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Nick Rivera's Saloon
Downtown Newhall, California
Nicanor H. (aka "Nick") Rivera ran a combination saloon-barber shop on what was then San Fernando Road (now known as Railroad Ave.), just north of the saloon operated by Mike Powell. Photograph (probably 1890s) depicts (from left): Rose Ruiz, stepdaughter of Nick Rivera; Arthur Rivera, son of Nick Rivera; and Irene Ruiz, stepdaughter of Nick Rivera. This is the only known photograph of Arthur Rivera, who died at an early age from pneumonia.The natural father of the two Ruiz girls was Martin Ruiz, many of whose family members died in the St. Francis Dam disaster of 1928. Rose lived to marry Ted Fosterling, as did Irene (1898-1995), who married Ivan "Mac" McKibben.
Nick Rivera was murdered on Oct. 17, 1926, and his killers "lied their way out of convictions," according to great-granddaughter Judy Haworth. Rivera was buried in the Ruiz family cemetery in San Francisquito Canyon.
Photo provided to the SCV Historical Society by Gwen Newcomb, granddaughter of Nick Rivera. Information provided by Nick Rivera's granddaughter Rosie Luce of Porterville, Calif., and by Rivera's great-granddaughter, Judy Haworth of Woodstock, Georgia. Image enhanced by Audrey Erickson.
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