1932 Map of Dry Canyon

About this map

The Santa Monica Mountains meet the southern edge of the San Fernando Valley in this early 1930s depiction of the western Los Angeles periphery. The landscape is defined by large historical land grants like Escorpion and Ex Mission San Fernando, which transition from the flat agricultural valley floor into the steep, winding terrain of Topanga Canyon. Early motor-age development is evident along the Ventura Boulevard corridor, where the small settlement of Calabasas and the rural Calabasas School serve a sparsely populated ranching and residential district. To the south, the subdivision of Calabasas Highlands and the community at Topanga Park illustrate the early 20th-century push into the foothills. The map captures the original alignment of the Mulholland Highway and U S Highway No 101 before modern freeway construction fundamentally altered the local topography and drainage, such as Dry Canyon and Stokes Canyon.