Hollywood Sign: Hollywood, California

©shutterstock The Hollywood sign once read "Hollywoodland," but the last four letters fell apart and were never replaced.

Before it became an icon of impending celebrity to newcomers with stars in their eyes, the Hollywood sign, built in 1923, was a real estate promotion that actually read "Hollywoodland."

The last four letters didn't survive, but the first nine did -- albeit barely. By 1973, the sign was falling apart -- one "O" had toppled down the hill, and an arsonist had set fire to an "L" -- prompting a $250,000 reconstruction.

From Tinseltown to Tinkertown -- one man's expression of what you can create with old bottles and a little handiwork. Check out this roadside attraction on the next page.

Want to discover more family vacation destinations? See:

• Family Vacations
• Read Mobil Travel Guide's California State Guide
• Scenic Drives
• America's National Monuments
• America's National Historic Sites
• America's National Memorials
• Learn more about Los Angeles with Mobil Travel Guide