Beale's Cut was completed in 1864 by a crew headed by General Edward F. Beale and was 90 feet deep. This was not the first cut here though. General Beale only deepened the 30-foot-deep cut that was dug by General Phineas Banning in 1854. Sadly, in the Spring of 1998, a large slide occurred filling the cut half way. More slides do appear imminent.

In 1910, a tunnel was bored by Los Angeles County through what is now a cut. This tunnel was known as the Newhall Tunnel.

Close up of the tunnel. It was a 17 foot bore and two trucks could not fit in it at the same time.

Tunnel Plaque. Probably placed here in 1939.

Aerial photo taken in 1999 of Newhall Pass. Sierra Highway is to the left, Beale's Cut in center, and Route 14 to the right. The remains of the old Newhall Refinery can be seen north of the prominent ridgeline in the center of the photo.

Map of the Tunnel and Beale's Cut from 1939.

It was turned into a cut in 1938 as a part of a major realignment of US 6.