St. Francis Dam Disaster
Commemorative activities throughout March 2018 will mark the 90th anniversary of the St.
Francis Dam Disaster. The collapse of the St. Francis Dam and resulting flood on March 12-
13, 1928, had a major impact on the Santa Clara River Valley. it resulted in the second
highest death toll in California history due to a disaster. In addition to the loss of life, there
was extensive property damage and loss.
Communities along the flood path... Santa Clarita, Rancho Camulos, Piru, Fillmore, Santa
Paula, and Ventura will hold public activities throughout the month, to understand the causes
of the disaster, honor the dead, commemorate the survivors, and reflect on the response
and resiliency of the people living in the Santa Clara River Valley when the flood swept
through the area. This commemoration is also to put it in to historical context and consider
its present-day relevancy.
When the 80th anniversary of the dam collapse was commemorated ten years ago, there
were still quite a few survivors. As the result of efforts by local historians, such as Leon
Worden and Phil Scorsa, these memories were preserved. They and other researchers over
the years have contributed to the large volume of material about the construction of the dam,
its failure, and the resulting flood. Extensive information including text, photographs, and film
can be found on the Santa Clarita Valley History website. Charles Outland, a Santa Paula
historian, wrote the first comprehensive book on the disaster. Others followed. Several were
published in the last few years. Whether looked at from the angle of Engineer William
Mulholland's role, engineering failure, or geological predestination, it continues to be a topic
of interest. It is always the human stories that are most compelling ... how one house or
family was saved while nearby, others perished. How some slept as floodwaters surged a
few yards away, while others rode through the streets sounding the alarm enabling many
residents to escape.
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OUR VALLEY SANTA CLARITA