1939 Map of La Crescenta

About this map

San Gabriel Mountains and the Verdugo Mountains define this topographic survey of the Crescenta Valley during a period of significant suburban development. The map details the transition from the wilderness of the Los Angeles National Forest to established foothill communities. Large institutions like the Hillcrest Sanitarium sit near the mouth of Blanchard Canyon, reflecting the era's reputation of the area as a health retreat. The grid of Tujunga and La Crescenta is well-defined by 1939, with prominent thoroughfares such as Foothill Boulevard and Honolulu Ave serving as the primary connectors between Verdugo City, Montrose, and La Cañada. Remote outposts like the Big Tujunga Guard Station and the Burbank YMCA Camp illustrate the recreational and administrative use of the high canyons, while numerous named drainages like Pickens Canyon and Haines Canyon show the complex watershed management necessary for these mountain-front settlements.