Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign (formerly the Hollywoodland Sign) is a landmark and American cultural icon located in Los Angeles, California. It is near on Mount Lee, in the Hollywood Hills area of the Santa Monica Mountains. The sign overlooks Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The "Hollywood Sign" in 2015.

"HOLLYWOOD" is spelled out in 45-foot (13.7 m)-tall^[1] white capital letters and is 350 feet (106.7 m) long. It was originally created in 1923 as an advertisement for a local real estate development, but it gained increasing recognition after the sign was left up.^[2]

The original sign, reading "Hollywoodland".

The "LAND" section of the "HOLLYWOODLAND" sign was removed in September 1949, because the real estate developers did not want to use the sign to advertise the "Hollywoodland" housing development anymore, but to reflect the Hollywood district.^[2]

In the 1970s, the sign reached its worst condition. This image was taken shortly before the sign's 1978 restoration.

The sign was a frequent target of pranks and vandalism, but it has since undergone restoration in 1978, including the installation of a security system to deter vandalism.^[2] The sign is protected and promoted by The Trust For Public Land, a nonprofit organization, while its site and the surrounding land are part of Griffith Park.^[2]

Once all wood, the sign was rebuilt in metal letters supported by a structural steel framework.