91352: In Person Tour
Situated at the base of the Verdugo Mountains, Sun Valley is located on what was originally a Tongva/Fernandeño Native American village called Wiqánga, as wiqár means ”thorn” in Fernandeño. The area was settled by White Americans when the Southern Pacific Railroad was constructed through the east San Fernando Valley in 1876, linking Northern and Southern California. The small town of Roberts was established when Roberts’ General Store was opened, which included a post office and water-tank station. In 1896, the community changed its name to Roscoe, who was either a train robber or one of the workers on the train when it was robbed; the true story remains unclear. By that time only seven families lived in the area. California Highway 99 opened in 1915, and the city was annexed by the City of Los Angeles in the 1930s. World War II brought a new wave of manufacturing to the area, and a suburban community had sprung up. In 1950, the name of the neighborhood was officially changed to Sun Valley by residents and local businesses.