Los Angeles is the city where dreams are manufactured - literally. But behind the Hollywood glamour lies a fascinating history of water wars, buried rivers, and a city that exists in defiance of geography. Here are LA's secrets.
The Hollywood Sign's Darker History
The iconic Hollywood Sign wasn't always about movies - and has a tragic past:
- Originally read "HOLLYWOODLAND" - an ad for real estate (1923)
- The "LAND" was removed in 1949
- Actress Peg Entwistle jumped from the "H" in 1932
- Each letter is 45 feet (13.7m) tall
- Playboy founder Hugh Hefner saved it from demolition in 1978
The City That Stole Its Water
LA is built in a semi-desert with no water. It exists because it took water from somewhere else - controversially:
- The LA Aqueduct (1913) drains the Owens Valley 230 miles away
- Owens Lake is now a dry, toxic dustbowl
- The "Water Wars" inspired the film Chinatown
- LA River was paved over in 1938 after floods killed 115 people
- The paved river has appeared in countless movies and shows
The City Built for Cars
LA was deliberately designed around automobiles - but it wasn't always this way:
- LA once had the world's largest electric streetcar system
- Pacific Electric "Red Cars" were dismantled by 1961
- Conspiracy theory: auto companies killed public transit
- Today: 6.5 million cars, 1,000+ miles of freeways
- Average Angeleno spends 119 hours/year stuck in traffic
More LA Secrets
The Full Name: El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora...
Los Angeles' original Spanish name (1781) was: "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río Porciúncula" (The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of the Porciúncula River). It was shortened to just "Los Angeles" (The Angels) fairly quickly!
Fun fact: The original pueblo had just 44 settlers - now it's 4 million in the city, 13 million in the metro!
Why Hollywood Became Hollywood
Early filmmakers fled to California from New York to escape Thomas Edison, who owned most movie-related patents and sued competitors. In LA, they were close enough to flee to Mexico if Edison's lawyers came knocking. The sunny weather and diverse landscapes were bonuses.
The Secret Subway
Underneath Downtown LA lies an abandoned 1920s subway. The Bimini/Belmont tunnel was part of the Pacific Electric system and is now sealed. Urban explorers have documented miles of forgotten tunnels beneath the city. Some are still used for movie shoots.
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