California Historic Route 66 Association

Beverly Hills, California

Beverly Hills - Fact Sheet

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Beverly Hills History Website - (opens in new window)

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FIRST DISCOVERED BY:

Explorer Gasper de Portola in 1769.

DEVELOPED BY:

Rodeo Land and Water Company in 1907.

DATE OF INCORPORATION:

January 29, 1914 with a population of 550.

FAMOUS EARLY RESIDENTS:

Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, the most famous motion picture stars of their period, moved to Beverly Hills in 1919 and created a world-famous estate called Pickfair. Located at 1143 Summit Drive, Pickfair started a migration of celebrity residents like Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson and Will Rogers that has continued through today.

LOCATION

Eight miles from the Los Angeles Civic Center and six miles from the Pacific Ocean.

AREA:

Occupies 5.69 square miles and includes 34,000 trees.

CLIMATE:

Average temperature, high 72 degrees, low 52 degrees. Annual average rainfall, 15 inches. Elevation varies from 125 to 1,500 feet above sea level.

POPULATION:

33,000 including 19,700 registered voters and 5,000 school-age children.

AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME:

The City of Beverly Hills' zip code number 90210 ranks as one of the highest in the nation with yearly household income after taxes averaging $121,396.

FAMOUS RESIDENTS:

A partial list of Beverly Hills' famous celebrity residents includes Warren Beatty, Jacqueline Bisset, George Burns, Kirk Douglas, Barbara Eden, Linda Evans, Peter Falk, Merv Griffin, Charlton Heston, Ann-Margaret, Dean Martin, Bette Midler, Donna Mills, Jack Nicholson, Victoria Principal and Jimmy Stewart.

WORK FORCE:

100,000 people work in Beverly Hills, including nearly 889 city employees.

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MAIN COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES:

Banking:

45 banks and savings and loan associations with deposits in excess of $6 billion. Also branches or offices of many foreign banks from Italy, Japan, Israel, Brazil, Australia, Switzerland, Great Britain, South Africa and Canada are located here.

Specialty shopping:

While Rodeo Drive is most famous of the city's many shopping districts, Robertson Boulevard, Beverly, Roxbury, Bedford, Crescent, Camden and Canon Drives, Dayton and Brighton Ways provide an ideal setting for over 300 world-class boutiques and shops. Prime emphasis on women's and men's clothing, jewelry, gifts and confections. Wilshire Boulevard is the center of department and specialty store shopping. Little Santa Monica Boulevard abounds with moderate-priced retailers.

Two Rodeo Drive, located at the corner of Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard, is a "Eurostyle" retail complex featuring several of the world's leading retailers, a private cobblestone street, Italianate piazza, outdoor cafes and sculpted fountains.

Beauty:

Over 208 licensed beauty, health and hair-styling businesses that generate over 25 million dollars annually. As a fashion center, Beverly Hills is noted for its over 575 beauty, health and hair-styling professionals, many of whom work with motion picture and television people.

Top 10 private employers:

The Beverly Hilton Hotel, City National Bank, Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, The Beverly Hills Hotel, Neiman-Marcus, Hilton Hotel Corporation, Robinsons-May Beverly Hills, William Morris Agency and Creative Artists Agency.

Entertainment:

Playboy Enterprises, Inc., United Talent Agency, InterTalent Agency, William Morris Agency, International Creative Management, Creative Artists Agency, 20th Century Fox, MGM and Bloom, Dekot & Hergott have offices here.

Fragrance:

A host of the worlds finest fragrance manufacturers are represented here, including Fred Hayman's "273" and "Touch," Theodore's "Spoiled," Giorgio Beverly Hills, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, Bijan and Yves Saint Laurent.

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MAJOR HOTELS:

The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows

Nestled in 12 acres of manicured gardens, is currently under major renovation. Scheduled for reopening in the spring of 1995, the legendary "Pink Palace" will feature more spacious rooms and the return of the famed Polo Lounge.

The Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel

Recently completed a $100 million renovation of both the Wilshire Wing and the Beverly Wing, and added a complete health and fitness spa. The Regent offers 300 guest rooms including 90 suites. Dining in three distinctive restaurants.

The Peninsula, Beverly Hills

Features 200 deluxe rooms including 32 suites in the main building and 16 rooms and suites situated in two-story villas. Hotel amenities include state-of-the-art business services, health and recreation facilities and elegant eateries.

The Beverly Hilton

Offers 581 rooms, including 44 suites and 36 poolside rooms. The hotel is a popular business and leisure destination with 3 famous ballrooms, Olympic size pool, fitness center, business center and 24 meeting rooms totaling 53,000 square feet of versatile meeting and banquet space. A variety of dining options are available at four unique restaurants.

L'Ermitage

Has just completed the first phase of its $18 million, 21st century renovation. Scheduled to open early in the summer of 1994, the new L'Ermitage will feature increased room capacity and the same impeccable service that made this site famous.

The Radisson Beverly Pavilion

A charming European boutique style hotel is a jewel of a find. Located in the Golden Triangle of Beverly Hills, the hotel is within walking distance to Rodeo Drive's shops and restaurants. With 110 rooms, including 10 suites, the hotel offers affordable luxury and the highly acclaimed Colette Restaurant.

The Beverly Rodeo

With 86 rooms, including two suites, this hotel is located at the heart of Rodeo Drive and features Cafe Rodeo, an indoor-outdoor restaurant overlooking the famous shopping street.

The Crescent Hotel

An elegant and affordable option with 39 rooms, is beautifully decorated in an art nouveau style. The Crescent Hotel is reminiscent of the charming, small hotels found all over Europe and is perfect for the adventurous traveler who needs a home base from which to explore Beverly Hills.

Beverly House Hotel

A European-style, clean and quiet Bed & Breakfast hotel situated in the heart of Beverly Hills. The Beverly House Hotel's old-world charm boasts many celebrities who appreciate the private but hospitable staff. Its' 50 tastefully appointed rooms have been recently refurbished and offer guests comfortable accommodations at moderate rates.

Beverly Crest Hotel

This is a small hotel with 53 rooms that offer exceptional charm and personal service. Located just off Wilshire Boulevard, The Beverly Crest is conveniently located in walking distance to all of Beverly Hills.

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RESTAURANTS

The city's 126 restaurants vary from little cafes to illustrious French, Italian, Polynesian and American restaurants. South Beverly Drive is hailed as the "New Restaurant Row," while La Cienega Blvd. remains the established "Restaurant Row."

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SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS:

Virginia Robinson Gardens

One of the area's first estates with over 6 acres of tropical flora. Open to the public by appointment only Monday through Friday. Telephone: (310) 276-5367.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard, The Academy offers special screenings and displays. It also has one of the best film archives in the world. Telephone: (310) 278-8990.

Greystone Mansion

This 55-room estate at 905 Loma Vista offers a panoramic view of the Beverly Hills and Greater Los Angeles area. Operated by the Beverly Hills Parks and Recreation Department, the grounds are open to the public 7 days a week. Admission is free. Special tours of the grounds can be arranged.
Telephone: (310) 550-4796.

Beverly Hills Historical Walking Tour

From Frank Lloyd Wright to I.M. Pei, and from Tudor to Spanish Revival, Beverly Hills' 20-block walking tour of the "Golden Triangle" features unique architecture and historical landmarks, including one of largest cactus gardens in the world. Escorted tours can be arranged by contacting Beverly Hills Visitors Bureau at (800) 345-2210 or (310) 271-8174.

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RECREATIONAL FACILITIES

Public tennis courts are located at La Cienega and Roxbury parks, Beverly Hills High School and the La Cienega Reservoir Tennis Facility. Roxbury Park also features lawn bowling. Altogether, the city has six major and six mini-parks and two superb botanical gardens.

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PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The renowned Beverly Hills High School and five elementary schools.

CITY GOVERNMENT

Beverly Hills is an independent city that is completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles. It is governed by a mayor and city council and has a city manager.

 

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