Officially founded in 1984 as the 84th city in Los Angeles County, West Hollywood is a young, vibrant community with a colorful and entertaining past!

From its 19th century beginnings as a virtual “no man's land,” the region soon became prime location for a railway, and in 1894, a man named Moses Sherman bought the land and designated it as the headquarters of the Los Angeles Pacific Railway Co. This venture sparked the need for housing, and West Hollywood (then a town called “Sherman”) started to see its first bout of immense growth. The little town grew fast, and by 1912 it was dubbed “The Queen of the Foothills” and guidebooks praised its climate, ideal location, and quality of community.

Shortly after, motion picture studios emerged and surpassed the railway as the major “hub” of Sherman. Movie moguls Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks bought film studios near Santa Monica Boulevard and in 1925, when the City's name changed to “West Hollywood,” a dirt road a few blocks north now known as Sunset Boulevard served as the main commuter route between Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Sunset became a stomping ground for those in the entertainment world and the “Sunset Strip” was born, bringing with it nightclubs, hotels, and a number of architecturally fancy residences. People were drawn to this thriving western locale and celebrities of the Golden Era considered West Hollywood the swankiest, most glamorous nightlife destination. Upscale shopping district Sunset Plaza was born, and nightclubs such as Ciro's, Mocambo, and the Trocadero were the center of social life for the stars and gangsters like Bugsy Siegel, making headlines around the nation, due in part to the county's lax law enforcement.

Despite some slowdown in activity during later years, movie fans throughout the world knew the Sunset Strip was the place to find their favorite stars, and the Strip continued to prosper as an attraction for locals and tourists.

The strip saw its first major transformation in the 1960's, becoming a “hippie mecca” when youngsters from all over flocked to West Hollywood and local clubs like the Whisky a Go-Go and the Troubadour, venues that were stepping stones to fame for many musicians. In 1966, the Doors were the house band at the Whisky and the city was on the heels of a 1980's “hair metal” music boom, the Strip being home to wild rock bands such as Motley Crue & Guns N' Roses. These major music movements lead West Hollywood to become known as a thriving hotbed for the music industry.

In the 1970's the gay movement influenced West Hollywood's direction, as gay and lesbian citizens became more assertive of their rights and felt free to ‘come out of the closet'. Because West Hollywood was unincorporated, it flew under the then-homophobic Los Angeles Police Department's radar, and a thriving gay community was established. Due to the gay influence and citizens with money to spend, commercial and residential sections of the city were revitalized, and these new attractive properties made for a new vibrancy throughout the city. Along with gays, Russian Jews sought out West Hollywood as a refuge, a mix of elderly citizens and young families flocking to what is now the East Side of West Hollywood.

At this time, citizens and leaders realized the problems of occupying an unincorporated city and after years of grassroots campaigning and fast mobilization by community members to take more local control, West Hollywood was formally incorporated as its own city in 1984.

At present, the City has grown to 39,000 residents and remains as Los Angeles' hottest destination for the entertainment industry with its boutique hotels, celebrity-owned restaurants, unparalleled nightlife and shopping, and events like the Vanity Fair Oscar Party and the largest Halloween Street Party in the world. West Hollywood continues to be an example for progressive, creative individuals on the cutting edge of trends and new ideas, working together as a community in one of the most sprawling cities in the country.

Discover West Hollywood History in pictures! Take a “then and now” tour of historic hotels and buildings – and find out why “If these walls could talk” how much they could say.

For more information on West Hollywood History and for a historical Walking Tour of the Sunset Strip contact the Office of Historic Preservation in West Hollywood.

Original information at West Hollywood Marketing and Visitors Bureau.