1952 Map of Oat Mountain

About this map

The Santa Susana Mountains form a dramatic backdrop for the transition from ranch land to mid-century suburban expansion in the northern reaches of the San Fernando Valley. In the early 1950s, the landscape around Chatsworth and Granada Hills remains largely defined by open acreage and landmark estates like the Iverson Ranch and the striking rock formations of the Garden of the Gods. To the north, the terrain rises sharply toward Oat Mountain and Mission Point, cut by deep drainages such as Aliso Canyon and Limekiln Canyon. The influence of transportation is evident where the Southern Pacific line passes through the Santa Susana Tunnel, while the Golden State Highway and San Fernando Road trace the edge of the San Francisco Mts toward Newhall. This survey captures a moment when agricultural sites like the Los Angeles City Farm still shared the valley floor with emerging residential developments and rural outposts like Deer Lake Highlands.