The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society will present a tour of the St. Francis Dam site on Saturday, March 14, 2015.

The failure of the St. Francis Dam on March 12, 1928, the second-worst disaster in the history of California, and America’s biggest civil engineering failure of the 20th Century, killed an estimated 431 people from Saugus to the sea.

The break and subsequent flood leveled farms and homesteads, destroyed property and livestock and changed the way dam safety was addressed forevermore.

The tour will begin with a short presentation about the disaster at 11 a.m. The talk will be held at the Saugus Train Station at Heritage Junction within William S. Hart Park, a unit of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation System, 24101 Newhall Avenue, in Newhall, California.

At noon, ticketed passengers will board a motor coach at Heritage Junction for a trip up to the dam site in San Francisquito Canyon and a hike to the dam ruins.

Frank Rock

St. Francis Dam expert Frank Rock, who has been featured on the History Channel, the Discovery Channel and local television, will conduct the lecture and tour. Tickets are $35 per person for all ages and include snacks and bus transportation. Funds raised will benefit programs of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society.

Participants should wear long pants and comfortable hiking shoes. Water will be provided.

Tickets may be reserved by calling 661-254-1275 with credit card and contact information or by mailing your ticket order to P.O. Box 221925, Newhall, CA 91322-1925. Mail orders must be received no later than March 7.

Because this tour is a popular fund-raiser, it is impossible to guarantee that seats will be available for purchase on the day of the tour. Order tickets today.