Beverly Hills' Top-Notch Quality of Life

Not long after its incorporation in 1914, Beverly Hills became a prime destination for people who wanted to reside in the Los Angeles area. According to a 1928 edition of The Beverly Hills Citizen, a large event held here in 1924 to honor the National Editors' Association produced a boom in the city's population when the organization "wrote nice pieces about Beverly Hills." 

Several valuable groups helped provide the political leadership to guide the city to prosperity: The American Legion, the Beverly Hills Women's Club and the Chamber of Commerce. As the Citizen stated in 1928, "The chamber proudly announced its attainment of 60 members that were comprised of men who lead large international organizations as well as the many film celebrities that inhabit our city. Titans of industry were now members." 

The same Citizen article reported that Beverly Hills' livability was due to "an adherence to the original zoning plan and a minimizing of industrial enterprise." The newspaper also noted the city's "steadfast determination to foster tree growing and protection even in the commercial area," reporting that "26,000 trees had been registered in our parks and on our streets, mostly planted by the new Parks and Forestry Commission." 

A December 1929 Citizen article quotes two celebrities who heralded life in Beverly Hills. Silent film star Douglas Fairbanks stated:

Our residents travel a great deal for pleasure and in seeking from all corners of the earth historic scenic colors for their pictures. Yet, they live in Beverly Hills. Here is the home to which they come to as often as possible and remain as long as they can, a home of beauty and culture, beautiful grounds and inspiring landscapes. It really is such a pleasant place to live. 

In the same 1929 article, legendary silent film actress Mary Pickford, who was married to Fairbanks for 16 years, remarked: 

Of all the garden spots within motoring distance of our work and studios, Beverly Hills is the most beautiful. It possesses charm both urban and suburban. It is concentrated California offering everything for which our garden state is known throughout the world. We love its sloping hills, its tree-lined streets, the grass lawns and blooming flowers. We revel in the spare and quiet while the lights of a great city twinkle near, yet far enough away.

Even the Los Angeles Times on Dec. 3, 1931 described the city as "one of the world's most unique and fascinating municipalities, the aristocrat of cities, 96 miles of street trees, shrubbery that screens industrial sites, ornamental [street] lighting, a cathedral-like water tower, an electric fountain and many other facilities of high value. The weather is among the best in the world." 

An April 28, 1932 Citizen reads, "Stage and screen film folk reside here, their estates are magnificent and rival the castles of old. Club life is stressed. And, the churches, schools, seven parks are all highly developed." 

Quality of life was a central focus during Beverly Hills' early development and it still remains a major factor in all decision making that affects residents today. 

Thank you for reading. Russ