It may come a surprise to Sunland/Tujunga locals that mining is a part of this area’s rich history. In fact, Rancho Tujunga, is directly connected to the first discovery of gold in California. Long before the cry of gold was heard on Sutter’s Mill in Northern California, stories were told of the yellow flakes being found on property near Saugus that was once owned by Mission San Fernando. This was in 1834 during California’s Mexican period. Small shipments of gold were being made to New England during the days of hide and tallow trade. The Indians apparently brought gold to the old mission. It was believed that the padres were secretly mining the gold, and hiding it on the mission grounds. By 1840 or 1841, an Indian, named Rogerio, supposedly found gold in Little Tujunga Canyon.
