1958 U.S. Coast Survey Aeronautical Chart of Los Angeles, California and Environs

An impressive, large-format aeronautical chart of the Los Angeles metro area, prepared in 1958 by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. Among other features, it records Los Angeles' pioneering contributions to American aviation.

A Closer Look

Coverage includes Los Angeles and surrounding communities, including the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, the western portion of the Mojave Desert, the northern part of Orange County, and portions of Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties. Civilian and military airports are labeled throughout and connected by flight paths shaded purple. Private airfields are also noted, including the private Hughes Airport, used by Howard Hughes and the Hughes Aircraft Company, in Culver City. To its south is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which at this time was severely in need of an overhaul, as 'temporary' facilities built immediately after World War II (1939 - 1945) had far outlived their intended lifespan and were incapable of meeting the increased demand for commercial air travel in Los Angeles.

Air Force Bases and Naval Air Stations appear throughout, including Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, which has been important for both classified Air Force and NASA projects. Several Lockheed Air Terminals also appear, though in the case of the airport near Burbank (now the Hollywood Burbank Airport), the name continued to be used even after the airfield had been switched to civilian use. Noticeable features on land, such as rail lines, oil derricks, and oil container tanks, are illustrated, while other features, such as hospitals, cemeteries, and film studios, are labeled.

The verso includes legends explaining aeronautical and topographical symbols used throughout the chart, a complete list of aerodromes included on the recto, an index map of the sectional aeronautical charts covering the entire U.S., a map of the U.S. with Air Defense Identification Zones indicated, information on radio frequencies, emergency signals, cruising altitudes, and more.

Los Angeles and the Early History of Aviation

Los Angeles and Southern California played a significant role in the early history of aviation. The climate, the ready availability of land for airstrips, the presence of relevant educational institutions (especially the California Institute of Technology), and the business-friendly environment of Los Angeles were especially attractive for aviation pioneers, with Dominguez Field hosting the Los Angeles International Air Meet in 1910, the first major airshow in the United States. In the following years, numerous aviation companies were founded in Southern California, including the Lockheed Aircraft Company, the Northrup Corporation, the Douglas Aircraft Company, and the Hughes Aircraft Company. The Second World War provided extensive funds and personnel to these companies, which continued into the Cold War period, as jet engines and other new technologies developed, allowing aviation and aerospace to become major industries in the economy of Southern California.

Publication History and Census

This chart was prepared by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1958. It is the 24th edition of the U.S.C.S. Los Angeles Sectional Aeronautical Chart, which was frequently updated to reflect the addition of new airfields and other changes that were common in these years. The present edition is not independently cataloged in the OCLC, while the 20th edition (1956) is noted as being held by Stanford University.