WrightwoodCalif.com Forum
Public Forums => Wrightwood History => Topic started by: Wrightwood on Sep 21, 11, 06:06:01 PM
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WOW! This sounds like a great event at an really great price.
I think a formal gala with a big band would be a wonderful theme in this historic building. I'd be willing to pay more money for an event like that.
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(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/news/FiremansBall1.JPG)
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will it be available to rent out as a hall in the future?
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District Ranger Bob Blount responded:
I can open the hall for free from time to time for civic events, but cannot rent it out until such time as there are certain additional improvements. I continue to work to get the funding. The hall will be opened for rental use, but I cannot say when. I am hopeful that the work will be done next year.
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This is GREAT! Kudos to Bob B. for continuing to work on getting it available to rent out. I tried for years while the ranger there and just kept :brickwall:
I wish him much more success than I had... 8)
It would be a great place to rent out for family reunions, wedding receptions, etc.
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We had the privilege of having a look around inside the Big Pines Lodge today. It's going to look great full of people from the community of Wrightwood once again. We will have to take good care of it.
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/InsidetheLodge.jpg)
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One of the questions I had for our guide was if there are any stories which might indicate that the Big Pines Lodge building and or grounds are haunted. He didn't seem to think so, but I find that hard to believe, especially after seeing the holding cell that is located inside the remaining stone tower. There's nothing inside this small cell and it doesn't appear to have any sealed openings that may have led to secret passages in the past. What in the world was this used for?
I hope to return again and take some more detailed photographs.
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/BigPinesTowerHoldingTank.jpg)
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I wish I could of seen this structure when the other tower and the arch were in place. Our guide told us there was a walkway across the top of the arch.
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/TheTower.jpg)
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(http://www.swarthoutfamily.org/History/jpg/283.jpg)
(http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o267/tjranch91/scan0032.jpg)
(http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o267/tjranch91/scan0031.jpg)
(Steve, The perspective of your shot inside the lodge is strangely almost identical to the one pictured)
It must have been something to see, glad to see some of it being restored.
Much more here:
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/index.php?topic=11156.0
Thanks to Graham Ranch.
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(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/6188948292_ee8e379e36_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brenizer/6188948292/)
Beware of Big Pines Ghosts (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brenizer/6188948292/) by SurfDaddy (http://www.flickr.com/people/brenizer/), on Flickr
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I agree that this would be a fantastic site for private receptions. I have a friend who just got engaged (she happens to be a history teacher) and she would LOVE to rent this out. I wish there was a better estimate on when it would be available.
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What a beautiful place for a wedding!
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There's nothing inside this small cell and it doesn't appear to have any sealed openings that may have led to secret passages in the past. What in the world was this used for?
Nothing so sinsiter or sexy, I'm afraid. It was the local holding cell to lock up rowdies or drunks until they settled down or could be transfered to the local jail down the hill.....
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In another thread (http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/index.php?topic=11156.msg176303#msg176303), Terry Graham says:
In regards to the "holding cell"...there are many disagreements that it actually did exist. Park Administer, and forest ranger at the time, Harry Grace said that it did not; Bud Rowe, the son of the late Howard Rowe, a county ranger who also worked at the Big Pines Park at that time, also said that they did not exist. Ranger Doug Milburn at Big Pines concurs. I've yet to find any documentation that anyone was detained in the storage room on the bottom of the step within the arch's north tower. There has been sources of local history that wrote that the cell was used to detain troublesome park visitors until the San Bernardino Sheriff could pick them up...yet the Park is well inside Los Angeles County and fell under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept, whose nearest station was in Lancaster.
In regards to the "cell" or bars that are located on top of the stairs in the existing north tower: those bars were put in to prevent anyone from climbing through the opening that was left when the south tower and arch walkway was removed.
I think we need to get Geraldo Rivera up here to investigate this :)
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The "holding cell" is currently filled with wood which is used to fireup the two large fireplaces in the Recreation Hall when it is used.
We also used some of this wood for the "campfire" event at Table Mountain this past Labor Day.
As for the Recreation Hall being able to be rented out, my understanding is that it has to do with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance. The bathrooms are not handicap compliant. Of course not. It was built in 1926. With it being a Historical Building... there is a mound of red tape in doing any modifications or possibly getting variances to ignore those regulations. There lies the problem.
It would be nice if it could be rented out and bring some much needed funds into our part of the Forest, but until that happens, it is nice that it can be used occasionally, from time to time, for meetings among the local agencies, volunteers or the Historical Society.
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Thanks Doug for the link to the Terry's postcard tour and I like your "ghosting" processing. I just finished reading through the postings. And thanks Terry for all the work you've put in over the years documenting the history of Wrightwood and surrounding area.
Another interesting observation regarding the Big Pines lodge building has to do with the stage. There's no back stage area to speak of, so those involved in performances must of had to wait outside before being called onto the stage. has anyone seen old photos of stage performances?
I'm looking forward to capturing some photographs during the this upcoming event, especially with some of the people that are planning on attending, i.e. fire chiefs etc...
And thanks RobertW for the info on the status of the site usage. I can only imagine the difficulties in maintaining ADA compliance for historical sites like the Big Pines Lodge.
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I was pretty excited to find this. I'm guessing this was before the Angels Crest Highway was open.
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/LosAngelsCountyBigPinesRecreationCampFlier.jpg)
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I just love that old history. thank you all for the photos and info posted here :)
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As for the Recreation Hall being able to be rented out, my understanding is that it has to do with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance. The bathrooms are not handicap compliant. Of course not. It was built in 1926. With it being a Historical Building... there is a mound of red tape in doing any modifications or possibly getting variances to ignore those regulations. There lies the problem.
It would be nice if it could be rented out and bring some much needed funds into our part of the Forest, but until that happens, it is nice that it can be used occasionally, from time to time, for meetings among the local agencies, volunteers or the Historical Society.
There is a handicap ramp at the west end. You wouldn't believe all the gyrations we had to go thru to get that in! (and the parking space...) I think they only have to modify one stall in each mens and womens restroom to make grade. Also, the "Big Pines Flushers" across the street were modified right after the historic building was reconstructed. They put handicap stalls in there and it is the same era. It may just be funding. The preliminary budgets for the Forest Service for FY 12 are looking very grim. Here on the Cibola in NM, I think we are probably going to be looking at either sending a LOT of people on fires or having to furlough permanent people. I doubt we even get a real budget but will be plagued with continuing resolutions for all of FY 12 like FY 11. Then it will be after the election and new congress is installed before we see a FY 13 budget. Only 4 more years till I'm eligible to retire.... :-X
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Those must have been some hardy souls! I like how the one tent is set up against the side of the car. And it sounds like there has already been some work done in the direction of ADA compliance. That's great!
Sorry to hear about those budget pitfalls K9LUVR, that seems to be the case everywhere we turn. These are tough days.
Here's another flier which promotes the, "One Day Scenic Loop Trip". That would of been a long day on the road! It looks like the route on this flier was pre- Interstate 10.
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/WrightwoodFlier.jpg)
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/WrightwoodFlier2.jpg)
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This is a photo I took of one of the pictures that is hanging on the wall inside the Big Pines Rec Building, so the quality isn't the best. If I were to be able to scan this image we would be able to read what it says on the cloth napkins on the lower left. I believe this image is actually of the interior of the Swarthout Lodge which burned, but it probably a good example of decor which would have been seen in many of the Big Pines buildings.
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/InteriorofLodgeReduced.jpg)
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Steve,
Did you notice that it's only 3.5 hour drive from Los Angeles ?
How about:
- there is to be a golf course
- company controlled stores
- water piped to every lot
- sewer system
- telephone and later a lighting system
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I believe this image is actually of the interior of the Swarthout Lodge which burned, but it probably a good example of decor which would have been seen in many of the Big Pines buildings.
Is it possible that's the inside of the Fireside Inn? (only a guess)
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It also said there would be a sewer system!
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Also said "any woman motorist can take the children up without the least cause for nervousness." Funny!
Really neat to see all these images, etc. My grandfather used to own property up here and I wonder what it was like when he first discovered Wrightwood.
This ball is a neat idea :)
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From the way they worded these pamphlets, it looks like the promoters were trying to paint Big Pines in a positive light and at times with a bit of artistic license, not that they had to.
And I had the pleasure of visiting with Barbara VanHouton yesterday and had the opportunity to look through her collection of Big Pines photographs. She has an impressive collection. Several of the photos got my attention and I've posted them below. The second image is from Barbara's collection and the first and third I found in digital archives on the internet.
It might be a little difficult to make out, but the second image was taken in the archway.
John, I asked Barbara about the photo of the dining hall and she's pretty certain that that was of the interior of the Swartout Lodge.
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/WomanFromArchwithwalkingstick.jpg)
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/Womantakingaposeinthearch.jpg)
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d198/redphox/Womanbyplackreduced.jpg)
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Karen and I had a great time at the Big Pine's Fireman's Ball.
Here is a link to some pictures we took.....
http://share.shutterfly.com/view/flashShareSlideshow.jsp?sid=0AbM2jhi1YsWjz4 (http://share.shutterfly.com/view/flashShareSlideshow.jsp?sid=0AbM2jhi1YsWjz4)
You folks in the pics know who you are.. :o
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Absolutely great pictures!! What a fun time it looks like you had and it was great to you all!
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Randy, I would love a photo of Summer & I. I tried to order one but as usual my computor skills would be better served by a pencil. I agree it was a wonderful evening with lots of good folk enjoying the building, Barb's very informative talk, the great photos on the walls, great music, and most of all being able to assist the Lion's Club help our firefighters.
My Granddaughter Summer truly enjoyed the evening. Her chat with Colonel Craig of his exploits serving our coutry in WW11 was something she will never forget. She was my date and I felt so fortunate she agreed to attend with me as my Sweet & Perfect Bride was in Sacramento caring for our twin granddaughters.
Thank all who put this on and I look forward to next years event.
Smitty
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Big Pines Recreation Hall