A woman sitting on top of Laughlin Park the year it was established - 1905.
Looking SW over the fields and groves that are today's Hollywood (Franklin Ave. is the dirt road cutting diagonally across the image), it's hard to even comprehend what this image would look like now. And if you know Laughlin Park - it's pretty hard to get into.
Laughlin Park was created by Homer Laughlin who had in mind a grand subdivision with only 40 homes and stellar views of an empty LA Basin. Stars and moguls of Hollywood's early years who called the gated community home include: Cecil B. DeMille, W. C. Fields, and Charlie Chaplin. Since those days a few of the lots have been subdivided and there's something like 60 homes. Its private element has remained intact - with access from only five gates.
Photo from the USC Archives.
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