Hollywood was founded by entrepreneur, Joseph Wesley Young, who "dreamed of, planned and developed" the city from scratch. Joseph Young first arrived in Florida from Indianapolis in January, 1920, for a short trip to overlook prospective subdivision sites on the outskirts of Miami. During that first visit, Young conceived the idea of building a "Dream City" in Florida. 

On his return to Miami in July, Young searched for and found a suitable site for his dream city. He began negotiations to purchase a large plat of land between Hallandale and Dania, two communities established by Henry Flagler for families of workers building his railroad to Miami.

After returning to Indianapolis, Young called together his organization executives and announced, dark eyes sparkling with inspiration of his vision, that he had selected the spot for the perfect community. Taking the rough sketches he had drawn on backs of envelopes and any other scrap of paper which had come to hand during the trek in Broward county, to a firm of architects, he started them to platting a city.

"Here," he told them, "will be a wide boulevard extending from the ocean westward to the edge of the Everglades. Here, one on each side of the boulevard and opening into Intracoastal canal, we'll create two lakes, each with a turning basin for yachts. The materials dredged from the lake will be the fill to elevate the lowland (then) occupied by mangrove swamps. Here, centrally located on the plat, will be the business section. We must plan large park areas, and locations for schools and churches. A golf course would be both convenient and beautiful, just here, and there must be a large clubhouse or community building. This will be a city for everyone, from the opulent at the top of the industrial and society ladder to the most humble of working people."