Highland Avenue (Los Angeles)

Highland Avenue is a north–south road in Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare between Cahuenga Boulevard/U.S. Route 101 in Hollywood at the north and Wilshire Boulevard in Mid-Wilshire at the south, and a residential street from Wilshire Boulevard to Washington Boulevard in Mid-City.

Highland Avenue
North Highland Avenue, July 2023
Part ofFormer SR 170 from Santa Monica Boulevard to US 101
NamesakeHighland Mary Price
Length5 mi (8.0 km)
LocationLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Nearest metro station B LineHollywood/Highland
South endWashington Boulevard
Major
junctions
SR 2
North end US 101 (Hollywood Freeway) / Cahuenga Boulevard
Queen and Washingtonia Robusta Palm Trees and Median Strip
Highland Avenue (Los Angeles) is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Highland Avenue (Los Angeles)
Location of Queen and Washingtonia Robusta Palm Trees and Median Strip in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
LocationHighland Ave between Wilshire Blvd and Melrose Ave
Coordinates34°06′02″N 118°20′19″W / 34.100556°N 118.338611°W / 34.100556; -118.338611
Designated1972[1]
Reference no.94

Name

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Highland Avenue was named after Highland Mary Price, a Hollywood resident who died from a brain tumor in 1901.[2]

Description

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Highland Avenue runs north-south between Cahuenga Boulevard/U.S. Route 101 and Washington Boulevard. It travels through the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Hollywood, Hancock Park, Mid-Wilshire, and Mid-City.[2]

Highland contains four lanes for most of its length, but narrows to two from south of Wilshire Boulevard to Washington Boulevard. Furthermore, Highland is broken up three times south of Wilshire, at Edgewood Place, San Vicente Boulevard, and Venice Boulevard. For through access, Highland traffic merges onto Edgewood Place which accesses La Brea Avenue.

The segment of Highland from U.S. Route 101 to Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood was once designated as part of California State Route 170. California's legislature has since relinquished control of that segment, and the portion is now maintained by the City of Los Angeles.[3]

Landmarks

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The Hollywood Bowl is located at the northern end of Highland, just below U.S. Route 101.[4] The Hollywood Heritage Museum, Highland-Camrose Bungalow Village, and American Legion Post 43 are also located on Highland in this area, as is Hollywood United Methodist Church, located at Highland and Franklin Avenue.[5]

Further south is the famous intersection of Hollywood and Highland, the northwest corner of which was formerly home to the Hollywood Hotel and currently home to the Hollywood & Highland Center and Dolby Theatre.[5] Hollywood First National, Lee Drug, and Bank of America Building are also located at this intersection,[6] as is the B Line's Hollywood/Highland station.[7] The intersection itself is named Gene Autry Square, after the actor, musician, and businessman who was instrumental in developing the entertainment industry in this area.[8]

Continuing south, half a block from Hollywood and Highland is the Hollywood Museum located in the historic Max Factor Salon,[9] and across the street and half a block south from that is Hollywood High School, which continues south to the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Highland.[10] Near the entrance to the school, the intersection of Highland and Selma is named Carol Burnett Square, after the famous actress and comedian who once went to school there.[11]

Further south, Klasky Csupo is headquartered on Highland just south of Fountain Avenue,[12] and south of that, Highland and Santa Monica Boulevard is named Steve McQueen Square, after the famous actor and racing driver.[13] Highland's median parkway between Melrose Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard features queen palms and Mexican fan palms that were planted in 1928 and designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #94 in 1972.[1][14] The intersection of Highland and 3rd Street, also in this section, has been named Moshe Rubin Memorial Square.[15]

Transit

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The B Line stops at Hollywood and Highland.[7] The K Line Northern Extension also plans to terminate on Highland, either at Hollywood and Highland or the Hollywood Bowl.[16]

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation runs the Hollywood DASH line in a clockwise and counterclockwise loop around Hollywood. This line travels on Highland between Fountain Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b Department of City Planning. "Designated Historic-Cultural Monuments". City of Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2010-06-09. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  2. ^ a b Mark Tapio Kines. "Highland Avenue". lastreetnames.com. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  3. ^ "CA Codes (shc:300-635)". Leginfo.ca.gov. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  4. ^ "The Hollywood Bowl". Water and Power Associates. p. 4. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Early Views of Hollywood (1920 )". Water and Power Associates. p. 12. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  6. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form - Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District". United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service. April 4, 1985.
  7. ^ a b "Metro B Line (Red)". www.metro.net. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  8. ^ "Hollywood to honor Gene Autry". UPI. January 27, 2005.
  9. ^ "Early Los Angeles Historical Buildings (1925 )". Water and Power Associates. p. 4. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  10. ^ "Early Views of Hollywood (1850 - 1920)". Water and Power Associates. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  11. ^ Alysia Gray Painter (April 11, 2013). "Welcome to Carol Burnett Square". NBC.
  12. ^ Berton, Brad (February 2, 1999). "Hollywood About to See a Lot More of 'The Rugrats'". Los Angeles Times.
  13. ^ Ian Lovett (November 4, 2010). "Steve McQueen Honored by Loyal Fans". Beverly Press Park La Brea News.
  14. ^ "Highland Avenue Medians". City of Los Angeles. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  15. ^ "City of Los Angeles to Designate "Moshe Rubin Memorial Square"". The Jewish Link. March 13, 2016.
  16. ^ "Feasibility study looks at possible routes for Crenshaw North Extension". Metro: The Source. 22 July 2018.
  17. ^ "DASH Hollywood". Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 6, 2024.