These days, of course, the Hollywoodland development is filled with homes built into every nook, cranny, and canyon of them there hills. But there had to be a very first completed home. Not long after the March 1, 1923 announcement of the Hollywoodland development came the news that the new home of Hearst newspaper columnist Kenneth C. Beaton and his wife would soon be completed at 2716 Woodhaven Dr., which is just around the corner from Hollywoodland Realty Co.’s office, which is the first thing you see as you reach the top of Beachwood Dr. and enter Hollywoodland. This photo shows the Beatons out front of their home in a Studebaker promotion in 1925.
You can read more about this home at Hollywoodland’s First House
That house still stands! This image is from April 2019.
Proud to say that the house was built by A. B. Crist, my grandfather.
Oh wow, Skip!!!
So sad that the house your Grandfather built has now lost all of the charming details it had in 1925. I loved the little window above the front door that had the railing around it and the other decorations that surrounded it. I am sure your Grandfather would be upset.
Kudos to your grandfather!
Sad to see that at some point someone stripped off all the charming detail.
I was just about ready to say the same thing. What the heck happened to all those charming details?
Thanks to those who noticed the detailing that has disappeared. Yes, “A.B.” (it was short for Albert Beach, but he went only by A.B.) would have been saddened. But at least the building stands.
Makes sense that older buildings usually have lost their detailing because of earthquake safety restrictions on such things…or maybe they actually did fall off during an earthquake.
If you want to see some more of the exterior of the house and much of the interior, here’s a short video (1 min. 15 secs.) on Vimeo, from two years ago. Nice!
Thank you! What a treat to see the inside as well.
Great detective work, Mister Pal!
How boring it looks now!