With a census population of ,, it is the third-most populous city in Los Angeles County, the 17th-most populous in California , and the rd-most populous city in the United States. It is a classic example of a U. Human settlement of the Santa Clarita Valley dates back to the arrival of the Chumash people , who were displaced by the Tataviam c. The Newhall Land and Farming Company played a major role in the city's development.
The Antelope Valley Freeway CA runs northeastโsouthwest, forming part of the city's irregular eastern boundary. The two freeways meet at Newhall Pass , near the city's southernmost point. Santa Clarita is home to three institutions of higher education: California Institute of the Arts , a private art university; The Master's University , a Christian liberal arts university; and College of the Canyons , a community college. The unincorporated communities of Castaic and Stevenson Ranch , located to the north and west of the Santa Clarita city limits, respectively, are closely associated with the city.
Six Flags Magic Mountain , though commonly thought to be in the Valencia part of Santa Clarita, is also west of Interstate 5 and outside of the Santa Clarita city limits. The region was not widely referred to as Santa Clarita until the s; before this, it was unofficially referred to as the "NewhallโSaugus area" and the "Bonelli tract," after a family that owned land in the valley.
The Santa Clarita Valley has been settled for millennia before European arrival. The oldest archaeological site in the area dates back to roughly BC. In the 18th century, Spanish colonists arrived in southern California including Santa Clarita, founding mission settlements. The 48,acre In , Francisco Lopez discovered gold in Placerita Canyon โthe first documented discovery of gold in California. The discovery is commemorated in an mining claim issued by Governor Alvarado.
The community of Newhall is named after Henry Newhall , [ 25 ] an American businessman who made his fortune during the California Gold Rush.
