Hollywood fights LA in battle over famous sign
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Who owns the Hollywood sign? Is it the City of Los Angeles, which has touted the famous hillside letters as its landmark for decades, or is it that more nebulous concept known as Hollywood, at once the name of a neighbourhood and the symbol of an industry that stretches across southern California and beyond?
Who owns the Hollywood sign? Is it the City of Los Angeles, which has touted the famous hillside letters as its landmark for decades, or is it that more nebulous concept known as Hollywood, at once the name of a neighbourhood and the symbol of an industry that stretches across southern California and beyond?
Until now it hasn't mattered, but that was before Hollywood – the neighbourhood, that is – made plans to secede from Los Angeles and establish itself as an independent city. This week, a state commission analysing the viability of city status recommended that the sign become part of the new municipality. After all, what would Hollywood be without the sign?
That finding infuriated one Los Angeles councillor who dug through old property recordsto prove that the sign is legally obliged to remain in Los Angeles in perpetuity. The Hollywood sign sits in Griffith Park, a large area of public land that was bequeathed to Los Angeles by Colonel Griffith J Griffith. The only snag in the argument is that the sign is not technically in Griffith Park at all, but sits on its own slice of secessionist territory once belonging to a property company.
Indeed, the 50ft sign once read "Hollywoodland" and was an advertisement for a 1920s housing development. The last four letters subsequently fell off.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments