Ice pick from Newhall Ice Co., 8.5 inches. Made sometime between July 1, 1963 (when 5-digit ZIP codes were introduced), and Feb. 13, 1999 (when 661 replaced 805 as the SCV's area code).

Imprint reads:

Newhall Ice Co / 22502 Fifth St. / Newhall, CA 91321

PH: 805-259-0893 / 5th & San Fernando Rd.

Dry Ice - Block - Crushed - Party Ice

"Ice When You Need It"

According to local tradition: Either A) Newhall Ice Co. started in 1905 or 1906 at its current location in downtown Newhall, 22502 and 22510 5th Street; or B) The company was started around 1906 and made deliveries prior to establishing a permanent location (its current building) in the early 1920s. It's unclear who started the company or where it operated, if not at its current location.

According to the L.A. County Assessor: A 1,380-square-foot commercial building was erected on the property (22502/22510 5th Street) in 1922, and a second, 1,680-square-foot building was added in 1968.

According to the city of Santa Clarita: The principal (first) structure "was built in 1922 by Fred Lamkin as a warehouse and storage yard. Lamkin came to Newhall in 1917 and opened a garage facing San Fernando Road. Shortly after construction the warehouse was converted into a icehouse which is still in operation." Anecdotal information was provided to the city by the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society. Lamkin was the local Chevrolet dealer.

The city of Santa Clarita's historic preservation ordinance applies to the Newhall Ice Co. structures. The city describes them here as follows: "The property contains a one-story industrial building with a rectangular plan and wood-frame construction. Vernacular in style, it has a medium pitch front-gable roof with overhanging eaves and corrugated metal cladding. The exterior walls are clad with woodlap siding. The primary facade displays two doorway openings with original wood doors at a loading dock area. A later addition clad in painted stucco was constructed at the rear of the building. The fenestration consists of both original and non-original windows throughout the building. The building site features an outdoor work area and parking lot to the southeast. The building is in good condition. Its integrity is fair."

According to Patte Dee McKee: Her grandfather, Everett Jones, came to Newhall from Indiana in 1925 and identified a need for a steady supply of ice to keep produce fresh. So he recruited his brother, Wallace Jones, also of Indiana, to come to Newhall and start an ice house. (See story by McKee.)