The Santa Susana Pass Road

Highway 118, looking west likely from the vantage point of stony point in Chatsworth.
While most of Simi has changed dramatically, a leasurly drive over the Santa Susana pass road will give you almost the exact feeling it gave me nearly 50 years ago. Before the freeway was built, this was bumper to bumper every morning and night as we commuted "over the hill". If you watch the opening credits of the classic movie "White Heat" you will see this same shot, but looking east from the pass road towards Chatsworth.

When citrus was king

Here is a great link with some pictures showing the old packing houses that sent Simi oranges across the country.

Packing houses

Early Sixties movie

This is a great "time machine" video I found on you tube.
Considering how many people had 8mm movie cameras
I'm surprised there are not more of these around.
This was one of the very first tract homes in Santa Susana.
I believe it was the "Wright Tract" named after the ranch that was sub divided.
Located just west of Tapo st., the street names were Angela, Belinda, Carlotta, Deborah, Eileen, Florence, Gertrude, Helene, Rebecca, and Winifred. I wonder if they were named after real people?


House in Simi early sixties