SIMI VALLEY : New Book Details History of the Area

When the Lone Ranger heartily exclaimed “Hi-Yo Silver,” it was away into the Simi Valley Hills that he galloped.

When Roy Rogers and Dale Evans sang “Happy Trails to You,” it was in the Santa Susana Mountains that they clip-clopped along.

These are some of the tidbits that Simi Valley resident and free-lance writer Linda Aleahmad has included in her recently published book, “Simi Valley: Toward New Horizons. An Illustrated History.”

The book documents Simi Valley’s rise from a small farming community to a modern business center, one that next year will see the opening of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

“Simi Valley has a very special quality all its own,” said Aleahmad, who spent the past 18 months researching and writing the book.

“There are over 100,000 people here, but it still has a small town feel to it.”

Several pages in Aleahmad’s book are devoted to Simi Valley’s rich movie-making history.

Since 1937, the rock-studded hills at the east end of the city have served as a backdrop for thousands of shoot-’em-up Westerns.

The book makes particular mention of the movie ranch once owned by the late Hollywood stuntman Ray “Crash” Corrigan. Although the ranch, known as Corriganville, was destroyed in a fire in 1965, efforts are now under way to rebuild it.

Aleahmad, a member of the Simi Valley Historical Society who has lived in Simi Valley for 20 years, said she does not consider her book to be a strict historical account of the area.

“I don’t think I would call it a history book,” she said. “It’s more of an overview of the development of the valley.”

The book, which will be distributed nationwide, was published by Chatsworth-based Windsor Publications Inc. in cooperation with the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Nancy Bender, executive director of the chamber, said the book was her idea and that she had suggested that Aleahmad write it.

As a result, one chapter in the book is devoted to Simi Valley’s business community and titled, “Partners in Progress.”

The businesses that are mentioned helped pay for the book’s publication.

Bender said she is happy with the way the book turned out.

She said that the opening of the Reagan Library late next year will mean that people will want to know more about Simi Valley.

“It’s a beautiful product to market our community,” she said.