Hollywood.

Description

A snapshot of a snapshot, as it were, this rare pictorial map of Hollywood manages to capture both the romanticism of “old” Hollywood, as well as the businesses and venues that comprised the neighborhood in 1985. The mid-1980s were an exciting time for this area, and the map gives the sense of a lively and bustling atmosphere, with restaurants and discos and live music venues.

The map follows four main streets: Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, and Melrose Avenue. A few cross streets are named, including La Brea and Highland Avenues. The famous HOLLYWOOD sign surveys the neighborhood from its high perch. The map reminds us that Hollywood plays a dual role as a tourist destination and regular neighborhood, in which local residents live and work. Alongside souvenir shops and famous sights — Mann’s Chinese Theater, the Walk of Fame, Paramount Pictures Corp., and many more — we also find plumbers, doctors, and markets.

There is also a notable number of gay- and lesbian-related establishments, including the Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center and the International Gay and Lesbian Archives. These organizations illustrate both how Hollywood has long been an important neighborhood for the gay community, but also that in 1985 the HIV/AIDS epidemic was in full swing.

In the lower right corner we find Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall lit by a movie premiere spotlight. The couple frames a text box that discusses the history of Hollywood, from its beginnings as a farm community in the 1870s, to the beginnings of the motion-picture industry. Rare.