Hollywood Blog

The Whitley Heights sign was the first sign to light the Hollywood Hills.  HJ felt that movie publicists had nothing on land developers when it came to marketing and bright lights.  Electricity was a new commodity and the public was fascinated by it.  The sign was studded with more lightbulbs than most people could image. As you can see the Hollywood sign is not there yet.

The sign was so successful that HJ suggested to Harry Chandler that he might do the same thing for his property.  The original plan was to have the sign there for a year or so.  The sign would read "Hollywoodland".  It has now become the famous Hollywood Sign.  

Gigi Whitley 1880’s Memoir:

And this is what the Oklahoma Illustrated History says about HJ Whitley.

Oklahoma and especially Guthrie owes Mr. Whitley a heavy debt of gratitude for the ceaseless and untiring energy he has put forth in their behalf.  From the first day of his entering the territory, he has labored enthusiastically and in every possible way for the advancement of their interest.  He went to Oklahoma the day of the opening and built the first brick block building in the territory.  HJ was appointed by the Governor and made chairman of the Formal School Commission.  After that on account of his railroad experience with the Rock Island he was made the Washington Trustee and Treasurer of the Indian Allotment which controlled towns along the Rock Island.  Indeed there is not a single enterprise looking to the good and advancement of Guthrie with which HJ Whitley has not been identified and to which he has not rendered a powerful aid that has chiefly made them successful.  Many of the finest buildings in the city bear witness to his zeal and generous assistance.  All identify his name with the development of Guthrie.   Mr. Whitley was born in Toronto, Canada.  His father was the son of the Honorable Nicholas Whitley of Liverpool, England and his mother was the daughter of Coronal William Johnstone, an officer in the English army.   He received a practical business education.  In his early business training was a partner in a wholesale house of Whitley Partridge & Co.  In 1880 he engaged largely in banking and loan and investment business at Minneapolis, Michigan where he remained for ten years and still has large property interest.  In 1889 April 22^nd he located in Guthrie and in company with Mr. George Orpant  built the first brick block in the territory know as the National Bank which they afterwards sold to McNeal & Little. In this position he knew about all of the prominent men in the Territory both democrats and republican alike.  HJ Whitley, 

 HJ Whitley, Gigi Whitley and Ross Whitley in Guthrie Oklahoma in 1889.

Over the years I have been speaking to audiances around the world on televison, radio talk shows, newspaper interview and at Hollywood Academy Award functions. Many times I have been asked, "How did Hollywood got its name?"  To start with I am going to share with you the way my great-grandmother wrote it in her handwriten memoirs.  While on their honeymoon in 1886 they rode horses out to the foothills of the Cahuega Valley. They dismounted near the top of the hill to look at the view of the entire valley.  Along came a Chinese man riding in a wagon.  He stopped, got out of the wagon and politely bowed.  HJ Whitley asked him what he had been doing.  The man said in broken English, “Up early. Work hard. Hauly wood.”  The man’s was hauling wood.  With that HJ had an epiphany.  He decided to name the new town he planned to build there Hollywood.  Holly would represent his British roots and Wood his Scottish ancestry.

“Col. Griffith lips parted, and from beneath his heavy, well waxed mustache issued salutation and words of praise for the indomitable courage, indefatigable effort and patriotic spirit of Mr. Whitley, whose record of town building along the Northern Pacific Railway and the great territory of Oklahoma made him a national benefactor.  Congratulating Hollywood upon possessing such a citizen, Col Griffith then folded up and pocketed his notes and was seated.

H J Whitley standing under the Hotel Hollywood sign to meet his guests.

“Whitley! Whitley!” from all sides, brought Mr. H. J. Whitley reluctantly to his feet, his large, smooth face radiant with blushes for the Col. Griffith’s compliments, and looking extremely young for his six feet two and broad square shoulders.  Mr. Whitley chided the genial Colonel for protesting too much and again made clear that the Colonel’s great gift and other benefactions made him the outstanding citizen of Southern California; and then explained no one could accomplish great things unless environed by the cooperative spirit of “such great men as we have with us tonight, when all things are possible.  As Mr. Whitley took his seat, General Sherman was called for, and removing his arm from the back of Mr. Sandison’s chair, he raised his portly person to state that his speech of the evening might be summed up in five words; and with a sweeping gesture that encompassed both ends of the table he said: “Behold what God hath wrought” and resumed his seat.  Mr. DeLongpre was introduced and complimented Mr. Whitley.”

Reference: History of Hollywood by Edwin O Palmer page 116 (1938)

Photo by Flora Chou/L.A. Conservancy

Located in one of Hollywood's most historic residential neighborhoods, plans for the development included height restrictions to guarantee that every home retained a view of the city below.  This residence is located in one of Hollywood's most historic residential neighborhoods, Whitley Heights. Whitley Heights was the last project of developer H. J. Whitley. He developed the area from 1918 to 1928 as an upper-middle-class, single-family residential neighborhood designed to resemble a Mediterranean hillside village. The concept of a hillside development was new to Los Angeles at the time, and the plans included graded roads, retaining walls, and flights of pedestrian steps. Height restrictions guaranteed that every home retained a view of the city below, and architectural design guidelines ensured that the neighborhood homes maintained the appearance of Mediterranean-style villas. This house on Holly Hill Terrace is designed in the Mediterranean style, featuring an L-shape plan that follows the unique configuration of the lot and an exterior clad in smooth-finished stucco. Over the years, this home has remained largely intact, with the exception of a two-story veranda added in 1941. The Conservancy holds an easement protecting the home's historic façade. It is one of two easements held by the Conservancy in Whitley Heights, along with a residence on Milner Road.