History Of Santa Clarita Valley, CA #11

The Frank Walker Family of Placerita Canyon
The Walkers and their extended family have experienced many "firsts" and "lasts" on land that is now part of the 1,310-acre planned community of Golden Valley Ranch, in an unincorporated section of the valley. The developer is seeking to annex the project area into the city of Santa Clarita. The area's first homestead — the foundation and columns are still visible just yards from Placerita Canyon Road — was built by Frank Evans Walker.
Among the "lasts," the Walkers were the last family to live in Placerita.
Melba Fisher, born in 1916 was one of 11 children of Frank and Hortense Walker. They were known as “The Walker Clan”.
In the late 1930s the family moved permanently into the summer cabin, which had two main rooms and separate sleeping cabins for the 11 Walker kids.
In 1918, the original Walker house burned down and the family moved down the canyon to a cabin now at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center. They had two homes, a winter cabin and a summer cabin. The winter home was needed because the road near the summer home was impassible in the winter. In the late 1930s the family moved permanently into the summer cabin, which had two main rooms and separate sleeping cabins for the 11 Walker kids. The summer home was located on what is now known as the Walker Ranch Section of the state park. The main house and the adjoining bunkhouses were demolished to make room for campgrounds at the state park.
Frank Walker's parents, William Raymond Walker and Rosa Belle Evans, had mining concerns on the present Golden Valley Ranch site. All current records indicate the couple lived somewhere in Los Angeles. It was not until their son, Frank Walker, built the original house on the homestead that the family legacy began in Placerita Canyon. Hortense Victoria Reynier's parents were Jean Joseph Reynier and Hortense Sambien. Jean Joseph Reynier came over from France around the 1860s, according to Melba Fisher.Hortense Victoria REYNIER was born 11 OCT 1885 in Newhall, Los Angeles Co., CA and passed away 13 APR 1931 in San Fernando, Los Angeles Co., CA of tuberculos mengesti in San Fernando Hospital. She was buried 16 APR 1931 Calvary Cemetery, San Fernando, CA. She was the daughter of Jean Joseph REYNIER and Josephine Emma SAMBIEN. She married Frank Evans WALKER 19 JUN 1907 in Los Angeles, CA.The couple had twelve children: Irene Hortense, Clarence F., Helen Louise, Edward William, Frances Isabelle, Melba Josephine, Charles Albert, Raymond Evans, Hortense Goldie, Frank Robert, Thomas Glenn, unknown Walker.



The Walker Family of Santa Clarita

First Cabin on Placerita Canyon Road

What's left of that first cabin

Hortense Walker's headstone in Calvary Cemetery

San Fernando, CA

Cabin #2


Unfinished last cabin. Never finished after

Hortense died.