DID YOU KNOW? The city of Beverly Hills turns 100 today! The 4500 acres that make up the city today were once lima bean fields. But oil-speculating investors led by Burton E. Green bought the area in 1900, and drilled wells that didnt strike oil, but did strike enough water to support a town. So in 1906, Green and his partners reorganized as the Rodeo Land and Water Company, and was inspired by Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, to rename the bean field “Beverly Hills.” The vision for Beverly Hills in 1907 was to make in an affordable area. The first house was completed in 1907, but sales were slow. So to bolster interest, Green completed construction of the Beverly Hills Hotel in 1912, on the site once called an oasis because water was so abundant. The Beverly Hills Hotel was a luxurious establishment back then too, and served not only travelers but the locals as a de facto city hall, community center, movie theatre, and religious worship venue. By 1914, the local population was large enough to support incorporation of Beverly Hills as a city, but real growth didn’t take off until the most glamorous couple of that time, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, built their home Pickfair on Summit Drive. Thanks to beverlyhillshistoricalsociety.org/history for the history lesson! More about the centennial: beverlyhills.org/exploring/centennialcelebration/ Photo via facebook/The Beverly Hills Hotel
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 15:00:01 +0000
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