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Harry Culver, an ambitious entrepreneur who hailed from Nebraska, wanted to develop a world-class community along the electric railway lines connecting Abbot Kinney’s “Venice of America” and downtown L.A. And he did. Incorporated in 1917, Culver City became its round-cheeked namesake’s obsession. He trolled for prospective home buyers with buses that advertised “Free Lunch--Culver City,” and gave a residential lot to the winner of a “prettiest baby contest.” By the ‘30s, the city boasted three major film studios, including MGM, and was called the Heart of Screenland. Sony has since replaced MGM, Main Street is hopping and downtown is gaining a reputation as a culinary force on the Westside.

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ONE THING TO DO

Step Back to the Roaring ‘20s

A walking tour of structural landmarks from the Jazz Age will give you historical perspective. Start at the Hull Building (9543 Culver Blvd.), home to the city’s first hospital; down the street is the Citizen Building (9355 Culver Blvd.), where Eugene Donovan printed the award-winning newspaper the Citizen. Turn right on Ince to see the sprawling Colonial Revival-style mansion housing Culver Studios (9336 Washington Blvd.). Wrap up at the Culver Hotel (9400 Culver Blvd.). There, make like F. Scott Fitzgerald to the lobby bar, called Duke’s Hideaway, for a cold gin martini.

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65:

Estimated millions of dollars invested in revitalization since the early ‘90s.

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SHOP, DROP

The Writing on the Wall

At hyper-colorful Wonderful World Art Gallery, original Peanuts comic strips by Charles Schulz and animation art from classic films such as “Snow White” rub frames with modern works featuring the comic book character Emily the Strange. Owner Debbie Weiss says her gallery is the leading dealer in the U.S. of original animation art from “The Simpsons.” 9517 Culver Blvd., (310) 836-4992 . . . If thrifting is your thing and you have a passion for paperbacks, head for the makeshift reading room at Timeless Treasures, where there are 25 shelves of books sorted by category. You’ll also find works of fiction at 35 cents a pop by Tom Wolfe, Toni Morrison and Anais Nin, among others. 9441 Culver Blvd., (310) 559-8338.

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FOOD, DRINK

Cooking Skill Without Frill

Recent arrivals such as Tender Greens and Ford’s Filling Station attract Angelenos, but locals line up for the comfort food served in generous portions at S&W; Country Diner. Chipped coffee mugs and farmhouse tchotchkes add charm to the experience of savoring a Reuben melt with crispy onion rings. 9748 Washington Blvd., (310) 204-5136 . . . Novecento Pasta & Grill has turned out northern Italian cuisine, including homemade gnocchi and ravioli della nonna, for 12 years. Sit outdoors to soak up the feel of “the shortest Main Street in the world.” 3837 Main St., (310) 842-3838.

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Filmed on Location: Several Laurel and Hardy movies were made downtown in the late ‘20s, including “Putting Pants on Philip” at the Culver Hotel. Although “The Wizard of Oz” was shot on the MGM lot, Culver City historian Julie Lugo Cerra says that the actors who played the munchkins slept at the hotel, three to a bed. The building still attracts location scouts; part of a “Monk” episode was recently filmed in the lobby.