Hollywood Celebrates Founders Day on August 5th

Honoring Joseph W. Young

Ever wonder who Young Circle is named after? It’s Joseph W. Young, who created the City of Hollywood. And every August, we honor the man who envisioned the city.

In 1935, after Young’s death, Hollywood Mayor Dr. Arthur W. Kellner proclaimed Joe’s birthday, August 5, a public holiday to honor his memory! Here’s the proclamation, as it appeared in the Hollywood Herald, July and August, 1935

FOUNDER’S DAY PROCLAMATION

Believing that the citizens of Hollywood are ever grateful and appreciative of the accomplishments and work of the late Joseph W. Young, the founder and creator of our city, whose vision, perseverance and character built Hollywood out of an impenetrable jungle, and

WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that a day be set aside each year to commemorate and pay tribute to the memory of our beloved First Citizen and Founder, and

WHEREAS, our city commission have, by official action, designated the date of the birth of Joseph W. Young as appropriate to the observance,

NOW THEREFORE, I, Arthur W. Kellner, Mayor of the City of Hollywood, do PROCLAIM MONDAY, AUGUST FIFTH AS FOUNDER’S DAY AND A PUBLIC HOLIDAY.

And urge that we, the citizens of this community, do observe this day by refraining from our daily avocations, by closing our places of business for as much of the day as possible and by meeting together in a proper observance where tribute may be expressed to the memory of our Founder, Joseph W. Young.

Done under my hand and seal, this First day of August, A. D. 1935.

ARTHUR W. KELLNER, Mayor

And meet and express tribute they did!

Founder’s Day, back then, was a 2-day, citywide event! There were parades, sports, and dances. Many former associates of Young were invited. Some 2,000 people participated in the celebration.

Founder’s Day events continue today with the support of the Hollywood Historical Society. So this August, let’s all take a minute to thank the spirit of Joseph Young, whose vision and determination took a piece of tropical jungle and gave us the lovely city we have today.

▸ These stories and events are just part of the Hollywood Historical Society’s agenda of activities and events supporting its mission to keep the City’s history alive for current and future generations. Please visit www.hollywoodhistoricalsociety.org for more info.

This month

I’m happy to update you about the Downtown Hollywood Boulevard Streetscape Project. The project encompasses the reconstruction of Hollywood Boulevard from 21st Avenue to Young Circle.

When completed, the project will significantly widen the sidewalks along the business storefronts and will create new outdoor café zones, with new lighting and landscaping. The new wider sidewalks will be constructed with decorative concrete shell pavers in shades of gray, laid in an appealing geometric design. The new streetscape will have a curbless transition between the sidewalk and the parking area, to create a plaza-like space. During events such as parades or weekend festivals, when vehicle access is curtailed, pedestrians will be able to walk the new plaza-like configuration of Hollywood Blvd. without the need to step up or down a curb, which provides for a safer and more pleasant pedestrian experience. The existing center median, with its extensive tree canopy and diagonal parking spaces, will remain, and the diagonal parking on the north and south curbs fronting the businesses will be converted to parallel parking.

New landscape material was selected to provide adequate shade for pedestrians on the sidewalks while improving visibility to the active storefronts of the historic district. New energy-efficient, historically inspired vintage lighting has been selected to complement the new streetscape and historic quality of the district. In addition, the project includes the replacement of the water line on the northside of Hollywood Boulevard with a new water main.

Estimated completion is September 2024. In the meantime, access to all the businesses will be maintained. The contractor is in