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Description

Marvelous early photograph showing the Beachwood Drive entrance to the Hollywoodland development, with developer Sidney Woodruff in the foreground waving to passengers on a Pacific Electric Company Bus.

The photograph shows the partially constructed Beachwood Drive Gate, Hollywoodland sales office and signage, a peek view of the Hollywoodland sign and the partially graded hillside above the Beachwood Drive entrance. A note on the back of the photo reads: "Pacific Electric Busses Like This Are Guaranteed For Beachwood Drive As Soon As Beachwood Is Paved."

Promotional photograph for Hollywoodland, likely taken in late 1923 or early 1924. Photographs of the same view dated ca 1925 show Beechwood Drive as paved, the billboards and sales office gone and homes built on the hillside.

The concept of a community in the Hollywood Hills named "Hollywoodland" was conceived by S.H. Woodruff and Tracy Shoults in February 1923. The Hollwoodland sign was dedicated in July 1923 and built in 1924.

S.H. Woodruff, along with Tracy Shoults and Harry Chandler (LA Times owner), developed an estate community known as Hollywoodland. Woodruff, an architect and land developer, went so far as to register the name Hollywoodland with the State of California. The area includes thde location of the famous "HOLLYWOODLAND" sign. The sign was erected to advertise a new housing development in the hills above the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. H.J. Whitney, developer of Whitney Heights, suggested to his friend Harry Chandler, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, that the land syndicate in which he was involved make a similar sign to advertise their land. Real estate developers Woodruff and Shoults called their development "Hollywoodland" and advertised it as a "superb environment without excessive cost on the Hollywood side of the hills."

Condition Description
Minor chipping at top in margin.