Hollywood is a city in
Broward County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb in the
Miami metropolitan area
The Miami metropolitan area is a coastal metropolitan area in southeastern Florida. It is the sixth-largest metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States, and the lar ...
. The population of Hollywood was 153,067 as of 2020,
making it the
third-largest city in Broward County, the
fifth-largest in the Miami metropolitan area, and the
12th-largest in
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
. The average temperature is between .
History

In 1920,
Joseph Young arrived in
South Florida
South Florida, sometimes colloquially shortened to SoFlo, is the Regions of the United States#Florida, southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the two others are ...
to create his own "Dream City in Florida". His vision included the beaches of the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
stretching westward with man-made lakes, infrastructure, roads, and the
Intracoastal Waterway. He wanted to include large parks, schools, churches, and golf courses, all industries and activities that were very important to him. After Young spent millions of dollars constructing the city, he was elected its first mayor in 1925. The town quickly became home to northerners known as "
snowbirds", who fled the north during the winter and then escaped the south during the summer. By 1960, Hollywood had more than 2,400 hotel units and 12,170 single-family homes.
Young bought up thousands of acres of land around 1920, and named his new town "Hollywood by the Sea" to distinguish it from his other real-estate venture, "Hollywood in the Hills", in New York.
The
Florida guide, published by the
Federal Writers' Project, describes the development of Hollywood, an early example of the
planned communities that proliferated in Florida during the real-estate boom of the 1920s:
Prospective purchasers of land were enticed by free hotel accommodation and entertainment, and "were driven about the city-to-be on trails blazed through palmetto thickets; so desolate and forlorn were some stretches that many women became hysterical, it is said, and a few fainted."
Young had a vision of lakes, golf courses, a luxury beach hotel (Hollywood Beach Hotel, now Hollywood Beach Resort), country clubs, and a main street, Hollywood Boulevard.
Hollywood was severely damaged by the
1926 Miami hurricane; local newspapers reported that it was second only to Miami in losses from the storm.
After Young's death in 1934, the city encountered other destructive hurricanes, and the stock market crashed, causing personal financial misfortunes.
Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands on record, followed by Hurricane Maria, Maria two weeks later. At the time, it was considered ...
hit Florida in 2017, causing damage and power outages in Hollywood. 12 residents of the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills died of heat exposure. Four nursing-home staff were charged with negligence and manslaughter. Charges were dropped against the 3 nurses and the nursing home chief was acquitted.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity created Rebuild Florida, an initiative to provide aid to citizens affected by Irma. Its initial focus was its Housing Repair Program, which offered assistance in rebuilding families' homes. The program prioritized low-income vulnerable residents, such as the disabled, the elderly, and families with children under five. The program had varied results across the state, with hundreds of citizens claiming they were left without help.
Timeline
* 1921 – Hollywood by the Sea
plat
In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...
ted on land of Joseph Wesley Young
* 1923
** Hollywood Hotel opens. Later renamed the Park View Hotel when the Hollywood Beach Hotel opens.
* 1925
** Hollywood
incorporated
**
Hollywood Police Department established
** Hollywood Boulevard Bridge built (approximate date)
** Joseph Wesley Young becomes mayor; C.H. Windham becomes city manager
**
Joseph Wesley Young House built
* 1926
** Hollywood Beach Hotel in business
** September 18:
1926 Miami hurricane demolished city
* 1928 –
Port Everglades opened near Hollywood
* 1930
** Hollywood Hills Inn built
** Population: 2,689.
* 1932 –
Riverside Military Academy Hollywood campus established
* 1935 –
Fiesta Tropicale began
* 1937 – Florida Theatre built
* 1947 –
Hurricanes
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
occur
* 1948 –
Broward County International Airport opened
* 1950 – Population: 14,351
* 1952 – Joseph Watson became city manager (until c. 1970)
* 1953 – Hollywood Memorial Hospital opened
* 1957
**
Seminole Tribe of Florida gained official recognition by the federal government, with tribal headquarters located in Hollywood.
**
McArthur High School opened
* 1958 –
Diplomat Hotel in business
* 1959 – Seminole Tribe's Okalee Indian Village in business.
* 1960 – Population: 35,237
* 1962 – Arrow Drive-In cinema in business
* 1964 – Home Federal Tower hi-rise built.
* 1967 – Hollywood West
Elks Lodge founded
* 1970 – Population: 106,873
* 1971
** Pageant of the Unconquered Seminoles held in Hollywood
** Topeekeegee Yugnee Park opened
* 1972 – Broward County Historical Commission established
* 1974 –
Broward County Library System established.
* 1975 –
Art and Culture Center of Hollywood opened
* 1981
** July 27:
Murder of Adam Walsh
** "U.S. Supreme Court affirms Tribe's right to high-stakes
bingo at Hollywood in ''
Seminole Tribe of Florida vs. Butterworth''"
* 1982 – West Lake Park opened
* 1983 – ''Seminole Tribune''
newspaper
A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
begins publication.
* 1996
** Kolb Nature Center opened in West Lake Park
** City website online (approximate date)
* 1997 – ''
New Times Broward-Palm Beach'' newspaper began publication
* 2004 –
Seminole Tribe of Florida's
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in business
* 2010 – Population: 140,768
* 2013 –
Frederica Wilson became
U.S. representative for
Florida's 24th congressional district
* 2016 – Josh Levy became mayor
* 2018 - The first hotel in almost 50 years, Circ By Sonder, opens in Downtown Hollywood.
* 2019 –
Hard Rock Live guitar shaped hotel opened, with pool and manmade lake
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has an area of , of which are covered by water (11.23%).
Hollywood is in southeastern Broward County, and includes about of Atlantic Ocean beach, interrupted briefly by a portion deeded to Dania Beach.
Climate
Hollywood has a
tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southeast Florida, United States ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Af''), with long, hot, humid, and rainy summers and short, warm, and dry winters.
Demographics
As of 2000, Hollywood had the 75th-highest percentage of
Cuban residents in the U.S., at 4.23% of its population, and the 65th-highest percentage of
Colombian residents in the US, at 2.26% (tied with both the town and village of
Mount Kisco, New York.) It also had the 57th-highest percentage of
Peruvian
Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 ...
residents in the US, at 1.05% (tied with
Locust Valley, New York), and the 20th-highest percentage of
Romanian residents in the US, at 1.1% (tied with several other areas).
Economy
Before it dissolved,
Commodore Cruise Line and its subsidiary
Crown Cruise Line were headquartered in Hollywood.
Aerospace and electronics parts manufacturer
HEICO is headquartered in Hollywood.
Since 1991, the
Invicta Watch Group, a manufacturer and marketer of timepieces and writing instruments, has been headquartered in Hollywood, where it also operates its customer-service call center.
Top employers
According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, its top employers are:
Tourism
Guided tours along the Intracoastal Waterway are common in Hollywood. The waterway, parallel to the ocean, allows people to explore nature and observe their surroundings.
Young Circle, named after the city's founder, is surrounded by shops, restaurants, and bars. A Food-Truck Takeover occurs every Monday, during which dozens of local food trucks offer a variety of cuisines, including Cuban, Venezuelan, Mediterranean, Mexican, Jamaican, and Peruvian, in addition to barbecue, burgers, gourmet grilled cheese, and desserts.
Parks and recreation
Hollywood has about 60 parks, seven golf courses, and sandy beaches.
Hollywood Beach has a broadwalk that extends about 2.5 miles along the ocean.
Parking is available on side streets or in garages for a fee, and public trolleys run through the day. Restaurants and hotels line the broadwalk, along with a theatre, children's playground, and other attractions, including bicycle-rental shops, ice-cream parlors, souvenir shops, and a farmer's market. The broadwalk is used for walking and jogging, and has a
bike lane for bicyclists and rollerbladers.
Government
Mayor
*
Joseph Wesley Young Jr., ''circa'' 1925
* Arthur W. Kellner, ''circa'' 1935
* Lester Boggs, 1943–1947, 1949–1953
* Alfred G. Ryll, 1954–1955
* William G. Zinkil Sr., 1955–1957, 1959–1967
* E. L. McMorrough, ''circa'' 1959
* Maynard Abrams, 1966–1969
* David Keating, 1971–1986
* Mara Giulianti, 1986
[–2008
* Peter Bober, 2008–2016
* Josh Levy, 2016–present]
Education
Hollywood has 32 public (and charter) schools and 24 private schools. The public schools are operated by the Broward County Public Schools.
Public schools
Broward County operates 24 public schools, consisting of four high schools, six middle schools, and 14 elementary schools.
The public high schools in Hollywood are Hollywood Hills High School, McArthur High School, South Broward High School, and Sheridan Technical College and High School.
The public middle schools include Apollo Middle School, Attucks Middle School, Driftwood Middle School, McNicol Middle School, Olsen Middle School, and Beachside Montessori Village.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Hollywood is served by Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the nation's 22nd-busiest airport. Broward County Transit operates several bus routes that pass through the city, such as the 1 on US 1
U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort ...
(federal highway). It is also served by Tri-Rail stations near Sheridan Street and Hollywood Boulevard.
Police department
The Hollywood Police Department is an entity within the city government tasked with law enforcement in Hollywood.
Notable people
* Davey Allison (1961–1993), racing driver
* Jayne Atkinson
Jayne Atkinson (born 18 February 1959) is a British-American actress. She is best known for the role of Karen Hayes on '' 24'', as well as her Tony Award–nominated roles in '' The Rainmaker'' and '' Enchanted April''. She has also appeared in ...
(born 1959), actress
* Herbert L. Becker (born 1951), magician
* Steve Blake (born 1980), basketball player
* Lauren Book (born 1984), politician
* Ethan Bortnick (born 2000), pianist
* Chris Britton (born 1982), baseball player
* Marquise Brown (born 1992), American football player
* Janice Dickinson (born 1955), model and television personality
* Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul DiMaggio (; born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, ; November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "the Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American professional baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career ...
(1914–1999), baseball player
* Mike Donald (born 1955), professional golfer
* Scotty Emerick (born 1973), singer-songwriter
* Seth Gabel (born 1980 or 1981), actor
* Josh Gad (born 1981), actor
* Matt Gaetz (born 1982), U.S. representative for Florida
* Adam Gaynor (born 1963), guitarist
* Alan Gelfand (born 1963), skateboarder, racing driver and entrepreneur
* Michael Heverly, model
* Rosemary Homeister Jr. (born 1972), jockey
* Erasmus James (born 1982), American football player
* Evan Jenne (born 1977), politician
* Victoria Justice (born 1993), actress, model and singer
* Abraham Katz (1926–2013), diplomat
* Joe Klink (born 1962), baseball player
* Veronica Lake (1922–1973), actress
* Bethany Joy Lenz (born 1981), actress and musician
* Jeff Marx (born 1970), composer and lyricist
* Oddibe McDowell (born 1962), baseball player
* Bryant McFadden (born 1981), American football player
* Danny McManus (born 1965), American football player
* Fred Melamed (born 1956), actor
* Tracy Melchior (born 1973), actress
* Billy Mitchell (born 1965), video game player
* Michael Mizrachi (born 1981), poker player
* Mike Napoli (born 1981), baseball player
* Norman Reedus (born 1969), actor and model
* Moshe Reuven, rapper and entrepreneur
* Ian Richards (born 1975), judge
* Patti Rizzo (born 1960), golfer
* Jon Pernell Roberts (1948–2011), drug trafficker
* Latrice Royale (born 1972), drag queen
* Jabaal Sheard (born 1989), American football player
* Joe Trohman (born 1984), musician
* John Walsh (born 1945), television producer
* Scott Weinger (born 1975), actor
* Robert Wexler (born 1961), politician
* Lorenzo White (born 1966), American football player
Crime and terrorism
In popular culture
The television game show '' Hollywood Squares'' taped a week of shows at the historic Diplomat Hotel in 1987 and featured aerial footage shot over Hollywood, Florida.
Episode 15 of season six of the ''HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
'' crime drama ''The Sopranos
''The Sopranos'' is an American Crime film#Crime drama, crime drama television series created by David Chase. The series follows Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey American Mafia, Mafia boss who suffers from panic attacks. He reluct ...
'' featured scenes shot in the vicinity of the Hollywood Beach Marriott along Carolina Street.
The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood is the exterior of the police substation in the TV show '' The Glades''.
The comedy series '' Big Time in Hollywood, FL'' is set in Hollywood.
Sister cities
Hollywood's sister cities
A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there ar ...
are:
* Baia Mare, Romania
* Ciudad de la Costa, Uruguay
* Diego Bautista Urbaneja, Venezuela
* Guatemala City
Guatemala City (, also known colloquially by the nickname Guate), is the Capital city, national capital and largest city of the Guatemala, Republic of Guatemala. It is also the Municipalities of Guatemala, municipal capital of the Guatemala Depa ...
, Guatemala
* Herzliya
Herzliya ( ; , / ) is an affluent List of Israeli cities, city in the Israeli coastal plain, central coast of Israel, at the northern part of the Tel Aviv District, known for its robust start-up and entrepreneurial culture. In it had a populatio ...
, Israel
* Higüey, Dominican Republic
* Laayoune, Morocco
* Vlorë
Vlorë ( ; ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, third most populous city of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surr ...
, Albania
See also
* '' Big Time in Hollywood, FL''
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
*
*''Florida'', DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, 2004, pg. 132
*
*
External links
*
Hollywood Office of Tourism
*
*
Items related to Hollywood
various dates (via Digital Public Library of America
{{Authority control
1921 establishments in Florida
Beaches of Broward County, Florida
Beaches of Florida
Cities in Broward County, Florida
Cities in Florida
Populated coastal places in Florida on the Atlantic Ocean
Populated places established in 1921
Seaside resorts in Florida