Outpost Estates is a canyon neighborhood of Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills in the central region of the City of Los Angeles, California.
It is located directly east of Runyon Canyon Park and centered around Outpost Drive. Outpost Estates is bordered by Mulholland Drive to the north, Franklin Canyon to the south, Runyon Canyon to the west and Cahuenga Boulevard to the east. Developed by Charles E. Toberman, it is one of the original 1920s Hollywood luxury residential neighborhoods in the heart of Old Hollywood. Most of the original houses have been preserved, and Lower Outpost looks much like it did in the 1920s.
The origin of the name "Outpost" derives from an early building on the site. General Harrison Grey Otis, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, acquired the estate from Don Tómas Urquidez through legal wrangling associated with California's scession to the United States. Otis converted the adobe into a clubhouse for entertaining which he called The Outpost
In the 1920s, Outpost Estates once had a sign not unlike the Hollywoodland sign (which later became the Hollywood sign). The OUTPOST sign is still there, buried in the weeds. It was one of the largest neon signs in the world. Even the original foundation and electrical junction boxes survive.
The Outpost Estates development was one of the first neighborhoods in the country to offer all-underground utilities.
A 1927 view of the sign
outpostestates.com
a 1927 closeup view of the sign
Outpostestates.com
view of the sign from the Chinese Theater
Bison Archives
a recent view of the Outpost sign remains looking across towards the hollywood sign
Digitalartform.com
A 1905 image of the Don Tómas Urquidez adobe, the 1st house in Hollywood, located at the northwest corner of Franklin and Sycamore
USC Digital Archives
a 1928 image of Cahuenga Pass with a billboard on the left for Outpost Estates
LAPL
Actress Delores Del Rio in front of her Outpost Estates Mansion, corner of Outpost Drive and Hillside, circa 1928. The house is still there, preserved, with much original detail.
Outpostestates.com
Here's a closeup of a outpost estates billboard
Outpostestates.com