I’ve discovered a few things that really shouldn’t shock me. Some folks think Valencia is a city all by itself, and that the term “Awesometown” was foisted upon us by the City Council of that city.

As it happens, Valencia isn’t a separate city but only a part of the city of Santa Clarita. The insanely poor choice of the term, “Awesometown,” is a moniker given Valencia by a company that sells property in Valencia. I hate the term.

Of course, many of us members of the “old guard” here in the SCV have never much liked the name, “Valencia.” When it was conceived in the mid-1960s, many thought it odd that a new, planned community was to be named after a somewhat thick-skinned orange. It was a good laugh at the time.

In planning the new development, the early sketches showed high-rise buildings sitting on the ridge tops along what is now Rockwell and Tourney. I guess those would have been apartment buildings.

If you’ve ever been to the Hawaiian Islands, you can see tall buildings like those envisioned on the Island of Oahu near Pearl City and in the Salt Lake area, too – stark and squared-off buildings with row upon row of windows climbing skyward and destroying the natural ridgelines in endless expressions of ugly.

Original plan for Valencia: Hilltop high rises surrounded by open space.

We didn’t get that treatment in Valencia, but does it really deserve to by called “Awesome?”

Just about any place in the SCV you’ll find “awesome” places and better yet, “awesome” people. We’re proud of each and every community of this valley.

There are homes in Canyon Country that have views taking in the entire sweep of this valley. Magical vistas that let those lucky people see just about all that is happening below.

Other parts of our valley have lakes and ponds with pathways and bridges that soothe the soul and help the residents feed the ducks, too.

Our schools are among the best, and most of the kids attending them are high achievers in academics, sports, music and the arts. We are a community that thinks. Also a community that isn’t afraid to tell you just what it is thinking. All good, I’m sure.

I’ve written too much of our problems and not enough of the good people, places and things that are right here in our little part of the world. I’m tired of billboards, “Awesometown” slogans, roundabouts, red-light cameras, traffic, DUI checkpoints and all of the other negative junk that happens to obscure the real SCV.

There was a time when I was learning to drive here, before there was a Valencia and even a Canyon Country, that we had few tree-lined streets. Summer heat baked us all, and very few of our cars had air conditioning.

The smell of the onion fields and stockyards to the west of Newhall and Saugus could overpower you. A drive up Bouquet Canyon had other wonderful odors from the likes of hogs and turkeys and more cattle and sheep.

I too often lament the loss what has passed, but I cannot help loving what has replaced the hot and dusty, treeless flats.

I really think there has been a change in climate. It seems more humid, but the shade is so very welcome. I love the change.

Today about the only time you’ll see a horse on Main Street is for the parade on the Fourth of July. It wasn’t unusual for some of us kids to ride to town and see friends who lived “in town.”

We are, for the most part, a kind and gentle folk here in our valley. Except today. So I want to apologize to those who took offense to what I wrote yesterday. All I was saying is that sometimes we leave too many lights on. I was also trying to say that the term, “Awesome” is from “Valley girl speak,” which is better left in the area to our south. I will admit my mistake and carry on.

Once in a while in my daily writings, I can get a little carried away. It isn’t easy to do this, and if anyone wants to try a daily gig like this, I’m sure you’d do well.

Of course you would.

You’re in the SCV, and we’re all awesome … usually.

Darryl Manzer grew up in the Pico Canyon oil town of Mentryville in the 1960s and attended Hart High School. After a career in the U.S. Navy he returned to live in the Santa Clarita Valley. He can be reached at dmanzer@scvhistory.com and his commentaries  are archived at DManzer.com. Watch his walking tour of Mentryville [here].