I was surprised to learn that this view of Hollywood from the Hollywood hills was taken as far back in 1928. Of the five buildings we can see—the Hollywood First National Bank building, the Hollywood Hotel, the El Capitan Theatre, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and Roosevelt Hotel—four of them are still with us. Only the hotel is gone. Otherwise, the view today wouldn’t be very different. Except for those palm trees; they’d would be MUCH taller today.

David says: This photo was taken from just behind the pagoda that was/is slightly down the hill from Yamashiro, which was a private residence at the time.