and event venue is scheduled to open in spring 2022. Some of the recent developments in Old Town Newhall have been described as gentrification.

Others

Numerous shopping centers are scattered throughout the city along major thoroughfares. These shopping centers include both chain stores and small businesses.

Industrial centers

Gas station at Sam's Club in the Centre Pointe Business Park

Santa Clarita includes several industrial areas and office parks.

The Valencia Industrial Center is the largest business park in the Santa Clarita Valley, with 11,000,000 square feet (1,000,000 m²) of office space. Stretching from Valencia High School to the I-5/CA-126 interchange, it includes the headquarters of the Saugus Union School District and The Santa Clarita Valley Signal, offices of Advanced Bionics, Aerospace Dynamics International, Woodward, and ATK Audiotek, and other businesses such as The Home Depot, Smart and Final, Pocock Brewing Company, O'Connor Photography, Marriott and Hilton hotels, Forrest Machining, Office Depot, and The Cube Ice and Entertainment Center. Rye Canyon Business Park and Southern California Innovation Park, just north of the Valencia Industrial Center, are home to a Walmart Supercenter, Scooter's Jungle, Boston Scientific Corporation, Legacy Volleyball Club, Trinity Classical Academy, and the city's transit maintenance facility.

The Centre Pointe Business Park is located near the city's geographic center, south of Soledad Canyon Road on both sides of Golden Valley Road. It includes the Centre Pointe Village and Centre Pointe Marketplace shopping centers, with tenants such as Sam's Club, Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, Ashley HomeStore, Jo-Ann, Spirit Halloween, Rattler's Bar B Que, Bank of America, and Starbucks; other businesses such as the Country Antique Fair Mall, Mountasia Family Fun Center, operations facility of John Paul Mitchell Systems, Bocchi Laboratories, Top Out Climbing Gym, Home Depot, Pep Boys, and several body shops; Bowman High School; and the William S. Hart Union High School District headquarters.

Other industrial areas in the city include Saugus Station, on the east side of Railroad Avenue; Valencia Corporate Center, on Tourney Road just east of Interstate 5; Needham Ranch, on Sierra Highway south of Newhall Avenue; and Vista Canyon, on Lost Canyon Road west of Sand Canyon Road. The unincorporated area of Valencia west of Interstate 5 also contains several business parks, such as the Valencia Commerce Center.

Sports

Santa Clarita does not have any sports teams in the NBA, MLB, NFL, or NHL. The professional teams in Los Angeles and Anaheim (specifically, the Clippers and Lakers of the NBA, the Angels and Dodgers of MLB, the Chargers and Rams of the NFL, and Ducks and Kings of the NHL) are popular among Santa Clarita residents. The college sports teams of The Master's University and College of the Canyons, as well as the sports teams in the valley's seven high schools, have some following among the people of Santa Clarita.

The Santa Clarita Blue Heat is a women's soccer team in the United Women's Soccer league. It was founded as the Ventura County Fusion in 2008 and played in the city of Ventura before relocating to Santa Clarita. Their home games are played at The Master's University. Santa Clarita also hosts FC Santa Clarita (also known as the Santa Clarita Storm) of the United Premier Soccer League, a development league. The team was founded in 2006 as the Lancaster Rattlers before moving to Santa Clarita. Like the Blue Heat, FC Santa Clarita plays its home games at The Master's University.

The Canyons Aquatic Club is a competitive swim team based in Santa Clarita affiliated with USA Swimming. Its home pool is located at College of the Canyons, with practice locations at the Santa Clarita Aquatics Center, Santa Clarita Park, Castaic Aquatic Center, North Oaks Park, and Newhall Park.

The Saugus Speedway, located along Soledad Canyon Road in Saugus, is a 0.33-mile (0.53 km) race track covering 35 acres (14 ha). It first opened in 1939 as Bonelli Stadium. The first stock car racing event on the speedway occurred in 1957. In 1995, the track was permanently closed. The speedway continues to serve as the venue for the Santa Clarita Swap Meet every Sunday.

Central Park contains a 3.1-mile (5.0 km) cross country course used by high school and college athletes to train and race.

The city includes four golf courses: Vista Valencia Golf Course and Valencia Country Club in Valencia, and Sand Canyon Country Club and Friendly Valley Golf Course in Canyon Country. The Oaks Club at Valencia is located in the Westridge area of Stevenson Ranch, adjacent to the city.

The Canyon Country Little League baseball and softball teams play their games on a field along Sierra Highway in unincorporated Canyon Country.

Education

Elementary schools

Santa Clarita elementary school students (grades TK/K-6) are served by four elementary school districts:

• Castaic Union School District: serves Castaic, Val Verde, and a small, mostly commercial and industrial portion of northwestern Valencia.
• Newhall School District: serves Stevenson Ranch, Newhall, and southern Valencia.
• Saugus Union School District: serves Saugus, northern and central Valencia, and western Canyon Country.
• Sulphur Springs School District: serves the majority of Canyon Country.

These four school districts include 37 elementary schools and one middle school (Castaic Middle School, administered by Castaic Union School District).

Junior high and high schools

With the exception of Castaic Middle School, all junior high and high schools (grades 7-12) serving Santa Clarita are part of the William S. Hart Union High School District. The district includes seven zoned high schools (Canyon, Castaic, Golden Valley, Hart, Saugus, Valencia, and West Ranch) and six zoned junior high schools (Arroyo Seco, La Mesa, Placerita, Rancho Pico, Rio Norte, and Sierra Vista). All Hart District schools are located within Santa Clarita city limits, except for Castaic High School in unincorporated Castaic, and Rancho Pico Junior High and West Ranch High School in unincorporated Stevenson Ranch; however these schools also serve portions of the city. The seven zoned high schools in the Hart District compete in the Foothill League athletic conference. U.S. News and World Report has ranked Hart District high schools in the top 12% in the nation. The district's headquarters are located along Centre Pointe Parkway.

Hart District also includes a middle college high school (Academy of the Canyons), on the College of the Canyons campus; the alternative high schools Bowman and Learning Post, with adjacent campuses along Centre Pointe Parkway; Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School (SCVi) in Castaic; the Opportunities for Learning (OFL) charter school, with campuses in Canyon Country and Valencia; and Golden Oak Adult School.

Private schools

Private schools in Santa Clarita include Santa Clarita Christian School, Trinity Classical Academy, Legacy Christian Academy, La Petite Academy, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, Guidepost Montessori, and Tutor Time. Guidepost Montessori and Tutor Time have two campuses in the city.

Colleges and universities

California Institute of the Arts

The city is home to California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), a private art university. Founded in 1961 by Walt Disney, Roy O. Disney, and Nelbert Chouinard, CalArts was the first college or university created specifically for students of visual and performing arts. It was created by the merger of Chouinard Art Institute and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. It relocated to its current Valencia campus in 1971. CalArts has produced numerous renowned actors and musicians including Brad Bird, Tim Burton, Julia Holter, John Lasseter, Marina Rosenfeld, Andrew Stanton, and Carl Stone, among others. CalArts is currently administered by president Ravi Rajan.

The Master's University is a non-denominational, Christian liberal arts university based in Newhall. Founded as Los Angeles Baptist College and Seminary in 1927, it moved to Santa Clarita in 1961 and later adopted the name The Master's College and then The Master's University. The university also operates The Master's Seminary in Sun Valley, Los Angeles. The university is currently led by Interim President Abner Chou, following the resignation of Dr. Sam Horn in February 2021. John F. MacArthur served as president from 1985 to 2019; he currently serves as chancellor.

College of the Canyons is a community college with its main campus in Valencia and a secondary campus in Canyon Country. It comprises the Santa Clarita Community College District of California Community Colleges.

Charter College has a campus at the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road and Hidaway Avenue in Canyon Country.

Transportation

Highways

• The only interstate highway in the city is Interstate 5, which defines the city's western border. Interstate 5 is one of the main arteries of the western United States, and connects Santa Clarita with the rest of greater Los Angeles to the south and the Central Valley to the north.
• California State Route 14 passes through the east side of the city and connects Santa Clarita to the Antelope Valley cities of Palmdale and Lancaster. Route 14 merges with Interstate 5 at the large Newhall Pass interchange just south of the city. This interchange is the primary route used by Santa Claritans commuting to Los Angeles. Due to the rugged terrain of the Santa Susana and San Gabriel Mountains, it is one of the few routes (and the only freeway) connecting northern Los Angeles County with the rest of the county.
• California State Route 126 follows the Santa Clara River from I-5 in Santa Clarita to Ventura, passing through Piru, Fillmore, and Santa Paula. The Santa Clarita Veterans' Parkway, formerly the Cross Valley Connector, connects Route 126 in Valencia to Route 14 on the city's eastern edge. It includes the entirety of Newhall Ranch Road, and Golden Valley Road from Newhall Ranch Road to State Route 14.
• Sierra Highway passes through the east side of the city, parallel to and west of Route 14, providing an alternate route to the Sierra Pelona Mountains and Antelope Valley, as well as to the Los Angeles Basin. Despite being referred to as a highway, it is actually a surface street in the Santa Clarita area.

Bus service

City of Santa Clarita Transit, formerly known simply as Santa Clarita Transit, provides extensive bus service within the Santa Clarita Valley and to/from North Hollywood in the San Fernando Valley. City of Santa Clarita Transit is operated by MV Transportation, Inc. under contract with the city of Santa Clarita.

On weekdays, City of Santa Clarita Transit operates commuter buses to/from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and North Hollywood Station (operating seven days per week as the "NoHo Express/757"), allowing riders to access Metro Los Angeles rapid transit subway and light rail services, as well as Warner Center, Burbank, Van Nuys, and Century City. On weekdays when school is in session, City of Santa Clarita Transit operates supplemental school-day service with routes and scheduled stops designed around various school sites within the Santa Clarita Valley.

City of Santa Clarita Transit also operates Dial-A-Ride service for seniors and the disabled. The service allows for pick-up and drop-off at any address within the City of Santa Clarita and within a three-quarter mile radius of the nearest fixed route bus stop in unincorporated areas.

City of Santa Clarita Transit operates weekdays from 4:15 a.m.–11:15 p.m., Saturdays from 6:15 a.m.-10:45 p.m., and on Sundays from 7:15 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Service operates as frequently as every 15 minutes during peak periods to every 90 minutes during off-peak hours. Typically, buses operate every 30 to 60 minutes.

Rail

An afternoon train of Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line transits Santa Clarita

Metrolink provides commuter passenger train service to the Santa Clarita Valley along its Antelope Valley Line which runs from Lancaster to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, where transfers can be made to destinations in Southern California and the rest of the nation. There are three Metrolink stations in the city: Via Princessa in Canyon Country, Santa Clarita station in Saugus (near the geographic center of the city), and Newhall station in Newhall. All stations have large parking lots to allow commuters to park and ride. An additional Metrolink station known as Vista Canyon is slated for construction in Canyon Country, east of the current Via Princessa station. Metrolink service operates 7 days a week, with reduced service on Saturdays and Sundays.

Bicycle and walking

There are a series of bike trails and walking paths threaded throughout the city. Bicyclists can ride from the eastern end of the city in Canyon Country along a paved path which is independent from automobile traffic all the way to Valencia on the Santa Clara River Trail. This path closely follows the Santa Clara River and Soledad Canyon Road. There are many jumping-off points along this route providing access to neighborhoods, Metrolink stations and commerce. In Valencia, there are several pedestrian bridges called paseos connected to the bike path network. The paseos keep riders and walkers above and away from automobile traffic. The neighborhoods in Valencia were planned to include an ample amount of walking and riding paths that connect to this overall network. Santa Clarita contains over 77 miles (124 km) of bicycle routes. In 2007, the League of American Bicyclists awarded Santa Clarita its bronze designation as a bicycle friendly community.

Air travel

There are no airports in the city of Santa Clarita. The nearest airports are the small Agua Dulce Airpark and Whiteman Airport in Agua Dulce and Pacoima, respectively. Commercial flights are served by Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and Los Angeles International Airport in the city of Los Angeles, located 23 miles (37 km) and 42 miles (68 km) from Santa Clarita's Central Park, respectively.

Notable people

Images for kids

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  Don Ygnacio del Valle, a Californio ranchero, owned much of Santa Clarita as part of his Rancho San Francisco. He founded the original settlement in Santa Clarita.

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  Saugus High School was the site of a deadly mass shooting on November 14, 2019.

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  Santa Clarita in July 2016

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  The Sand Fire burning in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in 2016. Wildfires of varying sizes occur periodically around the valley.

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  Entrance to Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2014.

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  Overlooking Santa Clarita from Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon

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  Santa Clarita Aquatics Center, part of the larger George A. Caravalho Sports Complex

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  The Los Angeles Aqueduct emerges from beneath the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (top right) and crosses the Santa Clara River.

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  Walk of Western Stars

See also

In Spanish: Santa Clarita para niños