Pioneer Oil Refinery Historic Pictures

This is the earliest identified photograph of the refinery behind Andrew’s Station. It was still lively at this time. There isn’t a recognized picture of the refinery when it was at Lyon’s Station. Jerry Reynolds states in the “Pico Canyon Chronicles” that the date of the photograph is 1879, although most sources say that it is from the 1880’s.
American Petroleum Institute Photograph and Film Collection, Archives Heart, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Used by permission.

From the standard Oil Bulletin of August 1918. Solely still #4 is seen. A tree is protecting still #three and the older stills. The whole area appears to be like fairly overgrown.

From the Los Angeles Herald of March eight, 1919. The Velie was manufactured from 1908 -1929.

About the identical view. Very onerous to recreate (11/21/2015)

This picture was obviously taken earlier than the 1930 restoration. Nonetheless #1 (the gooseneck) is laying on the bottom in the fitting foreground. No chimneys are standing. The smokestack for the boiler is also not standing.

Photo taken in 1930 in the course of the restoration work. This was in the usual Oil Bulletin of September, 1930, provided to me by Don Ball. Standard’s Pico superintendent from 1927 to 1937, Charles Sitzman, led the hassle with assist from Charles D. Kellogg, one of the refinery’s last refiners. Sitzman was the third superintendent after Mentry and Walton Younger. After Sitzman, only John Blaney (1937-1938) was referred to as a superintendent. After Blaney, there have been solely foremans, the final being Frenchy Lagasse

Photo description: “Charles Sitzman and the Pioneer Oil Refinery. Charles in middle sporting a vest. His crew restored the Pioneer Oil Refinery in Newhall, Ca.” Photo taken in 1930 in the course of the restoration. The wood trough for the condenser pipes in the background is just not there and a pipe on the boiler (on the suitable) just isn’t connected to something yet. This photograph was discovered by Lauren Parker on ancestry.com and posted to the Santa Clarita Historical past Buffs fb page where I saw it. I then received permission from the proprietor, Merle Cook, to point out it here. Thanks Merle. It’s owned by Merle Cook and was used along with his permission. Charles Sitzman (1878-1950) was Merle’s grandfather, the father of Barbara Sitzman Cook, Merle’s mom.

Picture taken on November 5, 1930 through the dedication ceremony for the refinery restoration. The Los Angeles Occasions of November 6 reported that more than 300 folks had been present. The usual Oil attendees were represented by L. B. Little, the Manufacturing Superintendent.

Also reported was that “among the boys who worked there within the late ’70’s and early ‘eighty’s were at the ceremony and spun a yarn or two of those stirring occasions.” And “Walton Younger of Altadena, Clay Reynolds of Newhall, J. H. Whitney of Sign Hill and J. W. Saunders of Lengthy Seaside, who worked in the sphere in the early days, had been on hand to see the dedication and say a phrase to the group and take a bow.” “Little, Sales Manager J. F. Jeffries of Los Angeles district and Supt. H. C. Hanna of the company’s El Segundo refinery recited one thing of the historical past of the business.”

See the 11/three/1930 Los Angeles Occasions, the 11/5/1930 Los Angeles Times, and the 11/6/1930 Los Angeles Instances for dedication stories.

From left to right are stills 4 (one hundred fifty-barrel), three (a hundred-barrel), 2 (20-barrel), 1 (15-barrel), and the steam boiler (partially obscured). Stills 1 and a pair of came from Lyon’s Station. Stills 3 and 4 have been added after the refinery was built right here. All the stills have a brick base, with stills 1 and a couple of sharing the identical base.

Picture courtesy of Don Ball and Chevron

One other great picture from Merle Cook. Picture description by Merle: “This picture reveals the combined classes of the Mentryville College at the dedication of the Pioneer Oil Refinery. 2nd from the left is my mother, Barbara Sitzman, fifth from the best is my uncle Philip Sitzman.” The again of the photograph identifies them as: Leena Stearns, Barbara Sitzman, Josh Wooldridge Jr, Bud Dill, Jimmy Stearns, Nicolene Cheney, Phil Sitzman, Freida Brown, Ted Dill, Ruth Wooldridge, Elden Stearns. Photo taken on November 5, 1930, during the dedication ceremony. You may see where they stood from the earlier photograph due to the flag over the plaque. It’s owned by Merle Cook and was used with his permission.
California Historic Society Assortment at the University of Southern California.
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Assortment, CHS-11476. Used by permission.

Labeled in the USC Digital Library as circa 1925, however the 1930 plaque is clearly visible on nonetheless #three. This photograph was additionally used within the California History Nugget journal of January, 1938.
California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California.
Title Insturance and Belief/C.C. Pierce Images Assortment, CHS-12393. Used by permission.
California Historical Society Collection on the University of Southern California.
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Assortment, CHS-12402. Used by permission.
California Historical Society Assortment at the College of Southern California.
Los Angeles Space Chamber of Commerce Assortment, CHS-12405. Utilized by permission.

From the usual Oiler journal of August 1953. The man within the picture was Man Wiggins, a Manufacturing Relief Man for Commonplace Oil at the moment.
California Historic Society Assortment on the College of Southern California.
Los Angeles Space Chamber of Commerce Collection, CHS-37709. Utilized by permission.
California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California.
Los Angeles Space Chamber of Commerce Collection, CHS-12403. Used by permission.

Uncommon view from the rear exhibiting the wooden trough for the condenser pipes. It is dimensions had been 5-ft x 5-ft x 125-ft.
California Historic Society Collection on the College of Southern California.
Los Angeles Space Chamber of Commerce Collection, CHS-12404. Used by permission.
Historic Society of Southern California Collection – Charles C. Puck Collection. Courtesy of The Huntington Library, San Marino, California
Utilized by permission.

Circa 1940’s. In this picture you’ll be able to see two crude oil storage tanks on the hill above the Petroleum Refining Process Equipment refinery. They are not the unique tanks for the refinery because White (1962) reported those as being between 20 and one hundred barrel capacity tanks, and the tanks in this photo are much bigger. Oil was stored here and transferred to the railroad up till 1943 (according to Don Ball). (Photo by Arthur B. It’d the same tank as proven in the above photo, but it is not one in every of the unique tanks for the refinery. It is simply too massive and the pipes and tank connections for the pipes don’t face the refinery. The identical is true of the other tank out of view of this photo. The pipes from the tanks actually journey parallel to this picture immediately toward the railroad tracks. Additionally, I was in a position to measure the two present tanks and the one seen right here is about a 2145 barrel capacity tank and the opposite tank out of view is about a 1935 barrel capacity tank.

Circa 1940’s (Photo by Arthur B. Circa 1940’s (Picture by Arthur B. These could have been in the tail-house when the refinery was actually being used. Circa 1940’s (Photograph by Arthur B. At present’s signal is unreadable. Word that there seems to be a fence around the refinery at this level.
American Petroleum Institute Photograph and Film Collection, Archives Heart, Nationwide Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Used by permission.
Used by permission of the safety Pacific Nationwide Bank Collection/Los Angeles Public Library.
Historic Society of Southern California Collection – Charles C. Puck Assortment. Courtesy of The Huntington Library, San Marino, California
Utilized by permission.
Utilized by permission of the safety Pacific Nationwide Bank Assortment/Los Angeles Public Library.
Used by permission of the safety Pacific National Bank Assortment/Los Angeles Public Library.

Photograph caption dated October 26, 1957 reads, “Refined old refinery – First oil refinery erected in Newhall by J. A. Scott in 1876 to handle Pico Canyon manufacturing is visited day by day by vacationers from all elements of the country. This early day plant is positioned in Railroad Canyon south of Newhall where oil has been produced for more than half a century.” From the Valley Times Assortment on the Los Angeles Public Library.
Historic Society of Southern California Collection – Charles C. Puck Collection. Courtesy of The Huntington Library, San Marino, California
Used by permission.

Cutting plate machine

From the Santa Clarita Valley Historical past in Footage webpage. See more photograph information right here. Picture from round 1960. The 2 stills from the Lyon’s Station refinery (Still #1 and a couple of) on the right and the steam boiler had been eliminated by Standard Oil and arrange at the usual Oil Museum in Richmond, California (which opened in 1961). That museum doesn’t exist anymore, but the stills and boiler have been resently (4/2016) been discovered (by Leon Warden) to be still on the museum site. In the background you possibly can see that among the wood trough for the condenser is lacking. (Photo by Arthur B. In reality, the bricks beneath nonetheless #2 look like they’ve been completely eliminated. The picket trough in the above picture has been repaired. Photograph from after 1961 (when stills 1 and 2 had been removed) however in the 60’s. (Photo by Arthur B.

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