The most significant acquisition was the historic land grant Rancho San Francisco in the Santa Clarita Valley of northern Los Angeles County, which he purchased for $2/acre. It included portions of the Santa Clara River and the Santa Susana Mountains, the former homeland of the Tataviam Native Americans. The ranch became known as Newhall Ranch after Newhall's death. Within this territory, he granted a right-of-way to Southern Pacific Railroad through what is now Newhall Pass, and he also sold them a portion of the land, upon which the company built a town they named after him: Newhall. The first station built on the line he named for his hometown, Saugus.