Hollywood Sign Los Angeles during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the sign became an internationally recognized symbol and was left there. Over the course of more than half a century, the sign, designed to stand for only 18 months, sustained extensive damage and deterioration. During the early 1940s, Albert Kothe (the sign's official caretaker) caused an accident that destroyed the letter "H". Kothe, driving while inebriated, was nearing the top of Mount Lee when he lost control of his vehicle and drove off the cliff directly behind the "H". While Kothe was not injured, his 1928 Ford Model A was destroyed, as
Hollywood Sign Some residents of the neighborhoods adjoining the sign such as Beachwood Canyon and Lake Hollywood Estates have expressed concerns about the congestion and traffic caused by tourists and sightseers attracted to the sign. The Los Angeles Fire Department has also identified the surrounding land as a high fire risk area due to the brush and dry climate. Additionally, in comparison to access points directly within Griffith Park there is a notable lack of basic infrastructure (parking, restrooms, potable water) to handle the high number of visitors to these neighborhoods. The "Los Angeles Times" reported in 2013 that "there are more