TOPOGRAPHY AND VISTAS

The design program of the Palos Verdes Ranch property was largely based on the dramatic topography of the irregular contours of the land as it rose from 0 feet at sea level to 1400 feet into the surrounding hills. Of the vistas offered, Frank A. Vanderlip wrote:

The road over which I drove as I filled my eyes with a first sight of Palos Verdes Ranch was the corridor of one of the most exciting experiences of my life. Before me lay a range of folded hills, miles and miles of tawny slopes patched with green, thrusting themselves abruptly from the Pacific Above me were broad natural terraces, with here and there a little farm, backed by a range of taller hills. Wherever the road passed over a hillcrest I could see the shore-line of the ranch as a series of bold headlands spaced off by gleaming crescent beaches.^Ref.23

Figure 17: Detail, Van Nuys Quadrangle (United States Geological Survey of Van Nuys)

Figure 18: Detail, Redondo Beach quandrangle (United States Geological Survey of Palos Verdes Peninsula)

Figure 19: Detail, Beverly Hills Quadrangle

Beverly Hills too is located on interesting topography; the southern-most portion is flat and the land gradually rises on gentle slopes to higher elevations, into the more rugged terrain of the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, where like Palos Verdes Estates, hills, canyons and streams provided secluded areas for future and more valuable residential development. (Fig.19)

In any case, the major selling points for both Palos Verdes Estates and Beverly Hills were their vistas, made possible by the irregular topography, and the careful planning of streets, parks, and residential lots. The enhancement of the natural beauty of Palos Verdes and Beverly Hills and their "picturesque" image achieved through street planning, landscape design, and handsome architecture, was written about and photographed for many architecture and landscape journals of the 1920s. An article by George D. Hall, written in 1930, describes his firm's plan for a two mile "Beverly Hills Parkway" strip. Drawings show the scheme for landscaping the middle of Santa Monica Boulevard in order to screen the Pacific Electric Railway line which ran along its center. (Fig.20) On the north side of the street a zone of parks was created to separate and shield the residential district and included pedestrian walking areas with gardens. An electric bronze fountain illuminated by colored lights was installed in 1930 at the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards. (Fig.21)

Figure 20: Study of Development for Santa Monica Blvd. Parkway, Beverly Hills, California, Cook, Hall, and Cornell, Landscape Architects and City Planners

Figure 21: Electric fountain, Beverly Hills, California, ca. 1937

While beautification projects for Beverly Hills occurred some years after it was first planned, at Palos Verdes Estates planning all aspects of the community, the street system, residential lots, landscaping, and zoning were initially done. Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., in a 1923 report, explained landscape design for the northern entrance to Palos Verdes Estates, and included two sketches at the bottom of the pages:

Figure 22: Sketch, entrance from Redondo Figure 23: Sketch Section A, Section B, entrance from Redondo

I advise against a large plaza or any other marked demonstration at the property line where it would be liable to be spoiled by developments in contact with it outside the property. I think the most effective treatment at the entrance will be to plunge directly into the wood of Eucalyptus through an opening as narrow as would be practicable and dignified (since the flanking masses are not tall enough to be impressive if the opening is very wide) and after passing through this sylvan gateway for a considerable distance then widen out into an impressive demonstration where the view of the valley and hills and sea can burst upon one.Ref.24 (Fig.22) (Fig.23)

Figure 24: Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills, 1915

Figure 25: Palm Drive, Beverly Hills, Southern California

Streets in both Palos Verdes Estates and Beverly Hills were carefully planned for vistas, and were abundantly landscaped with trees, shrubs and flowers to create picturesque images, suitable for sales brochures, magazine articles, and postcards. A 1915 photograph of small palm trees along Sunset Boulevard and a postcard showing more mature palms lining Palm Drive reveal the early beautification projects for Beverly Hills streets and the images produced. (Fig.24) (Fig.25) Both developments had "parkways," or carefully planned through streets, which provided pleasing visual experiences for the automobile traveler and integrated attractively with the overall community design. Frederick Law Olmsted wrote a report entitled "Argument for Parkways," describing their design components:

Varying in width, and having few cross-traffic intersections, they should provide for traveling long distance by automobile, and should be well screened from the urban and suburban surroundings through which they pass. They should be wide enough and have trees enough to produce, along with the topographic conditions, some sense of spaciousness and seclusion, and a variety of scenic effects.^Ref.25 (Fig.26)

Figure 26: "Foundation for a Prosperous Future," Hollywood and Palos Verdes Parkway, Sepulveda Boulevard and Parkway

Figure 27: Oranges and Snow in Winter, California

While the San Fernando Valley townsites could hardly boast of vistas, other than picture postcards of the Valley, with images of orange trees and snow-covered mountains, they did encourage potential land owners to visit the picturesque "million dollar highway." (Fig.27) This was Sherman Way, the primary street which traversed the new townsites, and carried down its center strip commuters on the Pacific Electric Railway.

Figure 28: Headline, "Magnificent Hostelry to Crown Commanding Knoll Between the City and the Sea" Figure 29: "Palm-lined drive of the beautiful Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California," ca. 1948 Figure 30: Beverly Hills Hotel and Grounds, Beverly Hills California

Vistas alone could not necessarily provide a focal point for prospective land buyers at Palos Verdes Estates and Beverly Hills. Other sales strategies had to be developed to show how vistas and hotels, combined with attractive planning and picturesque landscaping, could provide a comfortable setting in which to dwell. For that end, plans for the Beverly Hills Hotel were announced in a 1911 Los Angeles Sunday Times headline, as "The Magnificent Tourist Hostelry to Crown Commanding Knoll Between the City and the Sea."Ref.26 (Fig.28) Opened in 1913, the resort hotel was a rambling Mission-style structure by Elmer Grey, and was similar to the unrealized 1914 design by Myron Hunt and Howard Van Doren Shaw for the Los Palos Verdes Country Club. (see Fig.12) Although the country club was meant to attract upper class residents to the community and had several guest rooms, the Beverly Hills Hotel was built as a resort and had bungalows for longer term stays. (Fig.29) Its imposing structure was located on ten acres and its grounds were planned with ornamental fountains, gardens, and a picturesque pond with floating lily pads. (Fig.30) A nearby palm tree-lined bridle trail provided guests with leisurely equestrian excursions around the environs and into the surrounding hills. (Fig.31)

Figure 31: Beverly Hills, Bridle Path, ca. 1920s

Figure 32: La Venta Inn, Palos Verdes Estates, Pierpont and Walter S. Davis, Architects

Palos Verdes Estates managers, like the Beverly Hills developers earlier, built a hotel as the first structure there. The Spanish Colonial Revival, monastic-looking, La Venta Inn (Pierpont and Walter S. Davis, Architects, 1923) was located on a hillside crowning the Montemalaga District. (Fig.32) The inn provided splendid views of the Santa Monica Bay to the north and Catalina Island to the west, and allowed its guests to relax and contemplate purchase of Palos Verdes Estates property.