National Register of Historic Places

Ridge Route, Old

Castaic, Los Angeles County, California
Listed
September 24, 1997
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
97001113

About this property

The Ridge Route, officially the Castaic–Tejon Route and colloquially known as the Grapevine, was a two-lane highway between Los Angeles County and Kern County, California, United States. Opened in 1915 and paved with concrete between 1917 and 1921, the road was the first paved highway directly linking the Los Angeles Basin with the San Joaquin Valley (southern Central Valley) over the Tejon Pass and the rugged Sierra Pelona Mountains ridge south of Gorman. Much of the old road runs through the Angeles National Forest, and passes many historical landmarks, including the National Forest Inn, Reservoir Summit, Kelly's Half Way Inn, Tumble Inn, and Sandberg's Summit Hotel. North of the forest, the Ridge Route passed through Deadman's Curve before ending at Grapevine. The road was originally built as a state highway, a segment of the unsigned Legislative Route 4, before it became signed as part of U.S. Route 99 (US 99) in 1926. The road was then bypassed by the three-lane Ridge Route Alternate to handle increased traffic and remove curves; the Alternate in Los Angeles County was completed in 1933, and Kern County line to Grapevine in 1936. The roadway was widened to a four-lane expressway in 1953 and replaced by an eight-lane freeway, Interstate 5 (I-5) in 1960-70. The portion of the road in the Angeles National Forest was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, by the efforts of retired engineer Harrison Scott. Much of the road has been closed by the U.S. Forest Service; other remnants are used by local traffic.

Location

Castaic, Los Angeles County, California
34.67290, -118.70383

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONENGINEERING
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

Fort Tejon
Modern
17.6 mi
Rancho Camulos
Colonial
18.7 mi
Well No. 4, Pico Canyon Oil Field
Listed
21.3 mi
Pioneer Oil Refinery
Listed
23.4 mi
Bardsdale Methodist Episcopal Church
Industrial
24.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ridge Route, Old listed on the National Register?

Ridge Route, Old was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 24, 1997.

What type of historic resource is Ridge Route, Old?

Ridge Route, Old is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Ridge Route, Old?

The period of significance for Ridge Route, Old is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Ridge Route, Old?

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