KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
After decades of neglect, Mentryville, the oil boomtown in Stevenson Ranch that birthed the California oil industry is falling into ruins to the concern of Santa Clarita residents.
By Evan M. Decker
Mentryville… a historic ghost town of California’s colorful past. Located off the Lyons Avenue/Pico Canyon exit on Interstate 5. At the end of Pico Canyon Road are an old red barn, a huge house with a veranda, a little red structure further up the road and a handful of outbuildings.
These buildings are all that is left of a once-thriving boomtown from the early years of California’s well-known oil industry.
On one hot September day in 1876, a man by the name of Charles Alexander Mentry was deepening a hole of a well he had drilled a couple of months prior. In expanding the hole in the well, Mentry struck a massive deposit of oil. The pressure was so great, a fountain of oil continuously spewed 60 feet into the air for several minutes. C.A. Mentry’s famous Well No. 4 (aka CSO or Pico No. 4) produced so much oil and was so profitable that more wells were dug, and an entire community was established at the mouth of Pico Canyon.
Conditions at “The Works” were less than desirable, but the workers were paid well at the time. By 1885 the town was so big, about 100 families lived there at that point, that there needed to be a school for the children of Mentryville to learn. The Felton School was established, named after Charles Felton, a senator from California at that time. 
The “little” town in Pico Canyon was complete, with family homes dotted along the canyon, boarding houses, bunkhouses, a dance hall, and even a bakery. Sadly, there were no saloons as Mentryville was a “dry” company town during Mentry’s time as superintendent.
C.A Mentry passed away in October 1900 from complications of typhoid fever. After that, the town slowly went into decline. By 1932, there were fewer than 5 families living in Mentryville. That year the schoolhouse closed and the remaining children went to school at Newhall Elementary.
There was still oil being produced in Pico Canyon until 1990, when Mentry’s CSO 4 was officially capped, marking the end of its 114-year service. Well 4 holds the titles of the first commercially successful well west of the Mississippi River, as well as the longest continually-producing well in the world!
Pico Cottage in Mentryville.
In terms of the town, by 1959, all that remained was the barn, schoolhouse, the “Big House” or Pico Cottage, the outbuildings we see today and the “Wolcott” Barn that burned in a wildfire in August 1962, but it was facing ruin.
Alton Manzer, an employee for Standard Oil (which owned Pico Canyon’s oil field) heard news about plans to bulldoze the last of Mentryville. Through heavy negotiation, he convinced “The Standard” to move into Mentry’s 13 room mansion that was built in 1891-93. After a lot of repairs, they made the house livable.
The Manzer family lived in Pico until 1966, after which once again Mentryville was facing the fate of the wrecking ball.
Frenchy Lagasse, another employee of Standard Oil who had ties to Pico Canyon, heard about the historic town’s potential fate. Again through tough negotiations, he convinced the company to let his family move into the cottage. The Lagasse family lived in Mentryville for almost 30 years restoring, furnishing and bringing the town back to life, with school tours, and fundraising events.
On January 17, 1994 at 4:30 in the morning, a violent 6.7 magnitude earthquake rocked Southern California, causing widespread damage. Lagasse and his wife Carol were asleep in one of the upstairs bedrooms when the house was knocked off its foundation. C.A. Mentry’s 13 room mansion was deemed red-tagged but repairable.
Chevron (once Standard Oil, rebranded in 1977) donated the last of its landholdings — which included the entirety of Pico Canyon — in 1996 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, a joint agency with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy with the agreement that Mentryville was to be open to the public complete with tours.
Almost 25 years later that has not been the case, and again Mentryville is facing ruin… and this time its not the wrecking ball. The elements and the all-around mistreatment of such a historic site for almost 25 years is inexcusable.
Mentryville is currently open to the public, but only for hiking, biking, and equestrian activities.
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They want to wipe any reference to evil off the map
A park ranger and his family live in the first building on the right. Trash everywhere,old cars and kids toys litter the lot.
It disgusting as you drive in. The few buildings that remain are quickly deteriorating especially the schoolhouse now all boarded up.
Great place to walk especially after the ranger house & beat up structures. It’s really gone downhill the last 20 years.
They did install brand new parking fee collectors. Typical California
Frank,
That place was so special it break’s my heart to hear this. I would totally be willing to volunteer cleaning it up. The city should be stepping in as well.
The city has a responsibility to it’s history and keep this land up. Saugus speedway should have been made a historic al sight as well. As a city we do not need to be like everyone else and strip it away.
Unfortunately the City of Santa Clarita has no jurisdiction… its not within “City” Limits.
Hey Evan I’m very interested in helping you with mentryville if you are still actively working at its rehabilitation. I purchased 2 small pieces of property from LA county tax auction 5 yrs ago and just realized their proximity to your ghost town/historical experience. I am a professional handyman and entrepreneur (who lost interest in money) I’m fascinated with mentryville and with my skill set and restoration experience, metal fab./welding, carpentry , all phases of construction, grading, mechanical diesel/gas etc. I could compliment you in your efforts.
I have been building western themed bnbs in sequoia area and still take part in running them currently. I’d like tobmake my land available for visitors of mentryville to hike and camp. Please text me @ 424 599 6501
I’m pretty sure it’s not in city limits. County of Los Angeles.
I’m pretty sure it’s outside City Of SC Limits. Los Angeles County.
This is a travesty. This place is so cool. It’s been years now but we were allowed to trailer in with our horses ride through the town and onto the old oil roads which made great trails. You could ride to the very top I’m not sure the elevation but it was high. Then ride back down and have a picnic lunch. Please save this special place. It was so nostalgic.
If it’s true that a stipulation was that the Santa Monica my. Conservancy, was to keep the place up and invite people for tour’s Etc. Then I would guess it would be up to another historical society to have a legitimate claim to it, Say SCV HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The SCV Historical Society has no jurisdiction over Mentryville either… also they have their hands tied up with restoring 8 historic structures and a 1900 Locomotive and they have barely enough money for that the city has been graciously giving them money.
Is this managed by SMMRCA?
The only garbage I’ve seen there is the trash can by the restroom occasionally rummaged by critters. Get a bear-proof trash can would solve that. The trail is a little overgrown toward the top but otherwise, it’s fine.
Not this interiors… thats a completely different story.
My friend and I have been over to water the roses in the garden to try to keep them alive along with the Crepe Myrtle planted for Carol Lagasse. Yesterday she contacted an SMMC ranger about getting water to the garden and wanting to do clean up. He said he would repair the broken window. We would like to organize a volunteer gardening team to restore the rose garden and orchard. Would anyone like to help us? It is so lovely out there. Do a little work in the garden then go for a lovely hike. I do think they should offer volunteers free parking, though. We will have to negotiate that.
I Would so love to help with this!
I Would love to help with this!
I think. It should be a place for homeless familys
It Should be restored as a historic landmark for EVERYONE open to the public (interiors as well) with tours, fundraisers, camping, a community gathering place… as it was intended to be.