2. The “Father of Hollywood” Wasn’t A Movie Mogul.
Hollywood’s name has a less cinematic origin than one might assume. In the late 1880s, Harvey Henderson Wilcox and his wife, Daeida, bought 120 acres of land west of Los Angeles. After hearing a stranger on a train mention the Dutch word “Hollywood,” Daeida was inspired to name their property Hollywood. Later on, the couple created a subdivision with the same name. The film industry didn’t even exist in the region until about 20 years later, but when it took root, the name “Hollywood” was firmly established.
3. Hollywood’s First Feature Film Was Shot in a Barn.
In 1913, Cecil B. DeMille rented a barn on Vine Street for $75 a month to shoot Hollywood’s first full-length feature film, “The Squaw Man.” It was a pioneering move for the time, as most films were short reels, often not much longer than a few minutes. This barn didn’t just witness the inception of Hollywood’s film journey but was crucial in the early development of the film industry. Today, you can visit this historic barn, as it has been transformed into the