Isaac Newton Van Nuys (; November 20, 1836 – February 12, 1912) was an
American businessman, farmer and rancher who owned the entire southern portion of the San Fernando Valley—an area 15 miles long and 6 miles wide. With the approach of the Owens River aqueduct, and the possibility of intensive small farming, Los Angeles speculators, including Harry Chandler of the
Los Angeles Times, combined to buy out Van Nuys in 1909 and develop the San Fernando Valley.