1952 Map of Topanga

About this map

Santa Monica and the growing coastal communities of the western canyons appear here in a transition from mid-century development to the 1980s. The landscape is defined by the steep drainage systems of the Santa Monica Mountains, where Topanga Creek and Rustic Canyon carve deep paths toward the Pacific Ocean. Development is concentrated along the shoreline and within the narrow valley of Topanga, while the surrounding slopes remain largely part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.