History of

Survey Project by Melissa Lewis

Thesis 26°N, 80°W (Hollywood, California) has changed dramatically since the Gabrielino Indians settled on the western land in the 1800’s; it has

progressed from fields of oranges, lemons, and figs into a town of

movies, gossip, and hopeful young thespians.

General Timeline

1853-one adobe hut standing

1870-an agricultural community flourished ; growing lemons, figs, and oranges

Of Hollywood

1880’s-Harvey Henderson Wilcox (a real estate man from Kansas)and his wife Daeida moved to Los Angeles. In 1886 Wilcox bought 160 acres of the country, west of the city.

1886- the name Hollywood was created by the father of Hollywood, Hobart Johnstone Whitley, and his wife Gigi. It was created when they were overlooking the valley, now known as Whitley Heights.

February 1st, 1887-Harvey Wilcox drew a grid map for the new town and filed it with the county recorder’s office, the first official name of Hollywood

By 1900 Hollywood has a post office, a newspaper, a hotel, and two markets. The population was about 500 people; the rush was on for black gold (oil was discovered in the Farmers Market near Beverly BLVD)

1902- First section of The Hollywood Hotel is opened by HJ Whitley.

1910- struggle to secure an ongoing water supply; made decision to be annexed into Los Angeles. -Prospect Avenue became Hollywood BLVD.

1878-First motion picture created

First motion picture

General Timeline

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b16R-jy55ss

1910: First movie ever filmed in Hollywood. It was called In Old California

May 16, 1929: First Academy Awards at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Tickets were $10 and there were about 250 people there.

Of Hollywood contd.

1911: The first motion picture studio in Hollywood, Nestor Film Company. This was on the corner of Sunset Blvd. •About 15 other independent movie makers came to Hollywood.

1914: The first full length movie came out, Squaw Man. It was filmed in a barn on Hollywood and Vine.

1923: The Hollywood sign is put up , at first reading “Hollywoodland”. It was originally an advertisement for the Hollywood Hills housing.

May 11 1927: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded. (dedicated to making advances in film) Also the first hand and footprint ceremony occurred.

1917: Chaplin Studios created just south of sunset

1949: The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce takes over the Hollywood sign, removing land and repairing the letters.

1930- The Motion Picture Production code was put into place

The Golden Age of Hollywood

• The 1930’s and most of the 1940’s came to be known as the Golden age of Hollywood.

• The 30’s was a time of sound and color revolutions and the advance of the “talkies” – The silent era of films ended, most of the thespians did

not transfer into movies with sound either.

• By 1933 the economic depression was being felt in the film industry, a decrease of attendance in movie theatres. Movies of 1930’s and 40’s-Hell’s Angels (1930) -Gone with the Wind (1939)-Anna Christie (1930) -Snow White and the 7 Dwarves (1937)-Tarzan, the Ape Man (1932) ^First feature length animation film-The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Postcard of Hollywood in the 1930’s

General Timeline1956- The Capitol Record building is built on Vine Street

Of Hollywood contd.

1958- Hollywood Walk of Fame is Created.

1960- First star is placed on the walk of fame, Joanne Woodward.

2000- a census stated that about 35,716 people live in the district of Hollywood

2001- Kodak Theatre opens on Hollywood BLVD.

MARY PICKFORD accepted her Best Actress award for COQUETTE, her first talking picture role. This was at the 2nd academy awards.

The OscarsThe Beginning

2007 Academy Awards

The OscarsNow

Primary Sources

Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul. Marilyn Monroe (1926-1952)

You can take all the sincerity in Hollywood, place it in the navel of a firefly and still have room enough for three caraway seeds and a producer's heart.- Fred Allen (1894-1956) a radio show host

“Hollywood is a town that has to be seen to be disbelieved”-Gossip Columnist Walter Winchell

Fun Facts• In 1906, a streetcar line was constructed in the Hollywood district

down the middle of "Sandy Road". This lane was known as the "Rose City Line". The establishment of the streetcar route facilitated the growth of the suburb of Hollywood.

• In 1923, Harry Chandler, a real estate agent and investor built the famous Hollywood Sign to advertise the area "Hollywoodland". The total expense for this advertisement was $21,000. Initially, it was built to last only for eighteen months. However, as of today, the Hollywood Sign has lasted for eighty years.

• In 1939, four thousand twenty-watt bulbs were put to illuminate the signboard and a caretaker was appointed to maintain the same. The part of land, which included the "Hollywood" sign, was sold to the city of LA.

• The alphabets of the signboard began to fall down. To restore the same, in 1978 an auction of the alphabets was held by Hugh Hefner, founder of the magazine "Playboy". This auction was held for a period of three months. Alice Cooper, American rock singer, sponsored the alphabet "O". Gene Autry and Paul Williams sponsored the alphabets "L" and "W" respectively.

• In 1995, a trust known as "Hollywood Sign Trust" was setup to maintain the Hollywood sign.

Works Cited Foner, Eric, and John A. Garrety. “Movies.” SIRS Researcher. 1 Dec. 1991. ProQuest. LCHS Lib.,

Lake Villa, IL. 26 May 2009 <http://sks.sirs.com/>.

Historic Resources Group. “A Short History of Hollywood.” HistoricLA. Historic Resources

Group. 26 May 2009 <http://www.historicla.com/ hollywood/ hollywood.html>.

Lord, Rosemary. Hollywood Then and now. San Diego: PRC Publishing Limited, 2003.