Historic Preservation Introduction - Hollywood in the mid 1930s
Historic Preservation is important because it gives us a sense of place. It provides a story on how we arrived to where we are today. We can clearly look back and see the path that that brought us here. It is this tangible legacy that allows us to appreciate how our forefathers dealt with the adversity and challenges of everyday life including war, disease, financial ruin and famine. It provides a social history that does not hide the frailty of the human condition, nor embellishes it’s virtues. However Historic Preservation can also serve as inspiration, reminding us of those that were able to succeed against all probability and provides encouragement as we embark on our path into the future.
My interest in preservation occurred after receiving a simple film of home movies. Up until that time, I did not give it much thought. I always appreciated the fact that I was born and raised in San Diego and embraced the Southern California lifestyle. Most summers were spent surfing in Mexico, playing volleyball at the beach, skiing in Sierra’s during the winter and attending college in Santa Barbara. After I received the film I realized that my grandparents had been to all those locations, but almost 80 years ago.
The film chronicles their trip to Southern California in the fall of 1928 from New York. They eventually moved to Hollywood by the 1930’s. After the first viewing, I had no idea who the people were or where the settings were located. Since virtually all the people at the beginning of the movie were no longer alive, there was nobody able to tell me where they were. I had very limited knowledge of Southern California history and architecture. Some locations were obvious because of a particular building or monument, while other locations are still unknown. However it became blatantly apparent that had someone not preserved some of these buildings and monuments, my story would not be complete.
Instead of concentrating this movie on one family’s trip west, it is my goal to explain the importance of Historic Preservation by telling a story. It is important to note that this film begins at the peak of the Roaring 1920’s, only one year before the 1929 stock market crash that was the beginning of the Great Depression. Many of the tourist attractions that southern California is so famous for, were not in existence. Disneyland would not be built for another 27 years. This film will be edited to focus on buildings, monuments and structures that were in existence at the time of the creation of the movie and a brief summary of its history. Some were beautifully preserved, some desecrated, while others no longer exist.
Since my father grew up there, I also need to address Hollywood, the city, not the “state of mind”. Most visitors’ expectations are devastated at the first time they arrive in the city of Hollywood. For the last 40 years it has been an example of urban decay and abandonment. The city of Los Angeles has milked the golden Hollywood illusion to tourists all over the world, and at the same time, letting her bleed to death. The streets are filled with crack addicts, vagrants, and storefronts are either abandoned or leased to tacky porn shops and tourists traps. For decades magnificent landmarks with amazing history sat idle, decomposing in the sweltering southern California smog. However the good news is in the last several years some of theses precious gems of Old Hollywood are being restored. While the streets of Hollywood were never lined in gold, hopefully someday it will return to its original splendor.
THE HOLLYWOODLAND SIGN
Possibly one of the most celebrated symbols in the world, representing wealth, glamour and fame, began as an advertisement for a real estate development in 1923. Harry Chandler, owner of the Los Angeles Times and an investment syndicate hired the Crescent Sign Company to put up 13 letters standing roughly 50 feet high and 30 feet wide. Decorated with over 4000 light bulbs the sign was never meant to be permanent. As the entertainment industry grew, the sign achieved global recognition.
While the sign represents different things to different people, Hollywood can be fraught with rejection and failure. In 1932, Peg Entwistle a struggling actor, who was despondent over not being able to find work, jumped from the letter “H” to her death. In a sad irony, a memo arrived at her home a day after her death offering her a leading part in a movie, where the character ultimately commits suicide. Peg’s final desperation reveals the dark side of Hollywood.
By 1939 maintenance of the sign had stopped and by 1949 the last four letters were removed. In 1977 Hugh Hefner threw a fund raising party to build a new permanent sign. Donors paid $27,000 for each letter. Alice Cooper contributed to a “0” and Andy Williams donated a “W”. The new letters stood 45 feet high and up to 39 feet wide. In 1978 they filmed the unveiling in front of a live television audience of over 60 million viewers for Hollywood’s 75th anniversary. In 2005 the original 1923 sign was sold on e-bay to artist Bill Mack.
In 1992 the non-profit Hollywood Sign Trust was created to physically maintain, repair and educate the world about the Hollywood Sign’s cultural and historical importance.
HAROLD LLOYDS GREENACRE
Harold Lloyd was one of the most prolific actor/directors of comedies during the silent era, along side Buster Keeton and Charlie Chaplin. During his career he made over 200 movies many of which were commercial successes that gave him immense wealth. In 1928 he built a grand estate on 16 acres in Beverly Hills that he named “Greenacres”. It had 44 rooms, 26 bathrooms, and 12 gardens. I found a “Better Homes and Garden Article” published in 1928 where he talks about his landscape architect, A. E. Hanson, the 100 foot waterfall and his 9 hole golf course. While the land was subdivided years ago, in the movie you can see the waterfall, golf course and the landscape architects sign.
After the death of Harold Lloyd, the family tried to convert the estate to be used as a public museum, but eventually sold it. Much of the land was subdivided and the home was restored in 1979 and again in 1986. The current owner is billionaire grocery owner Ron Burkle and the property is now less than 6 acres. The home has been the site for many film and television locations. In 1984 it listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
WILL RODGERS MEMORIAL PARK 9650 Sunset Blvd., in Beverly Hills
Will Rodgers Memorial Park opened in 1915 as the first municipal park in the city, at that time called Sunset Park. This 5-acre park, with mature landscaping, sparkling fountains and a beautiful koi-pond, was a gift from the Beverly Hills Hotel to the city, located across the street from the hotel.
In 1926, entertainer Will Rogers was appointed first "Honorary Mayor" of Beverly Hills and, in 1952; the City renamed the Park, Will Rogers Memorial Park.
In 1997, the City completed a $1 million dollar historic renovation project. Improvements include:
Replacement of asphalt walkways with decomposed granite.
New energy efficient security lights.
An irrigation system and many new trees and plant materials.
Modifications to the restroom facilities.
Restoration of the existing retaining walls.
Two monument park signs.
Two bronze commemorative plaques.
The park, paths and koi-pond are in remarkably the same condition today, as when the film was created in 1928. In 1998 pop star George Michael, formerly of the group Wham, was arrested for performing a lewd act while in the restroom of the park. He pled guilty, paid a fine and then made fun of the episode in his music video “Outside”.
TIJUANA & AGUA CALIENTE RACK TRACK
During prohibition many affluent Americans and Hollywood celebrities would travel two hours south of Los Angeles to Tijuana, where drinking, gambling and horse racing were legal activities. Charlie Chaplin, Babe Ruth, Buster Keeton, Al Jolson were some personalities that visited Tijuana during its heyday. Designed by the 19-year-old architect Wayne McAllister, the California Mission inspired Agua Caliente Casino and Resort opened in the spring of 1928. It had many leisure activities including the luxurious casino, golf, tennis courts and spa.
The Agua Caliente Rack Track, which cost over $2.5 million to build, opened in 1929. Over the years many famous horses ran there, including Seabiscuit and Phar Lap. In 1935, the President of Mexico outlawed gambling forcing the resort to close. It was converted into a school run by the government, but when maintenance stopped it eventually became dilapidated and abandoned. While the racetrack still exists, the original grandstand burned down and was replaced in 1971. By 1992 horses stopped running there, being replaced by greyhounds.
MISSION INN – RIVERSIDE
Located in the heart of the city of Riverside, the Mission Inn began as a 2-story adobe built by Christopher Miller in 1876. In 1902, his son Frank added on to the structure until it occupied an entire city block by 1935. The architecture is a combination of random designs, including a blend of Tuscan, Spanish, Mediterranean and Mexican styles. Several of the architects who contributed to the Mission Inn are Arthur Benton, Myron Hunt and G. Stanley Wilson.
Over the years many Hollywood celebrities have visited it and 10 Presidents have stayed there. Richard Nixon was married at one of the chapels and Ronald Regan had his honeymoon there. In 1985 the Hotel received a $55 million renovation and re-opened in 1992 with 239 guest rooms, 4 restaurants, 9 Presidential suites and a day spa. Set with more than $5 million in antiques and works of art, the Mission Inn provides tours of the hotel through the Mission Inn Foundation, which operates the on-site museum. The hotel is a National Historic Landmark.
MT. RUBIDOUX – RIVERSIDE
Frank Miller, the developer of the Mission Inn, initially intended to build expensive homes on Mt. Rubidoux. However in 1907 he transformed the mountain into an inspirational recreational area by creating a road all the way to the top where he built a large wooden cross. Jacob Riis, a friend and guest at his Mission Inn, suggested that they have an Easter sunrise service at the top of the mountain. On April 12, 1909 the first Easter ceremony was performed and the service has been held every year since. In 1926 over 20,000 persons attended the Easter Service. It is the longest continuous running out door Easter Sunrise ceremony in the United States.
In the early 1920’s an outdoor amphitheater was created with seating on one side and an American flag and more seating on the other side. There are wonderful views of the city of Riverside from the top of the mountain. Mt. Rubidoux is a park owned and maintained by the city of Riverside. The long winding road to the top of the mountain is no longer open to vehicle traffic. The “Friends of Mt. Rubidoux was created in 1994 by a group of concerned individuals many of whom independently care for the Park.
OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO
San Diego’s Old Town is often referred to as the “birthplace” of California. It is the location of the first Spanish settlement in California. In 1769 Father Junipero Serra came to set up the first of what would become 21 missions. These missions became the foundation of California’s settlement. The Presidio mission was built on a hillside overlooking a few adobe buildings that would become “Old Town”. Due to its rich and cultural history, Old Town has always drawn tourist to see where California began. In 1968, the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation established Old Town State Historic Park to protect this heritage that portrayed San Diego during the 1821 to 1872 period.
In the movie you can see an old adobe with “Ramona Marriage Place” written on it. In 1905, sugar magnate John D. Spreckles, who owned the streetcar line near by wanted to attract more tourists to Old Town. He purchased the old adobe and used a reference to a character from a very popular book at the time, “Ramona” written by Helen Hunt Jackson to stimulate business. The writer supposedly based the character of Ramona on an adopted daughter of the Estudillo family who used to live in the adobe.
CONCLUSION - Hollywood in the mid-1930s