Transportation in and out of the Santa Clarita Valley was greatly improved on March 5, 1864, when the San Fernando Hill Road and associated Beale’s Cut were officially marked as completed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, consisting of B.D. Wilson, C. Aguilar, J.A. Morris, A. Ellis, and P. Sichel officially accepted General Edward Beale’s road over San Fernando Hill on this day in 1864

Beale had invested considerable resources and nearly two years of labor to carve through the towering sandstone walls, with the workers using only basic tools like picks and shovels. ‘=

Beale’s Cut, 1872. South side, looking north. One of a pair of earliest known photographs of Beale’s Cut. (SCV History)

The result was a remarkable feat of early road construction—one that stood strong for over 80 years as a testament to pioneering infrastructure.

With its opening, toll rates were established: $2.75 for teams of twelve or ten animals, $2.50 for teams of eight, $2 for six, $1.75 for four, $1.37½ for two, and 75 cents for a single animal. Additional charges included 10 cents per loose animal, 25 cents for a man and horse or a pack animal, and 4 cents per sheep. A.P. Robbins was appointed as the toll collector by Mr. Beale.

Public reception of the new turnpike road was overwhelmingly positive. The Los Angeles Star, known for its critical stance on infrastructure projects, remained silent about its grade, suggesting general approval.

A small adobe toll house stood at the foot of the southern grade, where A.P. Robbins resided and managed toll collection.

Despite some challenging inclines, the new road eliminated the most perilous sections of the old pass. Although deep wagon ruts and winter mud persisted, travelers no longer faced the life-threatening drop-offs of the past. The level stretch through the deep sandstone cut made the journey significantly safer.

Traffic surged over the new road, driven by booming mining operations in the Kern River and Owens River regions, as well as increased settlement in the Tulare Valley.

By 1863, due to conflicts with Native American tribes in Owens Valley, over a thousand men, women, and children were relocated to the Sebastian Indian Reserve under the protection of the Second California Volunteer Cavalry.

Fort Tejon was temporarily re-established for them, but by 1864, it was permanently abandoned.

That same year, General Beale resigned as General Surveyor of California and Nevada at the close of the Civil War. With the Indian Reservation project abandoned in 1862, he returned to his Rancho Tejon, where he could witness the steady flow of traffic over the San Fernando Pass. His investment in the toll road was now yielding returns, a fitting reward for his vision and perseverance.

Click here to read yesterday’s Today in SCV History.

Ed Note: Information for this article was extracted from Los Angeles Star publications, 1864.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.