City to celebrate La Puerta designation

News release

The city of Santa Clarita invites the community to celebrate the official designation of La Puerta as a California Point of Historical Interest on Tuesday. 

The event is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot of Whitney Canyon Park, 20303 Newhall Ave. While the original location of La Puerta lies approximately 3.3 miles southwest of the park along a rugged trail, the ceremony will be held at a more accessible location to encourage community participation.  

La Puerta, meaning “The Door,” was once a narrow, natural passageway in Elsmere Canyon that served for thousands of years as the principal gateway into the Santa Clarita Valley, linking Indigenous trade routes between the Pacific Coast, the Mojave Desert and the San Joaquin Valley.  

The site is closely tied to the Tataviam village of Tochonanga, the 1769 Portolá Expedition and later historic milestones including El Camino Viejo, Rancho-era boundaries and early transportation routes that evolved into Beale’s Cut, Sierra Highway and today’s State Route 14. 

On Aug. 8, 2025, the State Historical Resources Commission officially designated La Puerta as a California Point of Historical Interest. By pure coincidence, Aug. 8, 1769, was the day the Portola Expedition arrived at La Puerta.  

The city plans to enhance public access through a future hiking trail and signage, including additional markers placed near the historic site itself.  

“By commemorating this historic doorway, the city honors the generations who shaped the Santa Clarita Valley and reaffirms its commitment to environmental stewardship and cultural preservation,” said a news release from the city.  

To RSVP for the ceremony, contact Diana Rodriguez at 661-255-4939 or drodriguez2@santaclarita.gov.  

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