The History of Eighth & Rail: From 1878 Saloon to Modern Pub
If you're looking for the story behind Eighth & Rail in Newhall, California, here it is: a historic saloon dating back to 1878, reportedly holding Los Angeles County's first liquor license, reborn as a modern gastropub at 22505 8th St. Today it's owned by Kerry Malony, Frankie Gunn, and Louise Castaldo, and it's one of Old Town Newhall's most beloved gathering spots.
A Saloon Since 1878
Long before Newhall had its current main street, before the boutiques and tasting rooms, there was Derrick's Saloon. Founded in 1878, it served railroad workers, ranchers, and travelers passing through what was then a rough and tumble frontier town.
Local history holds that Derrick's carried Los Angeles County's very first liquor license. Whether or not the paperwork survives to prove it, the claim tells you everything about how deep this building's roots go. The railroad built Newhall, and the saloon kept it watered.
The Railroad Era
The name "Eighth & Rail" isn't a branding exercise. It's geography and heritage. The pub sits steps from the railroad tracks that defined Newhall's identity in the late 1800s. The Southern Pacific line turned a dusty settlement into a real town, and the saloons along its path became the town's living rooms.
In those days, a saloon was more than a bar. It was where deals were struck, news traveled, and newcomers got their bearings. Derrick's would have seen all of it: the boom years, the busts, the slow transformation of a railroad stop into a community.
Walk into Eighth & Rail today and you'll still feel that history. Warm Edison lighting, rustic wood finishes, and a design that nods to the railroad days without feeling like a museum. It's history you can drink in.
Surviving the Decades
Few buildings in the Santa Clarita Valley can claim a continuous story stretching back nearly 150 years. The saloon weathered Prohibition, the Great Depression, and the valley's transformation from ranchland to suburb. Each era left its mark, and each new generation of owners added a chapter.
By the time Old Town Newhall began its modern revival, with antique shops, restaurants, and nightlife breathing new life into Main Street and its surroundings, the old saloon building was ready for its next act.
Rebirth as a Modern Gastropub
Under owners Kerry Malony, Frankie Gunn, and Louise Castaldo, the historic space became something new: a 21 and over gastropub that's equal parts neighborhood bar, live venue, and restaurant.
The food goes well beyond typical bar fare. The kitchen serves panini style sandwiches on naan, with the Triple Threat as the signature order, alongside a menu built for lingering over another round. Behind the bar: 14 draft taps and around a dozen specialty cocktails, with a whiskey selection that would make the old saloon keepers proud.
The goal was never to erase the past. It was to give it a reason to keep going.
More Than a Bar: The Experience
What keeps people coming back isn't just the history. It's what's happening on any given night:
Karaoke Wednesdays have become a local institution, drawing singers and spectators alike. DJ sets on Friday and Saturday power the weekend. Country Night gets boots on the floor. Football watch parties take over all 9 sports screens, and there isn't a bad seat in the house.
Between events, there's plenty to do: free pool tables, networked darts, and a 12 foot shuffleboard table. The outdoor patio is prime Newhall evening territory when the weather cooperates, which in Southern California is most of the year.
There's no cover charge, it's open seven days a week, and the crowd skews local. This is the kind of place where the bartenders learn your order and the regulars save you a seat.
A Pillar of Old Town Newhall
In August 2026, a three alarm fire devastated several Main Street landmarks, including the Newhall Refinery and The MAIN theatre. Eighth & Rail was not damaged, but the fire shook the whole district. Suddenly, the future of Old Town felt uncertain.
In the weeks after, owner Louise Castaldo took to camera to remind people that downtown Newhall is still alive and well. The video struck a nerve, becoming one of the pub's most engaged posts ever, with neighbors rallying in the comments.
That instinct, to stand up for the neighborhood, is the throughline from 1878 to today. Derrick's Saloon served the railroad town. Eighth & Rail serves the community that grew up around it. Different century, same job.
Why It Matters
In a valley full of strip malls and chain restaurants, places with genuine history are rare. Eighth & Rail isn't a themed bar pretending to be old. It's an old bar that learned how to be new again, without forgetting what it was.
Every cocktail served, every karaoke song sung, every touchdown celebrated on those screens adds one more night to a story that started when Newhall was barely a town at all.
Visit Eighth & Rail
Address: 22505 8th St, Newhall, CA 91321
Phone: (661) 255-7833
Email: eighthandrailpub@gmail.com
Hours: Open 7 days a week, 21 and over
Whether you're here for the history, the karaoke, or just a great sandwich and a cold draft, you're drinking in nearly 150 years of Newhall stories. Pull up a stool. You're part of it now.