HOLLYWOODLAND: 1923-1949
the 30-foot-wide letters stay lighted for a few seconds before going dark so the cycle can began all over again. each bulb is relatively small, but there are 4,000 of them, spaced nine inches apart. a 35-foot-wide flashing dot was installed below on the hillside to help punctuate and draw attention to the monstrous structure, but it was needed- a harbor master 30 miles away in long beach could see the illumination. for 16 years the southern face of hollywood's mt lee will rarely see darkness.
before albert kothe, (german immigrant hired exclusively to change the light bulbs) can climb the sign in order to reach his work, he must first descend the terrain behind it. the steep grade of slope has it's inherent dangers and presents an arduous struggle for the strongest of men on the best of days. the task essentially involves mountain climbing; kothe has to apple with the help of a rope anchored to a pole at the summit 175 feet above the structure. arriving at it's base, he is then able to reach the highest light bulbs with the help of ladders permanently fixed affixed to the back of each letter. anyone at all can reach the top of these structures using the ladders, but albert kothe and his employers had little concern for trespassers; after all, who besides would want to climb the damn thing anyway?
another day becomes night in
HOLLY... WOOD... LAND... HOLLYWOODLAND.... HOLLY... WOOD... LAND... HOLLYWOODLAND... HOLLY... WOOD... LAND... HOLLYWOODLAND...
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