Newhall Section Was Birthplace of California’s Oil Industry
FEBRUARY 17, 1922
The birthplace of the oil industry in California is marked by a tall derrick standing near the head of Pico Canyon about four miles northwest of Newhall and some thirty-four miles north of Los Angeles.
It was here that a Mexican named Ramoa Perea, discovered a black, sticky fluid, which excited his curiosity, while hunting deer in the Newhall hills. He carried a small quantity of the fluid to J. Del Valle of Piru, who was then living on the Camulos Rancho, Ramona’s home, and showed it to him, who in turn submitted the sample to Dr. Gelsich, formerly a resident of an oil section of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Gelsich pronounced it petroleum, and a company was soon formed to exploit the property, which, was staked out and filed as placer claims. This was more than half a century-ago, in 1865, but it was some five years later before a well was sunk by the old spring-pole method and oil obtained.
In 1879 a steam engine was installed and the well deepened, bringing the well up to a production of about 75 barrels a day. The old engine is still in use after 39 years and the well is still producing, but at a rate of less than three barrels a day of 38 percent gravity oil.
Perea was given an interest in the company, in lieu of his discovering the oil, but according to old inhabitants of the town who recall the circumstances of the discovery and the development, he traded his interest before operations began, for a barrel of cheering spirits and a twenty-dollar gold piece.
When the well was completed G. A. Mentry was placed in charge as manager and he operated it for a number of years. It is the property of the Standard Oil Company and is known as California Standard Oil Weel Number Four.
The first oil produced was hauled by teams over the then hard winding roads to a still a short distance south of here and a half-mile off the boulevard. The old still is yet standing and appears to be little the worse for its old age. It was operated a few years only, when the Southern Pacific Company built lines witin a stones throw of it and the oil was shipped to San Francisco for refining.
The road to the well follows the bottom of the Pico Canyon for two or three miles and is a long steady pull with several sharp grades. There are many places in the canyon where it broadens out and the green grass now coming to the front after our wonderful rains under spreading oaks, extend alluring invitations to stop and picnic.
Aside from the historic interest of the well and the old blacksmith shop which Mentry built in ‘79 to house a steam hammer, drill press and lathe to manufacture drilling tools to sink the well, there is much of scenic value in the canyon and from the summit of the ridge over which the road passes.
Besides the old blacksmith’ shop there are a number of shacks built in the early days and later augmented with a number of modern buildings to house the oil workers. This is known as Mentryville and comes as a distinct surprise as one makes his way up the canyon road.