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Three Points Road (Los Angeles County)


Three Points Road is a rural cutoff route which connects Pine Canyon Road (Los Angeles County Route N2) and California State Route 138 near Neenach of Antelope Valley.  Originally the community of Three Points (named for the junction Pine Canyon, Oakdale Canyon and Oakgrove Canyon) was served by 265th Avenue West.  The modern three-mile-long corridor of Three Points Road was developed by 1950 to serve as a softer transition to California State Route 138. 




Part 1; the history of Three Points Road

Three Points Road is named in reference to the community near the extinct Neenach Volcano known as Three Points.  Three Points itself is a reference to three canyons it sits in the middle of: Pine Canyon, Oakgrove Canyon and Oakdale Canyon.  Three Points was homesteaded by the Laffery family in 1892.  Nearby Gookins Lake was named after one of the Laffery family members.  

Three Points (blue pin) can be seen at the intersection of Pine Canyon Road (now Los Angeles County N2) and 265th Avenue West on the 1903 United States Geological Survey map of Tejon.  Unlike modern Three Points Road the alignment of 265th Avenue West was almost a direct northward jog from Three Points to Neenach.  Neenach was formerly known as Cow Springs which was a known source of water on El Camino Viejo and Stockton-Los Angeles Road. 


265th Avenue West appears between California State Route 138 (then Neenach Road) and Pine Canyon Road on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Los Angeles County.


The modern alignment of Three Points Road (then part of Pine Canyon Road) appears on the 1950 United States Geological Survey map of Manzana.  The jog the modern highway alignment uses takes it to a softer transition at California State Route 138 by tracking slightly east of 265th Avenue.  


The modern corridor name of Three Points Road first appears on the 1965 United States Geological Survey map of Neenach School.  Pine Canyon Road was realigned towards the Old Ridge Route (former US Route 99) west of Three Points via what was Oakdale Canyon Road.  




Part 2; a drive on Three Points Road

Northbound Three Points Road branches from Pine Canyon Road in Three Points.  Pine Canyon Road westbound traffic is required to take a left-hand turn towards the Old Ridge Route.  The old cafe building at this intersection was constructed in 1912 as the Three Points Cafe.  Pine Canyon Road was designated as part of Los Angeles County Route N2 and likely is part of the reason why the corridor was realigned over Oakdale Canyon Road.  


Three Points Road rapidly descends through Pine Canyon and empties out to a terminus at California State Route 138 near Neenach in Antelope Valley. 












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