CASTAIC JUNCTION
February 9, 1929: "With nine of the projected 36 huge Richfield-Neon beacon towers completed--actually a fourth of the luminous chain which will interlink with light the Pacific Coast, Mexican and Canadian international borders--work is to be started at once on three more.
These three new locations are Visalia, Santa Paula and Castaic, the latter a Ridge Route community at the intersection of the state highway and Santa Paula boulevard." (Santa Cruz Evening News)
These three new locations are Visalia, Santa Paula and Castaic, the latter a Ridge Route community at the intersection of the state highway and Santa Paula boulevard." (Santa Cruz Evening News)
August 15, 1929: "The Richfield Beacon Station at Castaic Junction seven miles north of Newhall, will be formally opened for the inspection of the public, on Saturday, August 17th, at 8 o.clock, P.M. at which time every light in the station, the Neon lighted, 125-foot tower, and the 2,000,000 candle power directional beacon will flash on at once, lighting the country for miles around, and making a scene of dazzling beauty.
The station is a beautifully appointed Spanish type building, with built-in dressing table, and full-length mirror for the ladies.
This is the 13th in Richfield's program of construction, these stations being about fifty miles apart, from Mexico, to Canada, on the main highways, and in line with air travel.
The men who dispense the goods are: Mr. Roth in charge; James Murray, Lawrence Clark and Jack Neilson." (The Signal)
August 22, 1929: "The Richfield station at Castaic Junction opened for business Saturday evening, as announced last week, except that words could hardly express the beauty of the scene, when out of almost total darkness the lights from the station, the tall tower and the directional beacon, all flashed on illuminating the whole section like a flash of lightning, only that the light is permanent.
The improved air pressure pumps and the concealed air and water hose were noted as an innovation here. The hose is pulled from beneath the pumps and after use is automatically drawn back to place." (The Signal)
February 13, 1930: "An airplane accident occurred near Castaic Junction, Sunday. The driver mistook the Richfield Beacon light for the landing field, is the rumor. No one was injured." (The Signal)
February 12, 1931: "The Richfield Beacon Station at Castaic Junction was the scene of a hold-up Wednesday morning, in which three men got about $25 of the company money, and one dollar of Jack Neilson's own money from Jack. They also had 15 gallons of gas and a quart of oil put into their car before the hold up.
The three men went into the rest room while the car was being filled, and as Jack walked into the office and turned to face the men he looked into the muzzle of a revolver. He was ordered to stand in the corner, and the leader of the three emptied the till, and then told Jack to lie down on the floor. As they started away he looked out of the window and noted the first two figures of the license plate.
At the call to the Sub-Station deputies Fitzsimmons and Pember seized their guns and hurried to the viaduct south of the tunnel. They turned the car across the road and started to check cars. Within a minute or two a car came to the bridge from the Newhall line, and Fitzsimmons and Pember flagged it, but the driver only came the faster, and apparently tried to run Pember down. With a burst of speed the car rushed down the hill, both officers letting loose with their artillery, and jumping into their car gave chase. At the turn near the Green River service station, they lost the light, and went on to San Fernando. As no car had been seen there, they came back to the curve, and found that the bandits had run the car into the bank and abandoned it, taking to the hills. The officers found the motor still running, and lights on. The numbers on the car belonged to a Ford sedan, so it was apparent that the car was a stolen one. The officers are at a loss to know how anyone escaped injury in the car, as they plainly saw three men, and the car was riddled with bullet holes and the rear window shot out." (The Signal) (The following search was without results)
1943: "The Richfield Beacon Tower at Castaic Junction, a familiar landmark to the thousands who traveled the Ridge Route Highway, was purchased and moved to the new broadcasting station site where it was re-erected as an antenna mast. This effected a considerable saving to the County over the purchase of a new mast. Early in June the initial installation of a 50 watt two-way radio transmitter, receiver, and nine two-way mobile units was completed." (Los Angeles County Department of Forester and Firewarden and Fire Protection Districts - Annual Report)