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1926 Map of Van Nuys

Name: 1926 Topographic Map of Van Nuys
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1926
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1926

About this map

The San Fernando Valley of the mid-1920s is captured here in a period of transition from expansive ranch lands to structured suburban grids. Centered on the growing hub of Van Nuys, the map illustrates a landscape still dominated by the historical footprint of the Ex Mission San Fernando. The Southern Pacific railroad serves as the primary artery for the valley, while the emerging street network, including Ventura Boulevard and Sherman Way, begins to define the future urban layout.

South of the Los Angeles River, the terrain shifts abruptly into the Santa Monica Mountains, where the freshly surveyed Mulholland Highway winds along the ridgeline. This era shows early leisure developments like the Encino Country Club and Hollywood Country Club positioned against the rugged northern slopes, while canyons like Sepulveda Canyon and Franklin Canyon provide natural passages toward the nascent developments of Beverly Hills on the southern edge of the sheet.