Short History of Hollywood

When you are looking for hotels in Hollywood make sure you know the history of the place you're going to.

The area we know today as Hollywood was first discovered by Spanish explorers who have encountered several Native American tribes around Santa Monica Mountains. The tribes were moved to missions and the Spanish Government has divided the land in two: Rancho La Brea and Rancho Los Feliz.

During the 1870s the region has become a prosperous agricultural area with multiple crops being cultivated by the community. After the ranchos got sub-divided in smaller settlements during the 1880s, one of the areas was bought by H. H. Wilcox, who has become the founder of Hollywood as we know it now. It was his wife who gave the name "Hollywood" to the place. Wilcox has actively developed the community with the aim to sell residential lots to wealthy buyers looking for a place to spend winters under the hot sun of California.

The community has flourished rapidly with rich houses, but its independence was not for long. Due to the lack of water, the community was decided to make part of Los Angeles with its abundance of water. Thus, since 1903 Hollywood is a district of the greater Los Angeles.

The first film studio was established in 1911, when the Nestor Company bought an old tavern. The mild climate and abundance of open spaces have made this place very attractive for the rapidly growing movie industry and soon many studios and sets have sprang up in Hollywood. The city faced a major influx of residents and money, with many clubs, restaurants, banks, offices and apartment buildings being built to serve the movie making industry.

This rapid growth has caused a clash between the new and the old residents of the city, with agricultural spaces being used for building purposes. What was a field a few years ago was now a big office building. The urbanization of the city and its unique cultural context has lead to a very original mix of architectural styles being seen today: from Art Deco to Spanish Colonial and everything in-between.

Hollywood has seen many changes during its history and still remains a very active environment. Today you will find any business in the city. With many studios moving outside the area and many stars - to Beverly Hills, many record companies and studios have made Hollywood their place of residence. And this is definitely not the last change Hollywood will see in its history.