Core LA & SFV Collections
Core SFV Map Collections
USGS LA County 6-minute topographic maps (1925-1948)
The "6-minute" topo series of Los Angeles County was produced by the USGS from the 1920s to the 1940s, with some reprint editions published into the early 1950s. The series of 6-minute topos provides interesting cultural and physical details of Los Angeles County, including the San Fernando Valley. Quadrangles that cover the SFV include:
- Burbank (1926, 1932)
- Zelzah (1925, 1928, 1932)
- Sylmar (1928, 1944)
- Sunland (1926, 1942)
- Reseda (1928, 1932)
- Pacoima (1927, 1939)
- Newhall (1933, 1939)
- Little Tujunga (1939)
- La Crescenta (1925, 1939)
- Glendale (1928, 1932, 1939, 1948)
- Dry Canyon (1928, 1932)
- Chatsworth (1927, 1940)
Thomas Brothers Road Maps of the SFV (1940s-1990s)
The Thomas Brothers produced numerous road/street maps of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Thomas Brothers sheet maps are housed in our flat files and may be requested at the Map Collection service desk.
Automobile Club Road & Touring Maps (AAA / ACSC / CSAA / NAC) (1920s-1990s)
AAA road maps represent some of our oldest sheet road maps of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Early AAA road and "touring" maps were designed to promote automobile excursions and sightseeing "tours" of California. Automobile clubs who produced road and "touring" maps in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley include the American Automobile Association, the Automobile Club of Southern California, and the National Automobile Club.
Los Angeles City Street Atlases (1940s-2008)
- Thomas Bros. "The Thomas Guide"
- Hills street atlas
- Renie street atlas
Northridge Campus Maps
Our holdings include a collection of maps and architectural plans of the Northridge campus that show the campus's development over time. Materials are stored in both flat and vertical files. Call number: G4364.L8:2C33.
Dibblee Geologic Maps of the SFV (1991-1996)
The Dibblee quadrangles that cover the SFV include:
- Burbank (S) / Hollywood, 1991 (DF-30)
- Van Nuys (S) / Beverly Hills, 1991 (DF-31)
- Sunland / Burbank (N), 1991 (DF-32)
- Santa Susana, 1992 (DF-38)
- San Fernando / Van Nuys (N), 1991 (DF-33)
- Oat Mountain / Canoga Park (N), 1992 (DF-36)
- Newhall, 1996 (DF-56)
- Canoga Park (S) / Topanga, 1992 (DF-35)
- Calabasas, 1992 (DF-37)
USGS Geologic & Soil Maps of SFV
These early 20th-century oversize sheet maps provide information about the geologic and soil profiles of the Los Angeles area. The medium-scale maps are important resources that also capture industrial, physical, and hydrographic details of early 20th-century LA metropolitan area. These early 20th-century oversize sheet maps provide information about the geologic and soil profiles of the Los Angeles area.
SFV Neighborhood Maps
Tourist, booster, and Chamber of Commerce maps that highlight specific neighborhoods within the San Fernando Valley (i.e., Chatsworth, Reseda, Van Nuys). Neighborhood maps often include points of interest, street indexes, and local business advertising.
Transportation Maps of the SFV
Maps that show historical transportation infrastructure within LA and the SFV, like bike, bus, subway, and passenger rail maps. Agencies covered include LA Metro, Metrolink, RTD. Other agencies also include freeway maps.
San Fernando Valley Plat Book (1953)
The SFV plat book shows properties and zoning information for all areas of the SFV.
Other City Maps Within the SFV
Other municipalities within the San Fernando Valley (outside the City of Los Angeles) will be filed separately according to their own Library of Congress classification number. The separate cities within the SFV and their classifications are:
- Burbank: G4364.B9
- San Fernando: G4364.S45
- Glendale: G4364.G5
Core SFV Aerial Photo Collections
Spence Air Photo Collection (1921-1941)
The Spence air photos are a set of oblique aerial photographs taken of various locations in the San Fernando Valley between 1921-1941. The unusually large-scale air photos portray unique historical views of the San Fernando Valley during its inter-war period. Details include old neighborhoods, rail lines, a pre-channelized LA River, and old industrial landscapes of the SFV.
Fairchild (1928)
Extent
San Fernando Valley
Source
Fairchild Aerials
Flight ID
C-300
Orientation
Vertical
Scale
1:18,000
Color
B&W
USDA (1938)
Extent
San Fernando Valley
Source
USDA
Flight ID
AXJ-1938
Orientation
Vertical
Scale
1:20,000
Color
B&W
Fairchild (1949)
Extent
San Fernando Valley
Source
Fairchild Aerials
Flight ID
--
Orientation
Vertical
Scale
1:24,000
Color
B&W
USDA (1952-1954)
The major air photo collection that covers the entirety of Los Angeles County, including the San Fernando Valley.
Extent
Los Angeles County
Source
USDA
Flight ID
AXJ-1952
Orientation
Vertical
Scale
1:20,000
Color
B&W
Whitehurse Air Photo Collection (1955)
The Whitehurse air photo collection is a set of oblique aerial photographs taken of locations in the San Fernando Valley in 1955. The Whitehurse collection portrays details of the SFV during its post-war boom.
Teledyne Geotronics (1976)
Air photo collection that includes portions of both the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.