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  #22821  
Old Posted Jul 26, 2014, 4:37 AM
3940dxer 3940dxer is offline
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What Flattened the Top of Mt. Lee (of Hollywood Sign Fame)?

Like me, maybe you've wondered why the top of Mt. Lee is so flat?

This article from KCET explains that Mack Sennett almost built a mansion there...

http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_fo...sign-fame.html


Before / after grading:

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  #22822  
Old Posted Jul 26, 2014, 4:02 PM
Martin Pal Martin Pal is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post
I didn't want to believe it when GW posted the demolition photograph. What a huge loss, this building was so beautiful.
-by the way, your photograph is amazing DistrictDirt.
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Agree, great photo. On the left side, above the lighted entryway, it looks like you can even see two people peering out the window. You mentioned it happened in the middle of the night; do you remember the time you took the photograph?
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  #22823  
Old Posted Jul 26, 2014, 8:59 PM
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ethereal_reality ethereal_reality is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3940dxer View Post
Like me, maybe you've wondered why the top of Mt. Lee is so flat?

This article from KCET explains that Mack Sennett almost built a mansion there...

http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_fo...sign-fame.html


Before / after grading:

That's an interesting read....thanks for the link David.

I never knew about Mack Sennett's plan to build atop what is now known as Mount Lee.



The article also mentions Mack Sennett's Bathing Beauties posing on steam shovels and various other equipment.
These amusing photos were posted on NLA in the first year of the thread (unable to find them at the moment)

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By coincidence, I came across this photograph of 'Mt. Hollywood' on ebay yesterday. Is this correct...is it Mt. Hollywood (aka Mt. Lee)?
The seller dates it 1900, but to me there appears to have been some grading done already.


ebay


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Last edited by ethereal_reality; Jul 26, 2014 at 9:56 PM.
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  #22824  
Old Posted Jul 26, 2014, 9:16 PM
Lwize Lwize is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post
I never knew about Mack Sennett's plan to build atop what is now known as Mount Lee.

That's about the size of my guest villa in Tuscany.
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  #22825  
Old Posted Jul 26, 2014, 9:39 PM
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lol
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Here's a wonderful looking cafe that we haven't seen yet on noirish Los Angeles.


ebay


reverse (it was stuck in an album, but you can still make out some of the details)

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Last edited by ethereal_reality; Jul 26, 2014 at 9:56 PM.
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  #22826  
Old Posted Jul 26, 2014, 9:43 PM
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Actually there were two negatives. (I turned them into positives 4you)




ebay

above: I'm curious about the tall stand-alone smokestack on the left.



below: notice the workmen putting in windows on the right.


ebay

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  #22827  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 12:16 AM
CityBoyDoug CityBoyDoug is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3940dxer View Post
Like me, maybe you've wondered why the top of Mt. Lee is so flat?

This article from KCET explains that Mack Sennett almost built a mansion there...

http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_fo...sign-fame.html


Before / after grading:

Early PR for the glamorous Los Angeles lifestyle: Live broadcast by the pool in 1939 at the Don Lee studios. The pool was on top of Mt. Lee. That's the TV studio in the background [left]. (courtesy of Steve Dichter)


CD files
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  #22828  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 12:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post


ebay

above: I'm curious about the tall stand-alone smokestack on the left.
I can't tell you what it was, but I can tell where it was. Here's a better view taken from the Lankershim building in 1917. When I first saw this angle I thought the smokestack was on top of the Pacific Telephone Company Building at 716 S Olive, but that didn't fit with e_r's picture. Then I realized that there just happens to be a small structure on the roof that looks like it's the base of the smokestack across the street.


USC Digital Library

It's hard to see, but the smokestack was still there in 1972. I can't see it on the 1980 image.


Historic Aerials

The Baist maps don't show the smokestack, but they do show the Hotel Gilpin between it and Olive. The space between the smokestack and Grand is labeled "Bouton's Sub". Between 1914 and 1921, the Coulter Dry Goods Store appeared on the corner of 7th and Olive - would this have needed a slightly detached smokestack?

Speaking of the Pacific Telephone Company Building at 716 S Olive, BifRayRock posted this picture last year.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BifRayRock View Post
I found the reference below in 'An Arch Guidebook to Los Angeles by Robert Winter'.


books.google.com
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  #22829  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 1:34 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post

By coincidence, I came across this photograph of 'Mt. Hollywood' on ebay yesterday. Is this correct...is it Mt. Hollywood (aka Mt. Lee)?
The seller dates it 1900, but to me there appears to have been some grading done already.


ebay
Just to clarify: Mount Lee and Mount Hollywood are two separate peaks (labeled 'A' and 'B' respectively on the aerial below. The interesting KCET article posted by David is about the grading of Mount Hollywoodland, which became Mount Lee. The comments below the article seem to suggest that Mount Hollywoodland was never an official designation. Nathan Masters, the author of the article, writes the following reply: "The USGS might have never recognized the name, but I did find several references to 'Mount Hollywoodland' (which is confusing, considering its proximity to Mount Hollywood)." Mary Mallory, author of a book called 'Hollywoodland', suggests "it's just two writers calling it that since it was in Hollywoodland."


Google Maps
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  #22830  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 1:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post

I never knew about Mack Sennett's plan to build atop what is now known as Mount Lee.



The article also mentions Mack Sennett's Bathing Beauties posing on steam shovels and various other equipment.
These amusing photos were posted on NLA in the first year of the thread (unable to find them at the moment)
These ladies are described as 'starlets' rather than 'bathing beauties', but I think they must be the ones you're remembering.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post

below: Two starlets helping to publicize the Hollywoodland Real Estate venture (notice the Hollywoodland sign)


LAPL


LAPL

Does anyone recognize these two steam-shovel nymphs?
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  #22831  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 3:23 AM
CityBoyDoug CityBoyDoug is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HossC View Post
Just to clarify: Mount Lee and Mount Hollywood are two separate peaks (labeled 'A' and 'B' respectively on the aerial below. The interesting KCET article posted by David is about the grading of Mount Hollywoodland, which became Mount Lee. The comments below the article seem to suggest that Mount Hollywoodland was never an official designation. Nathan Masters, the author of the article, writes the following reply: "The USGS might have never recognized the name, but I did find several references to 'Mount Hollywoodland' (which is confusing, considering its proximity to Mount Hollywood)." Mary Mallory, author of a book called 'Hollywoodland', suggests "it's just two writers calling it that since it was in Hollywoodland."


Google Maps
Colored blue is the pool on Mt. Lee...still there in 1948. To the right is the Don Lee TV studio...now gone and replaced by a new building.

Historic Aerials

Last edited by CityBoyDoug; Jul 27, 2014 at 3:40 AM.
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  #22832  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 3:31 AM
CityBoyDoug CityBoyDoug is offline
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Mystery mounts.

Quote:
Originally Posted by HossC View Post
Just to clarify: Mount Lee and Mount Hollywood are two separate peaks (labeled 'A' and 'B' respectively on the aerial below. The interesting KCET article posted by David is about the grading of Mount Hollywoodland, which became Mount Lee. The comments below the article seem to suggest that Mount Hollywoodland was never an official designation. Nathan Masters, the author of the article, writes the following reply: "The USGS might have never recognized the name, but I did find several references to 'Mount Hollywoodland' (which is confusing, considering its proximity to Mount Hollywood)." Mary Mallory, author of a book called 'Hollywoodland', suggests "it's just two writers calling it that since it was in Hollywoodland."


Google Maps
Hoss: Why was your ''B'' location called ''Mt. Hollywood''? The Hollywood sign has always been on Mt. Lee. As you know, the "LAND" part of the sign was removed in later years. I suppose a few writers were being ''creative''?

Last edited by CityBoyDoug; Jul 27, 2014 at 3:41 AM.
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  #22833  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 10:44 AM
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I haven't found a definitive answer, although Harvey H Wilcox filed a deed naming "Hollywood, California" in 1887, some 36 years before the "Hollywoodland" sign was erected, so the name "Hollywood" would have already been in common usage by 1923. I guess the sign was put up in the most prominent location above the new real estate development. From what I've read, Mount Lee was an "unnamed peak" (Wikipedia) until the transmitter was built. To add to the confusion, the book 'Hollywood, 1940-2008' by Marc Wanamaker has the following misleading caption.


books.google.com


Some further reading on Mount Hollywood:

Small Mountain, Big Dreams

A History Of Griffith Observatory
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  #22834  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 12:35 PM
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GaylordWilshire GaylordWilshire is offline
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LAT Sept 20, 1925



LAT Dec 27, 1925/Apr 11, 1926

Last edited by GaylordWilshire; Jul 27, 2014 at 12:45 PM.
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  #22835  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 2:45 PM
Tourmaline Tourmaline is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire View Post


LAT Sept 20, 1925


http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics16/00007567.jpg


http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics04/00011571.jpg


Cue the shovel nymphs. And, action!
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics04/00011573.jpg

1924
Western Construction
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics16/00007576.jpg


http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics04/00011577.jpg


http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics04/00011558.jpg


http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics04/00011565.jpg


http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics04/00011553.jpg


??? Dana Point and Hollywoodland?
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics16/00007573.jpg



http://jpg1.lapl.org/spnb01/00007120.jpg


_______________________________



And the confusion continues. . . . . .

Quote:
Built in 1923 by Harry Chandler as billboard for his Hollywoodland real estate development, the Hollywood Sign located on the top of Mount Lee was declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #111 in 1973. http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/F...Number=5083978
1937 - "Panoramic view of Mount Lee and the Hollywoodland sign from the peak of Mount Hollywood."
http://jpg1.la
pl.org/00098/00098470.jpg



Quote:
In 1923 Harry Chandler's real estate development Hollywoodland was loosely bounded by Mullholand to the west, Hollyridge Drive to the east and Belden Drive to the south. The Hollywood Sign located on the top of Mount Lee was declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #111 in 1973.

The Hollywoodland sign can barely be seen on the left side of Mount Lee in this view taken on a Hollywoodland hike. http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/F...Number=5092980
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00098/00098990.jpg


Quote:
Aerial photograph capturing the Hollywood Hills, Mt. Lee, and the Hollywood Sign; various homes are seen throughout the image.
1992
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00102/00102565.jpg
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  #22836  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 5:09 PM
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ethereal_reality ethereal_reality is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HossC View Post
That's a terrific view of the 'mystery' smokestack HossC. Now I am even more intrigued.
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a group of snapshots/1905 and 1906.

ebay






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Last edited by ethereal_reality; Jul 27, 2014 at 5:26 PM.
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  #22837  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 5:31 PM
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ethereal_reality ethereal_reality is offline
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Have you ever had the urge to wear your apron on your head? -well here's your chance.


old file of mine



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  #22838  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 5:37 PM
Martin Pal Martin Pal is offline
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Mount Hollyw


H.P./Torrence

What might be the purpose of the triangle shape?
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  #22839  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 5:43 PM
Martin Pal Martin Pal is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HossC View Post
I can't help with the Oleander Arms, but here's an aerial from 1948 which shows the Dustin Farnum/Farnham house on the southeast corner of the intersection.


Historic Aerials

The house had already gone by 1952, but that aerial image is pretty blurry. This 1972 aerial shows the same replacement building(s).


Historic Aerials
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=20398

I haven't found any photos of the Oleander Arms apartment building, in front of the pool in the aerials I would imagine, nor any articles about the building being relocated in 1983 or so...but I found this screen capture, from A Star is Born, of the Oleander Arms.

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  #22840  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2014, 5:49 PM
Martin Pal Martin Pal is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post
I never knew about Mack Sennett's plan to build atop what is now known as Mount Lee.
__


photos of the scale model of the proposed Mack Sennet home.



Below, Architect John Delario pointing at his never to be built creation.


H.P./Torrence
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