1953 Map of San Fernando

About this map

The San Fernando Mission and its adjacent San Fernando Mission Cem anchor the historic core of this region as it appeared in the early 1950s. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition between the residential blocks of San Fernando, Sylmar, and Pacoima and the steep front of the San Gabriel Mountains. This era shows a significant infrastructure of care and water management, featuring the Olive View Sanatorium, the U S Veteran Hospital, and the I O F Sanatorium tucked against the hillsides. Large-scale water engineering is evident through the San Fernando Reservoir, Pacoima Dam, and the Hansen Flood Control Basin. Aviation history is represented by the Whiteman Air Park and San Fernando Airport, while the Southern Pacific tracks and San Fernando Road indicate the primary transportation corridors of the mid-century valley.