On this day in 1825, Henry Mayo Newhall, the man whose legacy helped shape the Santa Clarita Valley, was born in Saugus, Massachusetts.

If you live in Santa Clarita, the name “Newhall” is everywhere. It’s on signs and schools, hospitals and highways, parks and neighborhoods.

It’s a name woven into the very fabric of the community: Newhall Land, Newhall Avenue, the Newhall School District, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, Newhall Park, Old Town Newhall, and Newhall Ranch.

The roots of this legacy stretch back more than 140 years to a single pivotal decision: Newhall’s purchase of a bankrupt Mexican rancho in 1875. From that seed grew a thriving community and a family legacy that spans eight generations.

Though many of his descendants now live across the country, some remain here, still contributing to the place that bears their name. The company he founded continues to develop the land he once purchased, and a family foundation furthers his tradition of philanthropy.

Born the fifth of nine children, Henry Mayo Newhall came from a line of enterprising individuals. His grandfather was a successful shoe manufacturer and trading ship owner in Saugus, Massachusetts, a town whose name would later be adopted for a Santa Clarita neighborhood in tribute to Newhall’s roots.

To read yesterday’s Today in SCV History, click here.