Developed in the early twentieth century by the Janss Investment Company, which developed several other L.A. neighborhoods as well, the community of Holmby Hills has long been a pillar of the affluent community ever since. Home to iconic residence the Playboy Mansion, Holmby Hills has also been the choice dwelling for notable names like Arthur Letts, Humphrey Bogart, Walt Disney, Barbara Stanwyck, Bugsy Siegel, Jack Benny, Irene Dunne, Gary Cooper, Lloyd Bridges, Bing Crosby, Joan Bennett, Jean Harlow, Sidney Sheldon, Aaron Spelling, Jayne Mansfield, Claudette Colbert, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, and Neil Diamond.
Before the land on which Holmby Hills sits was given over to mansionization, it originally belonged to the Tongva Indians, Native American inhabitants who were in SoCal for over 8,000 years. Most of the original tribes throughout California lost their lives with the arrival of the Spanish and the foreign diseases they brought with them. Spanish soldier, Maximo Alanis, was the first European to occupy the land belonging to present day Holmby Hills. In 1858 the land, then named the Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres, was sold to Benjamin Davis Wilson, the second mayor of Los Angeles, and namesake for Mount Wilson. The Rancho was later sold to leading pioneer, William Wolfskill, from whom Arthur Letts, Sr. purchased the 400 acres, at $100 per acre, and began the development of the Holmby Hills neighborhood. Lett’s, born in a small hamlet in England, loosely named the development, and his personal home, for his birthplace, Holdenby. In 1923, however, Lett’s died suddenly before his Holmby Hills vision was realized. Lett’s son-in-law, Harold Janss, took over and completed the project shortly after his death.
After the Wall Street Crash in 1929, the Holmby Hills neighborhood gave way to the construction of grand mansions. In addition to being the site of many celebrity estates, Holmby Hills is also the location of the Frederick R. Weisman Foundation, which includes pieces from many notable artists. Some of the best things to do in Holmby Hills include visiting Rodeo Drive, The Museum of Television and Radio, Greystone Mansion, or The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Rubbing elbows with the rich and famous, Holmby Hills is also an awesome place to elevate your lifestyle with an on-demand car wash from MobileWash.
With your MobileWash App, you can have a licensed, insured, professional auto detailer at your Holmby Hills home in minutes. Just download your MobileWash App, enter your location, pick your wash, hit submit, and we’ll be on our way! The only app that connects you to the nation’s largest network of car detailers like no other car wash apps can. Whether you want to wash now or wash later, with access to over 500 detailers in the Holmby Hills area your MobileWash App puts you in control of the experience. Satisfaction Guaranteed!
Download your MobileWash App now from the App Store or Google Play and save $5 on every 5th car instantly!