On this day in 1874, work was completed on the earliest version of what would become the Pioneer Oil Refinery—originally located at Lyon’s Station, where Eternal Valley Cemetery now stands. 

Though it marked a significant first step, this modest 15-barrel still in Newhall faced challenges from the start. 

It struggled to produce smoke-free kerosene, the primary use for oil at the time, and its remote location—nearly a mile from the soon-to-be-laid railroad—further hampered its effectiveness. By 1875, the operation was shut down.

The opportunity arose with Andrew Kraszynski’s new stagecoach stop at the mouth of Railroad Canyon. Situated right beside the tracks and boasting an ample water supply, the site proved perfect for a new refinery. 

Under the direction of experienced refiner John A. Scott from Pennsylvania, the equipment from Lyon’s Station—along with a larger 120-barrel “cheesebox” still—was relocated and assembled. The new facility was completed in August 1877 and quickly found success.

Meanwhile, oilman Alex Mentry had resumed his work up in Pico Canyon, laying a pipeline from a nearby canyon to bring water to his steam-powered drilling equipment. Within two months, Mentry was producing more oil than the new refinery could handle. To keep up, a fourth and even larger 150-barrel cheesebox still was added.

The refinery used oil byproducts to fuel its brick ovens, and tall chimneys vented the resulting smoke. 

Condensers—wooden boxes filled with 1,400 feet of iron pipe submerged in water—captured the vapors, transforming them into usable oil. This liquid was then treated in a lead-lined agitator with chemicals and air to enhance its burning quality.

At its peak, the Pioneer Oil Refinery at Andrew’s Station produced not only kerosene (in two clean-burning grades) but also benzene and illuminating oil for ships, railroads, factories, and mines. It was California Star Oil’s flagship operation.

However, as California’s oil industry boomed and production spread along the coast, larger refineries like the one built in Alameda—just across the bay from San Francisco—became more viable. In 1888, refining operations at Andrew’s Station ceased permanently.

For over a decade, the Pioneer Oil Refinery helped light up the western frontier. As the first commercially successful oil refinery in the Western United States, it played a foundational role in California’s oil industry. 

Today, its silent smokestacks and stills stand as enduring reminders of a transformative era in the Santa Clarita Valley. The Pioneer Oil Refinery in Newhall is recognized as California State Historical Landmark No. 172.

To view yesterday’s Today in History, click here.

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