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1903 Map of Calabasas

Name: 1903 Topographic Map of Calabasas
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1908
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1908

About this map

The Ex Mission San Fernando and the surrounding San Fernando Valley define the landscape of this survey, conducted at the close of the 19th century. Early rail infrastructure is centered on the Southern Pacific line, which services the foothill settlements of Chatsworth and Canoga. To the south, the Santa Monica Mountains form a massive barrier between the valley and the coast, deeply etched by drainages like Topanga Canyon and Santa Monica Canyon.

Coastal activity is concentrated at Port Los Angeles, where a long pier extends into Santa Monica Bay. The map captures the transition from vast Mexican land grants such as Escorpion and San Vicente y Santa Monica to a growing network of roads like Chatsworth Park Road. Researchers will find the early footprints of Reseda, Encino, and Calabasas long before the mid-century urban expansion transformed the region.