Val Verde Resident Ensures History is Remembered

Lifelong Val Verde resident Tim Williams is working to make sure his community and its storied past is not forgotten. Retired from a career with the U.S. Postal Service and currently serving as a member of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society’s Advisory Board, his interest in history has deep roots that go right to his home in the center of town.
“I’m finding so much going through my mother’s stuff,” Williams said. His late mother was active with civic groups and saved everything, giving him a good start on a collection of photographs and newspaper clippings of community events over the last several decades.
He’s guessing that there are more families finding similar artifacts in their homes and looks forward to when the collection can be showcased, highlighting Val Verde’s time in the California spotlight.
In 2018, Williams and Pastor Leticia Smith of the AME Church started brainstorming ideas for an event to commemorate Black history. The conversation kept focusing on local history, resulting in the 2020 establishment of the Val Verde Historical Society.
The group’s mission statement says it all. “Dedicated to preserve, collect, research, interpret and restore historical information, items, buildings of Val Verde, California’s famed resort community established for Black People at a time when they were barred from many public recreational areas.”
While a historic survey has not yet been completed, the Val Verde Community Center and nearby pool date back to 1929 and 1939, respectively. Williams thinks that’s a good starting point. He’s started collecting recollections from longtime residents to help tell the whole story of the area.
“I’ve been interviewing people about their Val Verde journey,” Williams explained, “and I’ve talked with people at the state to see if this can become a Point of (Historical) Interest.”
Val Verde, located northwest of Santa Clarita, was known as the “Black Palm Springs” in the 1930s and 40s, an oasis for recreation free from the racism experienced in other parts of the southland. Los Angeles County officials built the recreation center and a swimming pool and resort cabins sprung up around the hillsides dotted with palm trees and coastal oaks.
Entertainers such as Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney, and Florence LaRue performed at the Community Center. Jackie Robinson visited youth teams on the local diamond and Hattie McDaniel presided over the keystone ceremony at the pool’s dedication.
The area has been getting some attention lately. In 2021, he worked with a student working on her college thesis on the history of the area and he recently met three young filmmakers, one a former resident and lifeguard at the pool, who are working on a documentary about Val Verde as its centennial approaches.
The group’s website, www.valverdehistory.org is full of information, photographs and event announcements. A Juneteenth celebration is planned for the park around the Community Center on Saturday, June 22; and recognition of Val Verde’s Centennial is proposed for August. Check www.valverdehistory.org for updates.
Donations of memorabilia, artifacts or financial support are welcome. The VVHS is a 501.c.3 nonprofit organization. Anyone interested in helping the VVHS move forward is invited to contact Williams at info@valverdehistory.org.

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