Back in the 1860’s
Beale’s Cut was the only easy way to get from Santa Clarita to
Los Angeles. Beale’s Cut was fine until the automobile arrived.
Those early machines did not have the power to get up the steep
climb. In 1910 Los Angeles County bore a 17’ diameter hole through
a nearby mountain and Newhall Tunnel was born.
The tunnel was turned into a “cut” in 1938 as part of the
realignment of US Highway 6.
Once at the cache site you will be standing where the
mountain once stood.
More trivia I found on the internet: "At that time, there
were no paved roads any place in the So. Antelope Valley. When we
first came up the good road (two lanes) came thru the Newhall
tunnel just west of the old Fremont Pass which you can still see
when you go "down below". Believe me, that Newhall Tunnel used to
be something. Everyone was scared to death to go thru it,
especially if a hay truck came along at the same time (in the
opposit direction). I wish I could remember how long the tunnel
was, any way, it was dark inside and the hay trucks were so big
there was just inches between. Some times the traffic would be
lined up for miles at the grade of Newhall Tunnel. Then from Saugus
we would come thru Mint Canyon. A good joke, at that time was to
ask people coming up for the first time if they could smell the
mint. Of course, that is what is now called the Old Sierra Hwy.
From Saugus to the top of Johnson grade (where the altitude says
three thousand feet,(3,000)now was a pretty good road) the road
turns dirt and went thru Acton. It was sixteen miles from Acton to
Littlerock. Talk about wash boards, at that time, there was a dirt
road that went from Littlerock to Llano where the old Socialist
Colony used to be. No Pearblossom, or Juniper Hills at that
time.