Victor Medina's moviesites.org gives the history and updated information on several Los Angeles area filming locations. Historic Beale's Cut, a favorite backdrop for Westerns, is located just on the north side of Newhall Pass from the Valley, off Sierra Highway. Earth slides have filled in the original gap, which probably existed in the Tongva days and was widened and deepened several times, most notably in the 1860s by Edward F. Beale, who owned the Tejon Ranch north of Los Angeles. It later became an auto route between the Valley and Newhall.