Native Americans and the West San Fernando Valley Limekiln

The limestone processing industry was the first non-agricultural industry in the west San Fernando Valley. Dating from ca. 1800, the Bell Canyon lime kilns are the oldest extant structures in the San Fernando Valley- older than even the Spanish-founded Mission San Fernando buildings.

Remarkably, it was the Native American/French Basque community who continued to develop and operate the kilns, through the last half of the 19th Century and well into the 20th Century. This presentation discusses the west valley limestone industry, the various kiln operations, and the native/mixed race community who managed and worked the lime deposits.