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1926 Map of Hollywood

Name: 1926 Topographic Map of Hollywood
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1926
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1926

About this map

La Brea and the surrounding plains of west Los Angeles are depicted here during a pivotal era of urbanization and resource extraction. The landscape is a patchwork of emerging residential grids and industrial activity, notably the dense concentration of Oil Wells and the Fossil Pits that would become world-famous. Major transit arteries like Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard define the region's movement, supported by the extensive Pacific Electric rail network connecting Sherman and Culver Junc.

The map reveals the early footings of Hollywood and Beverly Hills, as the city limits began to press against the Santa Monica Mts to the north and the Baldwin Hills to the south. Local life is anchored by landmarks such as Hollywood Cemetery, the Wilshire Country Club, and early educational institutions like Fairfax School and Los Angeles High School. Larger ranchos, including Rodeo De Las Aguas and Rincon De Los Bueyes, remain as ghost-like underlying labels, signaling the area's transition from pastoral lands to a metropolitan center.