A new and remarkable history on the founder of Whitley Heights, Hobart Johnstone Whitley
has been released and should shed some much-needed light on one of
the key players who brought Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley to
life.
The book, entitled
The Father of Hollywood, details the stories and history of the visionary who was
instrumental in the development of Hollywood and greater Los Angeles,
and, of course, his neighborhood namesake – Whitley Heights.
So who exactly H.J. Whitley and how did he achieve the coveted title of The Father of Hollywood?
Born in Toronto Canada of English and Scottish descent, Whitley went on
to become one of Hollywood's true movers and shakers, and along with
friend William Mulholland, helped to develop the entire Los Angeles
area and were infamous participants in the Owens Valley water project –
the subject of the classic motion picture Chinatown.
In addition to being a part of the development of Reseda, Sherman Oaks,
Tarzana and Woodland Hills, Whitley developed the upscale neighborhood
in Hollywood called Whitley Heights. His wife, Margaret Virginia Ross
Whitley was the first to start a
kindergarten in Hollywood, building a new structure onto the existing
Whitley home to hold classes and
paying the teachers directly for their service.
Although his exploits of the day were well-known, a definitive history of the man dubbed 'The Father of Hollywood'
had yet to be written. Hopefully for the reader, this book fills in
much of the gaps which have yet to be documented on his life and
contributions to Hollywood.
