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1958 Map of Whitaker Peak

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Whitaker Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Golden State Highway (Five Mile Grade) cuts a winding path through this corner of the Los Padres National Forest and Angeles National Forest. In the late 1950s, this corridor was a critical link across the mountain passes, defined by steep grades and significant elevation changes at Whitaker Summit and Violin Summit. The map shows a landscape of deep canyons and seasonal water sources, where small outposts like Paradise Ranch and Martins provided rare points of human habitation alongside early infrastructure like the Pipeline and various firebreaks.

Local landmarks such as the Whitaker Peak Lookout and Frenchmans Flat Campground indicate the area's dual role as a managed timber resource and a destination for recreation. The geography is dominated by the drainage systems of Piru Creek and Castaic Creek, which carved intricate networks like Santa Felicia Canyon and Marple Canyon. This survey captures the transition between the older highway alignments and the growing transportation needs of Southern California before the modern freeway system fully transformed these mountain routes.