President’s Message
Hollywood Heritage –The Sequel
Someone may jest and say that this is “Hollywood
Heritage – the Sequel” as I return again as your President. Over 25 years ago,
I was one of 5 Hollywood enthusiasts searching for the local historical
society. There was none.
Marian Gibbons (who has returned to the Board this year!);
Mildred Heredeen (sadly now deceased); Christy Johnson (now McAvoy, and a major
force in historic preservation); Susan Peterson (still my friend, but living in
Sonoma); and I had a vision that Hollywood’s future should be built on her
past. Marian always said that it took people from outside of Hollywood to see
the phenomenal treasures in her historic buildings – in fact to even see them
at all.
Other voices at that time were championing the wholesale
demolition and redevelopment of the Boulevard to make way for the “Hollywood of
the Twenty-First Century,” a Century City on steroids. We were galvanized to
join together to make people see that the Boulevard had the makings of a real
“town”–a vibrant and living hometown capitalizing on a world-renowned history
and an exuberant architecture.
The Boulevard was a real “Main Street,” one of the few
remaining in the region with the potential to become a thriving town for both
tourists and locals alike (like State Street in Santa Barbara). The
neighborhoods had the highest quality Craftsman and revival architecture of the
teens and twenties. 
Marian drew up Articles of Incorporation and Hollywood
Heritage was born. I was President until I was termed out.
Did we succeed to
turning the great battleship of “progress” around to our way of thinking?
With Christy’s expert scholarship we succeeded in having
the Boulevard listed as a District on the National Register of Historic Places.
We succeeded in saving the Wattles Estate – the only remaining wintering estate
in Hollywood with house and gardens intact – from becoming another housing
tract. We saved the “Barn”– site of the first feature length motion picture
filming in Hollywood and progenitor of Paramount Studios. We moved all 90’ of
it in one piece, live, on the 11:00 news up Highland Avenue to its new home. I
was elected to serve on the Redevelopment Area PAC, and succeeded to get
protections for historic buildings into the Redevelopment Plan over phenomenal
opposition.
I wish I could say that
we converted the public at large to our way of thinking. We very definitely
have had quite an influence. But the challenge was not meant to be met in a
short time. The same work of Hollywood Heritage goes on.
But something
else happened along the way. Something utterly marvelous. Other people who love
Hollywood and its history were drawn to Hollywood Heritage, molding its
character as the years rolled.
I wish I could mention all the names, because each new
person has brought a new view of Hollywood’s heritage. From their special
talents Hollywood Heritage has benefited mightily: from the Silent Society;
from our website; from the Evenings @ the Barn; from a vociferous
preservation advocacy; from clever exhibits at our Museum; from a devotion to
historic gardens; from a newsletter, a magazine, books, and other publications;
from careful stewardship of landmarks in our care; from our docents at the
Barn; from walking tours, book signings, and lectures – the list goes on and
on.
From among the phenomenal talents and selfless efforts of
so many people I must point out one who just knocks my socks off. That’s Kay
Tornborg, outgoing President of this organization. Kay joined Hollywood
Heritage and immediately began shouldering responsibilities. She showed a
commitment to preservation matched by effectiveness second to none. She
straightened out one part of our organization after another, reviving the
docent program, building up the Evenings @ the Barn, guiding membership,
professionalizing our accounting, building ties to other Hollywood
organizations, bringing in our Advisory Board, you name it. She became our
ambassador, rebuilding our name in the wider community, bringing in new
friends, and reviving the interest of old ones.
Next issue I’ll outline my hopes for our next phase of
achievement. For this one I’d like to toast those who have come before.