Enter “Outlaw Canyon” at your own risk! Leaving the City of Santa Clarita behind, we drive East on Historic Route 6, now known as Sierra Highway. Just after we pass the “Welcome to Agua Dulce” sign, we round the corner and find ourselves wedged between the steep canyon walls of “Outlaw Canyon.” We follow the winding road deep into the canyon, and just before we reach the small hamlet of Sleepy Valley, we come to our destination. There on the South side of the road, are some old west style buildings. These old buildings are what is left of what was the Santa Clarita Valley’s first themed amusement park. Seriously! The themed Park was known as Callahan’s Old West Trading Post & Indian Village.
The History of Callahan’s Old West Trading Post & Indian Village
First, a little history. Callahan’s Old West Trading Post & Indian Village is first established as The Mission Village Auto Court in Culver City, California, in 1926. The brainstorm of entertainer and novelist Robert E Callahan, he designs the park to house his extensive collection of old West and Indian treasures and artifacts. Callahan’s featured a themed hotel for guests and a chapel. The chapel was known as Ramona’s Chapel. He named it after his inspiration, the famous 1884 Helen Hunt Jackson novel “Ramona.” Jackson wrote “Ramona” about Rancho Camulos, where she was staying in the early 1880s as a guest. A working 1800-acre ranch located just East of Piru, California, on the 126, Rancho Camulos is definitely a future family blog adventure. Watch for it as one of our upcoming Justforthe.fun travel blogs.
Callahan’s Old West Trading Post and Indian Village in Culver City also featured a Hopi Indian “Kiva” or sweat lodge. The “Kiva” even featured live Hopi Indians that Callahan brought in from the Hopi Reservation East of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
And believe it or not, Callahan’s had another local tie, a tiny red Miner’s schoolhouse. Built in 1898, Callahan found the schoolhouse at the Emma Antoinette Copper Mine. Operated from 1888 to 1900, the copper mine is located on Parker Mountain. Yes, Parker Mountain is located in nearby Acton, California, just East of Santa Clarita.
In 1962 the Los Angeles City planners routed the 10 (Santa Monica) Freeway through Callahan’s property in Culver City. Callahan had to close his entire operation and move everything.
Callahan’s Old West Trading Post Moves to Sierra Hwy.
Callahan opened his Old West-themed amusement park on Sierra Hwy in the small community of Agua Dulce later that year. Callahan’s Old West Trading Post & Indian Village played to weekend crowds. He featured live stunt shows and staged shootouts with actual Hollywood stuntmen and actors.
Then, Newhall Land and Farming, along with Sea World Inc, opened the theme park Magic Mountain on May 29, 1971. Following the opening of Magic Mountain, Santa Clarita Valley’s newest Amusement Park, Callahan could no longer compete. Callahan’s Old West Trading Post and Indian Village closed in 1973.
Donated to the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society
Born in 1892, Callahan passed away in 1981. At this time, Callahan’s widow Marion donated most of the Old West collection to the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society. Her donation included Ramona’s Chapel and Acton’s Little Red School House. Both buildings can be viewed today by touring the Heritage Junction Historical Park located at William S Hart Park in Newhall, California.
The main building that can be seen today later housed the Canyon Theater Guild. They held their live performances there from 1986 through 2000 when they moved to Downtown Newhall. See our recent Justforthe.fun travel blog “Canyon Theater Guild Celebrating 50 Years.”
It was so much fun rounding the corner, driving deep into “Outlaw Canyon,” and going back in time. It really is amazing that so much local history can be found right there on the side of the road.
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