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What the Cahuenga Pass Looked Like Before the 101 Freeway

CahuengaPass1911.jpg
Cahuenga Pass in 1911 | Photo via the Museum of the San Fernando Valley, Gift of Gary Fredburg 2008

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On Sunday at LA Heritage Day, when over 60 local historical groups gathered at Heritage Square, one of the most crowded booths was from the Museum of the San Fernando Valley. The museum's president, Jerry Fecht, displayed hundreds of historical postcards drawing people to see what their Valley home looked like before massive development.

Fecht mentioned he had a blog that he's been running since March of 2007. It's a treasure trove of visual beauty and history of the Valley. The above one particularly piqued our interest. It's the Cahuenga Pass between what now Hollywood and the Universal City area where the 101 Freeway and Metro Red Line subway runs below. The photo shows the construction of the Pacific Electric Railway (yes the Red Car system) expanding towards the Valley. That was 1911, not even 100 years ago.

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