St. Francis Dam Tour Coming Up March 23

by Carol Rock | Jan 26, 2024 | Community

The popular tour of the ruins of the St. Francis Dam presented by the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society is scheduled for Saturday, March 23 and tickets are now on sale. Join four historians on the quest to bring water to the arid land of 1920s Los Angeles and how one man’s attempt to make it happen turned into the second worst disaster in California’s history.
The failure of the St. Francis Dam at midnight, March 12, 1928, killed more than 400 people, leveled farms and homesteads, destroyed property and livestock and changed the way dam safety is addressed across the nation.
Tickets for the event are $50 and may be purchased on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-annual-st-francis-dam-disaster-lecture-and-bus-tour-tickets-791636384737. This tour is very popular and sells out every year, so early reservations are recommended. The location of the presentation will be sent to those who purchase tickets.
The tour will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a short presentation on the history of the dam by SCVHS President Alan Pollack, archaeologist Ann Stansell and Dianne Hellrigel that will include the events leading up to the disaster and stories about the victims and survivors. Dam expert Frank Rock will take questions after the lecture. After the presentation, busses will take participants into San Francisquito Canyon for an immersive experience, narrating at important points of interest to the disaster.
It is recommended that long pants, long-sleeved shirts and athletic shoes or hiking boots be worn for the hike, as well as a hat and sunscreen. Water and a snack will be provided. The hike will include the tombstone ruins and other remaining remnants of the dam.
Funds raised will benefit programs of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society at the Santa Clarita History Center. Don’t miss this unique presentation about one of the area’s most historic events. For questions, email crock@scvhs.org. To learn more about the Santa Clarita History Center and sign up for our newsletter, visit www.scvhs.org.

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