Lang Station Photos

Many of the photos here are from the scvhistory website (used by permission). I have provided links to them. There is usually a more complete description there. There is also more information about Lang Station. I recommend a look there.

The position of the "Lang" sign can roughly date the photos. Before about 1940, there were two signs, one on each side of the station. After that, there was only one sign and it was located on the roof. Also, the stairs on the south side of the building were constructed no earlier than 1947. There was no door there, the stairs were just used to access a window air conditioner. They became affordable starting in about 1947 and popular starting in the 1950s. Another later dating device is that around 1960, there were two utility poles next to the south side of the station. The shorter one nearer the tracks had two crossbeams. The taller one had no crossbeams.

The oldest known photo of Lang Station depot, 1888. Shown is the one-story depot and, on the opposite side of the tracks a water tank in a square building. Early railroad water tanks were sometimes enclosed in square buildings. The square-shaped structure typically housed the tank and a pumping station, providing protection from the elements, especially in colder climates. The spout on the side of the building is a dead give-a-way that there is water tank inside. (Here is an 1957 example from Saltillo, Pennsylvania.) We cannot tell whether the depot was on the Santa Clara River side of the tracks or not. It was built in 1888 and burned down in 1888. This photo is also shown in the book Railroading through the Antelope Valley, by Phil Serpico, Omni Publications, Palmdale, Ca., 2000, p. 66. There it was stated that, after the fire, operations were transfered to the section house, which evidently survived the fire. The section house/depot would remain as one until the building was demolished in (probably) 1968. The dimensions of the section house were 16ft x 30ft with a lean-to of 12ft x 16ft on the backside.

Photo from the Roy D. Graves Pictorial Collection, BANC PIC 1905.17500--ALB, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

September 5, 1926. "Wedding of the rails." 50th anniversery of the 1876 golden spike ceremony when the railroad tracks from the north were joined with the tracks from the south. Note that the "Lang" sign is on the side of the building. California Historical Society Collection, USC Libraries Special Collections

The actual joining of the rails was not done right in front of Lang Station but a couple hundred of yards to the north. This panorama view came from the Southern Pacific Bulletin of October of 1926. You can just see the corner of the station at the far left under the arrow. The golden spike ceremony is in the circle. A larger version of the photo can be seen here.

John Lang's two living sons, John Broderick Lang and James Griffin Lang, were at the 1926 ceremony. Of Lang's six children, only these two were still alive in 1926. James would die in 1927 and John B. in 1931. Photo also from the Southern Pacific Bulletin of October of 1926.

From "Tom Mitchell of the Soledad", by Richard F. Mitchell, 2002. Online copy at the SCVHistory website.

ca. 1920's. From the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society. Used with permission.

Scene from the 1934 John Wayne movie The Lucky Texan. Most of the movie was filmed in 1933. It was released on January 22, 1934. Directed and written by Robert N. Bradbury. Stars were John Wayne, Barbara Sheldon, George "Gabby" Hayes, Yakima Canutt. Restored, colorized, and renamed Gold Strike River in 2006 by Lone Star Productions, which is where this still was taken.

Lang Station, 1936. (California State University, Dominguez Hills; Judson Grenier Photograph Collection; Historical Places and Sites in Los Angeles County, 1870s-1970s)

Lang Station, late 1930's. Note that there are no stairs to the second floor air conditioner here. From the Roy D. Graves Pictorial Collection, BANC PIC 1905.17500--ALB, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Lang Station, no earlier than 1947. Caption should probably say circa 1950. First photo to show "Lang" sign on top instead of on the side of the building. Also, the stairs to the second floor have now been built for access to a window air conditioner, not affordable until 1947 and popular starting in the 1950's. From Brand Book No. 15, 1978, The Westerners, Los Angeles Corral, Glendale, California, p. 65, Raymund F. Wood Collection.

Probably in the 1950's. It was claimed to be ca. 1927, but that is impossible based on the position of the "Lang" sign and the stairs on the left of the building. Plus, if you look at the above 1926 photos, there is a large tree just to the left of the station. On this photo, that tree is missing. From the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society. Used with permission.

From the Los Angeles Times of February 27, 1955. The spike was driven in 1876 not 1875. There is no air condition at the top of the stairs.

From the North Hollywood Valley Times of July 3, 1956.

Claimed on the SCVHistory site as 1958, but I don't see the June, 1957, monument, so probably early 1957 (or 1956). From the scvhistory website. Used with permission.

ca. 1958. The window air conditioner at the top of the stairs is there. Also, there is another air conditioner to the left of the stairs on its own raised platform. This is new. From the scvhistory website. Used with permission.

ca. 1958. I think the the stone monument of June of 1957 is just out of view. From the scvhistory website. Used with permission.

ca. 1958. Note how near the stone monument is just past the end of the picket fence. From the scvhistory website. Used with permission.

Late 1950s. Note the two utility poles at the end of the station. The one on the left is taller than the one on the right. All the following photos of the station have these two poles (unless the photo orientation would not show them). Lang Station, Lee Gustafson Collection, MS 755, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California..

From the Newhall Signal of March 23, 1961. Caption: "Mrs. Murphy stands in front of the old Lang Station - where as a little girl, she sometimes stood to see folks from the City de-training for Lang's resort. At left center, Walter Murphy stands before the monument and plaque of California Registered Historic Landmark No. 590, commemorating the driving of the Golden Spike. To the left of the big tree, beyond Mr. Murphy, the writer [A.B. Perkings] stands by the foundation of the old Lang Hotel, of 1870's." Again, note how close the stone monument is to the end of the picket fence. The two utility poles at the south end of the station can also be seen.

From the Torrance Daily Breeze of March 27, 1962.

June 10, 1962. From the California State Railroad Museum, CSRM Negative Collection, Powell (Chuck) Photography Collection.

June 10, 1962. From the California State Railroad Museum, CSRM Negative Collection, Powell (Chuck) Photography Collection.

June 10, 1962. From the California State Railroad Museum, CSRM Negative Collection, Powell (Chuck) Photography Collection.

From the Van Nuys News of December 27, 1966.

Photo taken by Mel Johnson in the 1960s. Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, Mel Johnson Collection. Used with permission..

View of the rear and south side of the station. Photo taken by Mel Johnson in the 1960s. Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, Mel Johnson Collection. Used with permission..

Photo taken by Mel Johnson in the 1960s. Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, Mel Johnson Collection. Used with permission..

Two storage buildings just north of the station. Photo taken by Mel Johnson in the 1960s. Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, Mel Johnson Collection. Used with permission..

"The Lang operator returns from hanging out train orders for the mid-day westbound freight. Photo taken May 20, 1967." Van W. Best photo from Railroading through the Antelope Valley, Phil Serpico, Omni Publications, Palmdale, Ca., 2000, p. 92. This is an excellant book to check out..

Here is the "Lang operator" from the previous photo. Her name was Gladys Hicks. The image on the left is the only known photo taken from inside of the station. From the Los Angeles Times of February 10, 1967.

1968. Lang Station, Lee Gustafson Collection, MS 755, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California..

1968. Lang Station, Lee Gustafson Collection, MS 755, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California..

1968. Lang Station, Lee Gustafson Collection, MS 755, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California..

Lang Station without the "Lang" sign. The station was closed and probably would be demolished within a year. This might be the last photo of Lang Station before it was removed. Taken in 1968 by James Krause. From the scvhistory website. Used with permission.

This is the 1957 monument in its original position near the station. The view is towards the Santa Clara river bed with the railroad tracks to the rear. Photo taken by James Krause in 1968. From the scvhistory website. Used with permission.

"Lang Southern Pacific Station
On September 5, 1876, Charles Crocker President, Southern Pacific Railroad, drove a gold spike here to complete his company's San Joaquin Valley line, first rail connection of Los Angeles with San Francisco and Transcontinental Lines.
Registered Historical Landmark No. 590
Plaque placed by California State Park Commission in cooperation with Historical Society of Southern California. June 15, 1957."

Sometime between 1968 and 1976, the stone monument was moved from its original position south down the railroad tracks just past their intersection with Lang Station Road, a distance of about 1/4 of a mile. Here it is in its new position. Note that you are now facing the tracks when you read it. The Santa Clara river bed is to my back. This is the opposite direction the plaque was originally facing. (Photo by me 8/3/2025)

View towards the southwest. (8/3/2025)

View view towards the northeast. (8/3/2025)