I’ve a favor to ask. It’s not for me, rather, our valley. I’m asking the city of Santa Clarita to make a permanent and appropriate gesture. Starting summer of 2027, on June 23 — every June 23 — I’m requesting that you dear public servants fly our flags at half-mast. 

The 23rd of June was three days ago. As it’s been now for years, that day passes without much, if any, notice. It was a Sunday, 11:30 p.m., 1946, when one of American history’s most influential people died. 

My own prejudice? Although we’re much better than most communities, we still do a pretty poor job of handing down our local cultural identity from one generation to the next. I’d bet most people in our valley couldn’t tell you who was William S. Hart. A few might offer that there’s a park, high school and district named after him and he was some sort of cowboy, possibly having something to do with real old corny black-and-white movies. 

Funny the things you take for granted. I went to Hart High. Possibly, I may have graduated. I can’t recall a passing sentence from anyone in the faculty ever mentioning who this stern-looking thespian in the 90-gallon hat was or why they named a school after the guy. 

The planet was still smoldering from World War II when the millionaire actor and cowboy who lived in that great mansion on the hill overlooking the valley took his final breath. Bedridden, he had left his hilltop retreat the Wednesday before and was transported to California Lutheran........

© Santa Clarita Valley Signal