The descendants of Henry Mayo Newhall and their family foundation were the center of attention Saturday night at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles as they were honored by College of the Canyons and its foundation with the 2015 COC Silver Spur Award for Community Service.

Now in its 25th year, the award – literally a pair of silver spurs – honors individuals who’ve supported the college and made positive contributions to the Santa Clarita Valley through the years.

Newhall family members at the Autry

This was the first time the award was presented to a whole family, said COC Chancellor Dianne G. Van Hook.

It was a fitting tribute for the heirs of a man who put his surname on the map in the 1870s. Following the patriarch’s death in 1882, his widow and five sons formed The Newhall Land and Farming Co. in 1883 and, over the next century, transformed much of the Santa Clarita Valley into what it is today.

In the 1960s, Henry Newhall’s descendants formed a family foundation which would give millions of dollars to charitable organizations – especially education and health-related agencies – that serve the community they helped build.

One of the institutions they’ve funded over the years is College of the Canyons.

Newhall family friend John Boston (lower right) conducts a benefit auction.

The H.M. Newhall Foundation was among the first contributors to the University Center at COC, which opened in 2009 and since that time has seen 3,000 local residents earn 4-year bachelor’s and master’s degrees on the 2-year community college campus.

Most recently, the Newhall Foundation funded part of the College of the Canyons Institute for Culinary Education, which opened earlier this year.

“By investing in organizations that help others,” Van Hook said in a statement, “they have truly built this community from the inside out, ensuring that Santa Clarita is a place characterized by compassion, hope, and the opportunity for all individuals to reach their full potential.”

Skip Newhall (left) and brother Tony Newhall with an auction warm-up item.

Past recipients of the COC Silver Spur Award.