A rich source of information and pictures about the history of Acton from its beginnings through the 1950s.

  1835-1875 Tiburcio Vasquez, The Lady Who Really Tracked Him Down!
  1844 Mrs. John C. Fremont Sends Husband To Wilds Of California
  1852 And 1858 Covered Wagons Through Soledad Canyon Fryer Family Ancestors
  1853 Respectful Desert Indians Through The Soledad Canyon
  1861-1863 Soledad City Became Ravena City Town Site
  1864-1868 Mexican Miners-Another Gold Rush-Ravena City Post Office
  1869-1887 First School In Soledad District- Ravena City
  1870-1877 Ravenna Had The Town (Including The Saloon) Acton Area Became Cedar Mining District
  1876 Golden Spike At Lang-Our Railroad Connection!
  1876-1877 Railroad Business-Names For The Way Stations
  1880-1885 John Duehren And R.E. Nickel Made Their Acton Plans In Kansas
  1880-1890 Acton Railroad Stations
  1884-1886 Paper Mill At Ravenna
  1885-1887 John Duehren Family Arrival Acton Christmas 1885 First House in Acton 1887
  1885-1903 Ed Brough, McPhertridges, And The Red Rover Mine
  1886 Mr. And Mrs. George Melrose, Red Rover Canyon -Mr. And Mrs. Norman Melrose, Mt. Gleason
  1886-1888 Five Branches Of The William Melrose Family Acton Pioneers
  1886-1892 A.B Mellen Family Brought Experience, Knowledge And Community Service To Acton
  1887 Nickel Family In Kansas- "Acton Here We Come!"
  1887-1986 Acton Postmasters, From Official Records
  1888 April 29 The Union Moral And Religious Association Of Acton Used The Little White Schoolhouse For Meetings
  1888 George Washington Clingan Took A Special Trip To Acton
  1888 May 20, First Sunday School Organization In Acton
  1888 Rev. John E. Robbins, Frontier Preacher, And Family
  1888-1889 Courtship On Acton Lake, Mattie Robbins and Arthur Hubbard
  1888-1889 Floods Stop Trains And Mail
  1888-1889 Homemade Bricks For Building In Acton Town
  1888-1889 Travel Between Elizabeth Lake And Acton- For Several Reasons
  1888-1891 Gustav Kruger, Cattle Range Camper, Joined The Acton Town Builders. First Saloon In Acton 1889
  1888-1898 Frank Hubbard Goes After Girl Of His Dreams
  1888-1938 Fifty Year Record Of Rural Education In Acton
  1888-1938 Soledad School District Acton California
  1888-1898 The L.K- Rayburn Family
  1890 April 21, The Deed Was Done, A Gift For Acton!
  1890 October, Dedication! New Red Brick School At Acton
  1890 The Farmer Family In Mint Canyon, Indian Trouble
  1890-1892 Bruno Nickel-Eugene Nickel- Build Their Homes
  1890-1901 Railroad Business At Ravenna
  1890-1909 Schulte Family- Home By The Chicalopes
  1891 Acton Supply Center For Big Tujunga Miners
  1891 Lou Henry Met R.E. Nickel At Acton, California
  1891 Magdalena And George Blum Take A Trip-To Acton
  1891-1912 Blum Family Homestead In Aliso Canyon
  1891-1913 R.E. Nickel's Acton Rooster Newspaper
  1891-1958 Acton Roadmasters-In Residence
  1891-1987 Blum Ranch-Aliso Canyon- Acton 96 Years Heritage Enrichment As The Years Progressed
  1891-1987 The Famous Blum Ranch Of Acton, California
  1892 R.E. Nickel Laid Out Downtown Acton -Surveyed And Recorded
  1892 Fourth Of July Picnic In The Acton County Park
  1892-1901 Cooperation In Acton Cooperative Store
  1893 Mr. And Mrs. Gustav Kruger- Their Ready -Made Family
  1894 Gipp Family Settle Nine Miles West of Acton-Agua Dulce
  1894 Salute To Our Flag- Fourth Of July At Acton County Park
  1894-1903 Paul Bachert- The Cheap For Cash Merchant
  1895-1896 Miss Julia Finney and Her Students Red-Brick Soledad School Acton
  1895-1896 R.E. Nickel Builds His New Home
  1895-1903 Horatio Nelson Newton Made His Choice
  1897 A Happy Summer At Acton For Nora Melrose
  1897 Henry Renkin, The Joyful Acton Blacksmith
  1897 John Robbins, Guest Reporter, R.E. Nickel's Acton Rooster Winter 1897
  1897 New Hotel Acton Mr. And Mrs. Gustav Kruger, First Proprietors
  1898 Flossie Melrose, First Lady Postmaster In Acton
  1899 Cedar Mining District, Acton
  1899 Escondido Grande Mine
  1899 The Woodside Family in Acton
  1900-1901 Acton Oil Boom "As It Has Never Boomed Before!"
  1900-1901 Mr. W.H. Broome And Family of Vincent
  1900-1901 Presidential Election, Wm. McKinely Assassination, Theodore Roosevelt Our President
  1900-1901 School And Town Of Acton Had A Good Year
  1900-1903 School Books, Teacher Institutes, Pupil Grades, And Democracy
  1900-1905 Acton Improvement Club, T.G. Shafer First President
  1900-1918 Adventures On Our Mt. Gleason
  1901 Acton On The Line, Long Distance -Telephone 1906 Local Telephone Service, "Don't You Want To Join?"
  1901 January 18 Grandma Melrose Buried on Mt. Gleason Ranch of Her Son Norman Melrose
  1901-1902 "Zack" Davidson, Handyman With Imagination
  1901-1904 Ladies In The Mining Business
  1902 Trip On A Summer Day
  1902 The Actonoma Oil And Development Company
  1902-1912 Blacksmiths of Acton, Ravenna And Ranches
  1903 Honey Harvest, Pure Mountain Honey
  1903 January 20, W.H. Broome And N. M. Melrose
  1903 Traditional Acton Hospitality
  1903-1904 Fred Gross, Sr. And Family, Builders, Farmers, Ravenna Railroad Pumping Plant of 1904
  1903-1904 The Busy Reverend Robbins
  1903-1904 Transportation-Auto or The Railroad?
  1903-1905 L.K. Rayburn, Southern Pacific And Wells Fargo Acton Agent- Plus Local Editor And Manager Acton Rooster Newspaper
  1903-1906 Building Newton Store Business
  1903-1908 Albert W. Freese, Railroad Section Foreman Acton
  1903-1908 Gipp Family Succeeded In Agua Dulce
  1904 Christmas Program In Acton "Best Ever!"
  1904-1905 Acton Roadmaster Arthur Hubbard
  1904-1905 Paul Bachert Sets Up Business In Lancaster
  1904-1911 Ethel Clignan, Lightning Slinger" And Horsewoman
  1904-1928 Mark Keppel And Herman Mellen Worked Together For Education In Antelope Valley Schools
  1905 Captain Mitchell, A Big Chicken Ranch In Lower Soledad Canyon
  1905 July 4 Independence Day-All Day-All Night!
  1905 Mail, Eggs or Chickens?
  1905 Six Months Of Business Changes In Downtown Acton- Time For A "Hop"- And Then "Another Shake The Foot!"
  1905-1906 Water For Los Angeles-And Acton?
  1905-1908 Deer Hunters Of Acton Area
  1905-1909 Blum Family- Work At Acton, Leona Valley And Los Angeles
  1905-1912 That Dashing Young Bachelor, Fred Gross, Jr. And The Fred Couse Family
  1906 Debate: Shall The Government Own And Control The Railroads?
  1906 Frank Hubbard And Will Clingan Back To Acton
  1906 Independent Literary And Debating Society- Canada Or Mexico?
  1906 Mrs. Averill, Our Happy Teacher
  1906 October 6, Brother Slayton And The Lang Station Fire
  1906 Thanksgiving! Weather And The Republican Administration!
  1906 Walter Duehren In Charge of Mt. Gleason Road Building
  1906-1911 Belle Murdy Smith, Lady Farmer
  1907 Train Wrecks, New Block Signal System
  1908-1911 Red Rover Mine, Preparations To Boom Again
  1908-1912 Cement For Blum Ranch Water Line
  1908-1922 Burro Influence As We Grew Up In Acton
  1908-1922 The Sterling Borax Company, Industry And Mining Camp Of Soledad Township- Agua Dulce
  1909 Acton Provided Pure Mountain Air W.P. Whitsett
  1909 Charles Fletcher Lummis Featured In R.E. Nickel's Acton Rooster
  1909 Dorothy Mellen Drove To Acton On Family Business
  1909 The Busy Bees Of Soledad School At Acton
  1909-1912 Rosebine Summer Resort
  1909-1915 Captain L.G. Loomis- Big Tejunga- Alder Creek Homestead
  1910 Ex Governor Gage To Portugal By Way Of Acton Red Rover Mine
  1910 First International Air Meet Held In America Dominquez Field, California - Rayburn's Of Acton Attended
  1910 Honey Loading Day- An Annual Fall Event
  1910 W.P. Whitsett Ready To Build Van Nus
  1910-1911 Wells Fargo Business - L.K. Rayburn Acton Agent
  1910-1912 Acton Rock Crusher
  1910-1912 Mr. H.L. Heffner, New Owner Of The Gross Ranch At Ravenna
  1910-1913 High Jinks At Hubbardville
  1911 The Benedict Bill- No School Census This Year
  1911-1914 June 29, Mr. And Mrs. Fred Gross, Jr.
  1912 Emile Gripp Leased Heffner Ranch
  1912-1920 Prevention Of Population Loss In Antelope Valley
  1912-1923 Frank Wright Family, Farmers Mint Canyon
  1912-1929 Antelope Valley Joint Union High School Lancaster, California
  1913 January 15, Two Newspaper Editors- Acton and Littlerock
  1914 First School In Agua Dulce- Property Gift Of The "Dad" Johnson Family
  1914 The Ulysses Sumner Grant Johnson Family Arrived In Agua Dulce
  1914-1931 Nail Homestead, By The Chicalopes, North Crown Valley
  1915-1946 W.B. Johnson Railroad Telegrapher-Served From Vincent To Lang- Ravenna and Acton
  1915-1949 Acton Branch Los Angeles County Public Library
  1916 (The Early Days) The Buda Family of Soledad Canyon, U.S.A.
  1916 Blum Ranch Party- Large Stone House Completed
  1916 Lydia Duehren Newton Postmaster Represented Acton At Carmel
  1916 March 26, Acton Community Presbyterian Church Organized
  1916 March 26, Organization Of The Acton Community Presbyterian Church. Pastors Of The Church
  1916 October 1, Calling The Roll-Sunday School Rally Day
  1916 San Diego: California Panama Canal International Exposition- Held Over From 1915
  1916 Mint Canyon Road-The Owens River Aqueduct
  1916-1933 Platz Family On The Heffner Ranch
  1917-1980 Heritage Legacy From Virginia Platz Dyer
  1918-1923 Captain and Mrs. J. J. Haish, Traditional New Year Oyster Dinner At Red Brick School In Lancaster
  1918-1946 The War Years
  1919-1924 Donkey Duty- At O'Briens'
  1919-1924 Mr. And Mrs. R.E. Nickel Retire To Acton
  1920-1938 Well Equipped- High Speed- Antelope Valley High School Buses
  1920-1947 Those Early Pioneer School Bus Drivers
  1920-1958 Blum Ranch Cider Mill, "Comin' Over By THe Hill!"
  1921 Fred Roth Family
  1921 Hikers Follow Historical Trail On Mt. Gleason
  1921 Mr. Franzen, Acton Barnstormer, Brought His "Jenny" In For A Landing
  1921-1922 Miss Gorchakoff- Our Teacher In The Red Brick School At Acton
  1921-1924 Rev. Hugh B. Sutherland Accepts His Call To Acton Community Presbyterian Church, Dedication June 8 1924
  1922-1938 James W. Fryer, Senior, And Family Settle in Soledad, Canyon
  1922-1938 Lena McClaflin, Our Teacher, Sixteen Years Of Service
  1923 Record -1890-1938 Meeting The Water Needs, Soledad Brick School
  1923-1928 Maurice H. Rowell Of Antelope Valley Union High School
  1923-1963 Dola And Frank Strong- Acton Week-enders For Forty Years On Grandfather Strong's Homestead Of 1886
  1924-1950's On Easter Hill In Acton, Sunrise Tradition
  1925 Movie Making And The Theater In Acton
  1925-1929 The Sandpaper - A.V.H.S. Newspaper- Respected In Antelope Valley
  1926 December 14, "Swimming Pool Nearly Finished"
  1926 Reverend Hugh B. Sutherland- Soledad Track Coach
  1926 September 21, "Wet Prospects On Dry Ground"
  1926-1980 Mint Julip Club- Agua Dulce And Acton
  1926-1942 Acton Hotel, Private Residence, Mr. And Mrs. Ellery L. Henck
  1927 Acton Cemetery, Gift To Acton From The Duehren Family
  1927-1928 Blum Ranch Pear Packing Crew With A Field Trip Idea
  1926-1928 Antelope Valley Fair And Junior Farm Bureau Byron Chase of Acton, Clara Reese of Littlerock
  1927-1928 Lively Go-Getters- Ladies, Please Bring Cakes
  1927-1931 Mildred F. Pitt-Physical Education-AVJUHS
  1927-1931 Miss Lois M. Bennink of A.V.J.U.H.S.
  1928 June 5, News from the Sand-Paper
  1930 April, Valley of Sunshine Church Society
  1930 May, The Saugus Ladies Honored In Acton By Acton Members Of The Saugus Community Club
  1930 May 11, Farewell Service For Brother Evans School At Agua Dulce
  1930-1946 Valley Of Sunshine Church Society Participating Members During the 1930's Through 1942 No Meetings During War Time
  1931 December 24, Christ Faith Mission Mountain Home- Forty Acres Of God's Beauty- Memorial To Mary Off- Acton
  1932 August 6, Mrs. Ellery L. Henck, Hostess For A Tea Party At Her Home In Downtown Acton
  1933 June 11, Switzerland! Here Come The Blum Ladies of Acton
  1933 Mrs. Herbert Hoover Told It Like It Was To Meryl Adams Of Acton
  1933-1973 Grandad's Rifle Range-The Corwin Family In Aliso Canyon
  1934 September 17, Captain J.J. Haisch of Acton and the Antelope Valley
  1935-1956 Columbo Lilac And Peony Ranch Located On The Old Moody Ranch Mt. Gleason- The Early Years
  1936 Vincent Fire Station- 80 - Acton, Los Angeles County
  1938 March 2,The Flood Of 1938
  1938 November 24, Thanksgiving Reunion-Henck Family Home In Acton
  1938-1955 New Soledad School-Board Of Trustees
  1939 James W. Fryer, Sr. Acton Roadmaster- 1933-1958
  1939 The Droste Family Volunteers For Acton
  1939-1955 Lee's Happy Acres On Sierra Highway-Acton Junction
  1940-1941 School Board Sold Red Brick Soledad School For $301.00
  1940-1952 Herman Mellen Of Acton Wrote "Reminiscenses Of Old Calico"
  1942 Honor For The Soledad School Bell At Acton
  1942 Mabel And Johnny Boston Of Agua Dulce
  1944 Opal Ben Sciarra, Agua Dulce Merchants
  1945 Nonnie Platz And Hal Chamberlain
  1945 October 20, Acton Hotel Burned Down By Meryl Adams
  1945 Viola And Shelton Gordon Of Palmdale
  1947-1948 Goldie Dawsonof Agua Dulce, School and The Home Talent Show
  1948 Agua Dulce Property Owners Association (Civic Association)
  1948 The Agua Dulce Women's Club
  1949 Ground Breaking Second Wing Of Acton School On Crown Valley
  1949 November 10, Acton Littlerock Greater Parish (Twin Parish) Presbyterian Church-Acton Pastors
  1950 Emil Kosa, Jr., Nationally Known Artist, Painted In Our Acton Ravenna Area
  1950-1951 Los Angeles City Garbage For 50,000 Hogs At Acton?
  1950-1952 Francis Gage, His Hi-Grade Mine At Acton
  1950-1958 The Palmdale Rotary Club With An Acton Connection
  1950-1959 Acton Community Church Club, Interdenominational, Incorporated
  1950-1962 Sir Kegian Gem Beds- "The View Alone Is Worth The Price!"
  1951 August 10, United Christian Church of Agua Dulce Canyon Gift of Mrs. Lula E. Johnson of Agua Dulce
  1952 Easter Sunrise Service, Vasquez Rocks Agua Dulce
  1952 June 8, News Of Acton By Olive Blum
  1952-1954 Vincent Railroad Station, George Ducan, Telegrapher
  1953 The Indian Influence-Respect for The Land
  1955 October 25. Groundbreaking For Palmdale High School
  1955 September 3, Acton Community Club Panel Party Work Day
  1955-1987 Verda Small-Her 300 Third Grade Girls And Boys of Acton School
  1956 Mr. And Mrs. James W. Fryer, Sr. Family Reunion
  1956-1984 Hazel L. Krueger, Acton Postmaster-Welcome Mat-Acton Chamber Of Commerce Guest Book For Pacific Crest Hikers
  1957-1976 The Bell Of Agua Dulce
  1958 Acton Women's Club
  1958-1962 The Building Of Hedgecock Hall
  1963 Postscript For Posterity- Jerry Fryer Home On The Bill Blum Ranch- Aliso Canyon
  1968 Emma Blum of Acton and Arthur B. Perkins of Newhall
  1971 April 5, Old Timers' Homecoming Reunion, Hedgecock Hall
  1976-1982 Dale W. Schrader-Foothill News
  1977 Postscript For Posterity- The Way It Was Written
  1978 Annual Homecoming Church Celebration-Ninety Years
  1980 Postscript For Prosperity-1980 A Gift For All Of Us
  Blum Ranch Hospitality- An Acton Tradition
  Picture Credit List
  ByGone Days- A Heritage Journey By Meryl Adams
  Research Sources
  Sharing Our Recent Past- Idea For Our Future-Now?
  Sharing Our Recent Past- Edward Adams, "The Man With The Hoe"
  Sharing Our Recent Past- A Look To Our Future
  Sharing Our Recent Past- Programs Were Fun
  Sharing Our Recent Past- Meryl Came Home To Acton
  Sharing Our Recent Past-We Look To The Future
  Sharing Our Recent Past Acton Postmaster- Some Of Life's Extras
  We Have Learned Of A Part Of Our Past Now- A Part Of Our Future From 1980's