Light bulb duty: The original Hollywoodland sign required a live-in caretaker whose sole job was to replace thousands of flas

The Hollywood sign

Chapter 1

A giant billboard for a suburban dream

Chapter 2

Decades of decay and a dark history

Chapter 3

The rock stars who bought the letters

Chapter 4

Pranks, security, and the modern fortress

YOUR GOAL

Master of The Hollywood sign

Ch 1 · A giant billboard for a suburban dream

dave

BETA

dave Rebuild the 1923 billboard to discover why the famous sign originally spelled out Hollywoodland.

Jul 16

dave

dave Lighting up the Los Angeles night sky

Jul 16

dave

The engineering behind the giant wooden letters

dave Building massive letters on a steep, unstable mountain slope required creative engineering and pack mules.

Jul 16

dave

dave A massive network of flashing light bulbs illuminated the sign to attract buyers from miles away.

Jul 16

dave

Fun Fact

Light bulb duty: The original Hollywoodland sign required a live-in caretaker whose sole job was to replace thousands of flashing light bulbs.

Jul 16

dave

Glossary

billboard (noun)
A large outdoor board used for displaying advertisements. In 1923, developers erected the original hillside sign to advertise a suburban housing development in Los Angeles.

Jul 16

dave

Gossip

Would you live in a neighborhood with a giant flashing billboard above it?

Jul 16

dave

Quiz

Approximately how much did it cost to build the original Hollywoodland sign in 1923?

Jul 16

dave

dave The neighborhood that gave the sign its name

Jul 16

dave

Quiz

What did the original Hollywood sign say when it was first built?

Jul 16

dave

dave The engineering behind the giant wooden letters

Jul 16

dave

Quiz

Which mountain in Los Angeles is the Hollywood sign located on?

Jul 16

dave

Quiz

What was the name of the upscale housing development advertised by the original sign?

Jul 16

dave

Quiz

In what year was the original Hollywoodland sign constructed?

Jul 16

dave

Quiz

How tall were the original letters of the 1923 Hollywoodland sign?

Jul 16

dave

Quiz

Approximately how many light bulbs illuminated the original Hollywoodland sign?

Jul 16

dave

Quiz

How long was the original Hollywoodland sign intended to stand on Mount Lee?

Jul 16