hollywood

By the 1870s an agricultural community flourished in the area.

When Spanish explorers first entered the area now known as Hollywood, Native Americans were living in the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains. Before long, the Indians had been moved to missions and the land which Hollywood now occupies was divided in two by the Spanish Government. Acreage to the west became part of Rancho La Brea and settlements to the East became Rancho Los Feliz.

By the 1870s an agricultural community flourished in the area and crops ranging from hay and grain to subtropical bananas and pineapples were thriving. During the 1880s, the Ranchos were sub-divided. In 1886, H. H. Wilcox bought an area of Rancho La Brea that his wife then christened "Hollywood." Within a few years, Wilcox had devised a grid plan for his new community, paved Prospect Avenue (now Hollywood Boulevard) for his main street and was selling large residential lots to wealthy Midwesterners looking to build homes so they could "winter in California."

Prospect Avenue soon Prospect Avenue soon became a prestigious became a prestigious residential street residential street populated with large populated with large Queen Anne, Victorian, Queen Anne, Victorian, and Mission Revival and Mission Revival houses. Mrs. Daeida houses. Mrs. Daeida Wilcox raised funds to Wilcox raised funds to build churches, schools build churches, schools and a libraryand and a libraryand Hollywood quickly Hollywood quickly became a complete and became a complete and prosperous community. prosperous community.

In 1911, the Nestor Company opened Hollywood's first film studio in an old tavern on the corner of Sunset and Gower. Not long thereafter Cecil B. DeMille and D. W. Griffith began making movies in the areadrawn to the community for its open space and moderate climate.

Banks, restaurants, clubs and movie palaces sprang up, catering to the demands of the burgeoning film industry during the 1920s and 1930s. The architectural styles of the buildings were representative of those most popular between the World Wars. Banks were typically designed in the more formal Beaux Arts styles, but other buildings in the community took on more playful personalities. The ornamental Spanish Colonial Revival style reflected Hollywood's self-conscious extravagance while the new Art Deco and Moderne styles fit the community's aspirations for glamour and sophistication.

Hollywood has been anything but static, however, and after a few decades as the capital of film glamour, the neighborhood changed again. Although much of the studio work remained in Hollywood, many stars moved to Beverly Hills, and the elegant shops and restaurants left with them.

Hollywood today is a diverse, vital, and active community striving to preserve the elegant buildings from its past. Much of the movie industry remains in the area, although the neighborhood's outward appearance has changed.

In 1985, the Hollywood Boulevard commercial and entertainment district was officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places protecting the neighborhood's important buildings and seeing to it that the significance of Hollywood's past would always be a part of its future.

Walk of FameWalk of FameThese renowned sidewalk "stars" salute the celebrities who made Hollywood great - from the

silent film stars of yesteryear to the modern action heroes of today's blockbusters. As the song says,

you'll see the names of:"...Some that you recognize,

some that you hardly even heard of; People who worked and suffered and struggled for

fame, Some who succeeded, and some who suffered in

vain..."

These sidewalk "These sidewalk "starsstars" honor not only " honor not only movie actors, but radio, TV, & stage movie actors, but radio, TV, & stage performers, directors, singers, performers, directors, singers, songwriters, and other well-known show-songwriters, and other well-known show-biz personalities. biz personalities.

Right below the name of each celebrity on the Right below the name of each celebrity on the five-pointed stars is a small, round emblem five-pointed stars is a small, round emblem which illustrates the celebrity's category, with which illustrates the celebrity's category, with one of five symbols: a one of five symbols: a motion picture cameramotion picture camera (for (for movie stars & directors), a television set (for movie stars & directors), a television set (for those in the television industry), a phonograph those in the television industry), a phonograph record (for singers, songwriters, and recording record (for singers, songwriters, and recording artists), a artists), a radio microphoneradio microphone (for radio (for radio luminaries), and the twin theatrical masks of luminaries), and the twin theatrical masks of comedy & tragedy (for live stage performers). comedy & tragedy (for live stage performers).

The celebrity with the most The celebrity with the most ""starsstars" on the Hollywood " on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is singing-Walk of Fame is singing-cowboy cowboy Gene AutryGene Autry, who , who

earned five different "earned five different "starsstars," ," one in each of the aboveone in each of the above

categories.categories.

The Walk started out in 1960 with over 2,500 "stars,", 948 of which were blank, and 1,558 of which were dedicated to past Hollywood greats. Only about 2,350 of the stars have been dedicated so far - with more being added recently to the Walk's west end. "Stars" on the Walk of Fame have been awarded to minor TV personalities, local radio deejays, animated characters, and even to two dogs: Lassie and Rin Tin Tin.

It has become traditional for fans to place flowers on the "star" of a celebrity who has just died.

WWest end of the Walk of Fame, est end of the Walk of Fame, at the corner of Hollywood at the corner of Hollywood & La Brea, is a gleaming silver & La Brea, is a gleaming silver gazebo, topped by a spire gazebo, topped by a spire which reads "Hollywood," and which reads "Hollywood," and featuring sleek, life-size statues featuring sleek, life-size statues of four silver screen goddesses of four silver screen goddesses in evening gowns. In a nod to in evening gowns. In a nod to multiculturalism, the four multiculturalism, the four actresses represented by the actresses represented by the statues are statues are Mae West, Dolores Del Rio, Dorothy Dandridge and Anna May Wong.