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1935 Map of Sylmar

Name: 1935 Topographic Map of Sylmar
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1935
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1935

About this map

The Ex Mission San Fernando area and the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains dominate this mid-1930s survey, showing the transition between early agricultural lands and the growing Los Angeles suburbs. The community of Sylmar is depicted at a pivotal moment, with a grid of residential and institutional streets such as Foothill Blvd, Gladstone Ave, and Astoria St extending toward the rugged canyon lands. The presence of specialized facilities like the El Retiro School for Girls, a Samatorium, and the U. S. Veterans Bureau Reservation suggests a landscape then used for secluded public services and convalescence.

Water infrastructure is central to the area's development, highlighted by the Upper San Fernando Reservoir and numerous drainage systems like Pacoima Canyon and Wilson Canyon. The Southern Pacific railroad and the Southern Pacific Highway provide the primary transportation corridor through the pass, while the Los Angeles City Boundary cuts through the canyon floor, marking the northward expansion of the metropolis into the Angeles National Forest.