Santa Susana Ca Stage Robbery

[OmegaMan]

In the 1800?s a stagecoach was robbed near stony point. the robber was shot. He road up in to the hills and buried the gold. Then road down to his girl friends house and He told her what I told you and died. Years later after she died the info was discovered in her diary.
Does anyone know the maiden name of the woman who died and what year?

Any info on this would be appreciated
Thanks
Bill

 

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[Kentucky Kache]

Need more info.

 

[OmegaMan]

I don't know much more. It is buried close to the peak of the Santa Susanna Pass
in Los Angeles County.

There is a couple of stories that differ in some sort like the amount, one was $65.000 in gold, the other was $5,000. That is a lot of weight to carry for one person. The robber
also is said to be a ranch hand of the girl who he was involved with. He is said to be Indian
and in another story he is Mexican. There is some truth to most stories, but I do remember
reading about the woman who's diary was read after her death about this stage Robbery.

 

[ghostdog]

I have looked for that buried stage loot, I found the spring and other land marks,as well as the stage trail,and a lot of 45.70 shells. There was a old slot machine dug outta the floor of a cave in that area full of coins supposidly connected to the outlaw Murreta. I also heard of a large chest being dug up close to the popular climbeing off Topanga near the freeway. gd luck in your search

 

[OmegaMan]

I have looked for that buried stage loot, I found the spring and other land marks,as well as the stage trail,and a lot of 45.70 shells. There was a old slot machine dug outta the floor of a cave in that area full of coins supposidly connected to the outlaw Murreta. I also heard of a large chest being dug up close to the popular climbeing off Topanga near the freeway. gd luck in your search

Ghostdog
Was the spring a sulfur hot spring, or just a spring? I ask this because I have not found the sulfur spring. I have followed most streams public and private and found all kind of shells, musket balls and junk iron. I also found two places that I think the ranch might have been, but that is just a guess.

The slot machine I thought was stolen from the Pass club in the sixties. That is the place on top of the hill with the cell tower on it now. My grandfather was part owner of it until his passing in the early eighty's. I have asked about the machine to all of the family members and no one really remembers about a theft but they said there was some slots.


Thanks
Bill

 

[ghostdog]

Bill, the spring I found was dried up,above the cemetary. Also found reminents of a old cabin. Another clue is Lizard head rock, which I also located,and not to far from that I spotted a cave ,but did not have time to get to it. There is a old Army fort located on a set back ledge above the railroad tracks,but nothing left of it. The slot machine was vintage antique and had coins inside,it had been buried for a very long time,and was found about 20ft inside a cave. I found some very old mineing candles somewhere near the old fort.gd luck in your search.

 

[OmegaMan]

Bill, the spring I found was dried up,above the cemetary. Also found reminents of a old cabin. Another clue is Lizard head rock, which I also located,and not to far from that I spotted a cave ,but did not have time to get to it. There is a old Army fort located on a set back ledge above the railroad tracks,but nothing left of it. The slot machine was vintage antique and had coins inside,it had been buried for a very long time,and was found about 20ft inside a cave. I found some very old mineing candles somewhere near the old fort.gd luck in your search.

Thank you!

 

[tapoutking]

I hunt this area regularly. Let me know if you need a partner. I live in Simi.

 

[Havilah_Springs]

Hey Guys,

I'm sorry, but I just couldn't resist. This area was my main treasure hunting area for many years and I literally know the area like the back of my hand. In the 70S and 80S I was able to drive my truck to this site and I would be there almost every day as there was always something to find, especially during a rainstorm. I have found thousands of relics and artifacts all through these hills. As my age and health do not seem to want to cooperate with my desires to be a fulltime Treasure Hunter anymore, and since the area is now part of the State Park systems I have decided to share some of what I know on this location, and the “Love Loot Treasure.”

The Legend as I remember:

"The Love Loot Bandit”​

A young Mexican male was in love with a rancher’s daughter, so much so that he approached her father to ask for her hand in marriage. He was denied on the basis that he was a poor ranch hand and could not support the rancher’s daughter to the satisfaction of the father. The young man was determined to marry his sweetheart and thought a way to get enough money to satisfy the rancher. He plotted to rob a stage that ran through the pass near where he lived, and then run off and marry the girl.

A Butterfield Stage full of miners from up North (California) was headed to Los Angeles when, near the top of the Santa Susana Pass, near the point now known as the Devil’s Slide, the stage stopped as usual to allow the passengers to debark the stage and walk past this dangerous point in the road. The young bandit was aware of this practice and quickly took advantage of it. He stopped the stage and the passengers at this choke point in the road. The bandit demanded that everyone throw their weapons over the embankment and place all of their valuables in his saddle bags along with the contents of the strong box. As the bandit was struggling to place his bags on his horse, a passenger pulled a pistol out of his boot and shot the bandit in the back. Although gravely wounded, the bandit was able to mount his horse and ride off in the opposite direction of the stage knowing that the stage could not turn around at this point in the road. The bandit knew that the stage station was only a half mile or so from this point and help would rapidly be on him so he rode off hard and fast to a spring that he knew of to rest and recover from his wound.
The bandit rested at the spring until dark, and knowing his wound was serious had decided to ride to his girlfriend for help. Before riding out and knowing he could make better time without the weight of his recently acquired fortune he decided to bury the loot at the spring. He split the saddle bags in two and buried one half on each side of the spring, then rode off.

While in his girlfriend’s arms the bandit explained what he had done, then died in her arms. The girl wrote these events down in her diary, but never said a word to anyone. It wasn’t until the girl passed away in her old age that her diary was read and the story of the Love Loot was discovered.

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Devil’s Slide heading down into Chatsworth​

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Placard halfway down from the pass​

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Groove carved with pick by hand for a more stable ride​

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Stage Station was by the little red arrow below the “C” in Chatsworth​

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North / East corner of stage station​

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West foundation wall​

More to follow,

H_S

 

[Havilah_Springs]

Here are more photos of the Chatsworth Stage Station:

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Rocks in center are part of the foundation of the stage station​

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View looking N/E from stage station, Chatsworth in the background​

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Cistern / Well near station​

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Top of wall at cistern, 20’ in diameter​

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Inside cistern (4’ of exposed wall)​

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The stage station was perimetered with Olive trees​

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Aerial View of Chatsworth Stage Station​

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Butterfield Stage route through the Santa Susana Pass​

There is a great amount of history at this site from Early Horizon Culture, Chumash, Butterfield Stage Line, a Chinese camp, to a Depression Period encampment. Chatsworth Park South used to be a rock quarry for the breakwaters in San Pedro before it was discovered that the sandstone desolved in saltwater.

I have more photos to post, but I will wait a bit as this old fart needs a nap. Hope you enjoyed.

H_S

 

[tapoutking]

Great info HS. I live in Simi and up there trampsing around occasionally. Do you know the history of the house that sat up on a bluff near Topanga that burnt down a few years ago?

Also, would the spring be in the modern day pass?

 

[Havilah_Springs]

Hey tapoutking,

Not sure which house you are referring to

I believe the spring to be North of the pass and on a level contour as a wounded man on a horse could not travel very easy up or down those slopes. There are springs and water at the bottom of the pass, but I think this is too far down. I know of an old spring that I discovered on an old topo that I think fits the criteria. Wanna go?

H_S

 

[Havilah_Springs]

Well, here are a couple more photos from the area. These are not related to the stage station, but are of interest. This whole area was a Native American village at one time and the stage station was built right on top of a giant shell midden. Not far from this site there was a Chinese camp from when the Santa Susana train tunnel was excavated. After this the entire area was a giant rock quarry, and the rocks were shipped to San Pedro to build the breakwaters until it was discovered that the sandstone dissolved in the sea water. At one time there were two rail lines that ran where Devonshire St. runs into Chatsworth Park South. The rails made a loop where the lawn area of the park is now, and this is where the rocks were loaded onto the trains. At the entrance to the park there still stands an old switch house made of the same stone. During the Great Depression, an encampment sprang up here and some old dump sites can still be found. In later years there was a "Pay to Fish" pond, Palmer's Lake which stood at where the back end of the park is now. I used to ride my bicycle from Simi Valley (Santa Susana back then) to the pond and fish it when I was a kid. Back then it was already abandoned. There was also a skeet range where the park lawn is now. This is one reason that this park is closed now, the soil is too contaminated with lead to be safe. Okay I will shut up and put the last of the photos up.

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Native American, Bedrock Mortars​

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C.II, May 9/27​

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Same Date, But Highlighted​

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Native American Pictographs​

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Mined Rocks Waiting for Train Ride​

Well, that is it for now.

H_S

 

[OmegaMan]

H S, you are a good Man and a Plethora of knowledge. Thanks.

 

[OmegaMan]

Great info HS. I live in Simi and up there trampsing around occasionally. Do you know the history of the house that sat up on a bluff near Topanga that burnt down a few years ago?

Also, would the spring be in the modern day pass?

I remember reading somewhere that it was some stars home in the 50s or something like that.
If we are thinking of the same house. Is that the one where the gate was done in stone? I found a Spanish Real down the hill from it.

 

[jdubau]

Hello Ghostdog, I was wondering if you could elaborate on the location of the dried up spring that you found above the cemetery and lizard head rock too... I have not had to much luck in finding either of them...

 

[Havilah_Springs]

Hey Everyone,

I am wanting to make one last attempt to locate the "Love Loot Treasure." Is there anyone out there who would want to team up and go get it? I am thinking some time around the first of the year. New Years Day has always been a Treasure Hunting day for me, and I am trying to plan ahead. Just let me know.

H_S

 

[tapoutking]

I don't know if I could do New Years day but I would love to join you!

My email is [email protected]

Mike

 

[Havilah_Springs]

Hey Guys,

Here are the last of the photos that I have for the Santa Susana Pass:

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1857 DATE CARVED IN ROCK LOOKOUT​

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VIEW FROM LOOKOUT
This is Simi Valley in the background. From this vantage point a bandit could see the dust of the stagecoach coming for miles away​

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VIEW FROM LOOKOUT, LOOKING TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE PASS​

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ROCK LEDGE WITH DATE​

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FULL VIEW OF LOOKOUT​

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POSSIBLE HIDEOUT, 1 MILE AWAY FROM LOOKOUT​

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SECOND VIEW OF HIDEOUT. CEMENT MORTAR MATCHES THAT OF THE STAGE STATION​

The Lookout is the spot marked as #9 on the map above.

Hope you enjoyed,

H_S

 

[motell6]

Mr. Havealah springs, I used to be ghostdog, anyways lets move to the questions you have, in the dried up cistron I found a buried copper bar, Lizard head rock is discernable,you really can"t miss it,keep looking for a rock balanced on top a thin collum, I also found lots of old pottery pieces near castle rock, had a email years about a cave with a 1813 date carved inside it and other imfo, it is really strange near Lizard head rock,I had my nerves unravel and took off, maybe a mountain lion family in area.Found a few 4570 shells,and very early shotgun shells.Also found a area where I thought witchcraft may have been practiced. I believe the spring is mostly dried up,near a cave that is covered with trees,so I cant tell you how to find it is under foilage.I would like to go back myself oneday,with a good ground penatrater.