1903 Map of Calabasas

About this map

San Fernando Valley agricultural lands and the heights of the Santa Monica Mountains meet in this turn-of-the-century landscape. This survey documents early ranching and rail infrastructure long before the mid-century suburban boom, showing the Southern Pacific and the Pacific Electric lines reaching into the valley to serve young settlements like Owensmouth and Zelzah. To the south, the terrain breaks sharply towards the Pacific Ocean, where Port Los Angeles sits as a primary maritime hub on Santa Monica Bay near Santa Monica. Interior canyons such as Bell Canyon, Cheeseboro Canyon, and Las Virgenes Canyon remain sparsely settled, while the Arroyo Calabasas winds near the small outpost of Calabasas. This area, divided by the San Bernardino Base Line, shows the early geographic organization of the region through large land grants like Las Virgenes and Boca De Santa Monica.