A century-old Hollywood Hills home has recently hit the market — and its rich history takes us on a trip back to the very beginnings of Hollywoodland.
Just shy of its 100th anniversary, the residence is one of the first homes ever built in the Hollywoodland neighborhood and is nestled under the iconic Hollywood sign.
As the story goes, the neighborhood of Hollywoodland began in 1923 when two developers purchased 500 acres of land nestled at the foot of Mt. Lee, just above the town of Hollywood. This was well before any houses dotted the hillside, and the plan was to build a unique community for Los Angeles’ “movie people”, whose stars had started to shine brightly.
To attract attention to their new development and help sell the houses, they erected a huge sign that spelled out its name, Hollywoodland, and that’s how the Hollywood sign was born.
One of the first homes built as part of that community, this 1925-built storybook cottage we’ll take a closer look at today retains many of its original details, including built-ins, leaded glass windows, and a fireplace crane.
But it has been updated for modern-day living with a period-appropriate remodel that didn’t alter the original design.
Now, the charming storybook home is being offered for sale with a $2.625 price tag. Jill Galloway and Manuel Pablo Arnao with Compass hold the listing.
The 2,205-square-foot home comes with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and 1 half-bath, with two of the bedrooms set on the ground floor. The primary bedroom, set upstairs, invites rest and relaxation and features a cozy sitting area, built-ins, a skylight, a large walk-in closet, and a new bath.
The living room boasts an expansive vaulted ceiling, as well as hickory wood floors, re-glazed leaded glass windows, built-in bookcases, and a newly rebuilt fireplace that adds to the home’s charm.
But its value extends beyond its square footage.
“Its rich Hollywoodland history makes the home special,” listing agent Manuel Pablo Arnao tells us. “It was just completely renovated; it has modern conveniences throughout. There’s very little inventory especially in this part of town, much less with this rich pedigree.”
The three-bedroom home sits in the historic Beachwood Canyon, set right under the iconic Hollywood Sign.
In fact, the upper portion of the canyon housed the 1920s-built Hollywoodland community that was advertised by the original sign, which used to say “Hollywoodland” (with the word “land” later dropped from the sign to reflect the whole district, not just the housing development).
Historic appeal aside, the area is one of the best in all of Los Angeles, providing access to countless nearby locations. The home is surrounded by convenient amenities like hiking trails, Sunset Ranch riding stables, and the Beachwood Market & Cafe. The location also provides easy access to Hollywood studios, the 101 freeway, and the Valley.
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