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Offline Wrightwood

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« on: Sep 21, 11, 06:06:01 PM »
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Tomas

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« Reply #1 on: Sep 21, 11, 06:24:08 PM »
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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Offline Wrightwood

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« Reply #2 on: Sep 21, 11, 08:31:41 PM »
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kawasaki_girl

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« Reply #3 on: Sep 21, 11, 09:43:27 PM »
will it be available to rent out as a hall in the future?
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Offline Wrightwood

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« Reply #4 on: Sep 22, 11, 02:48:19 PM »
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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Offline K9luvr

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« Reply #5 on: Sep 22, 11, 04:05:18 PM »
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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firefightersteve

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« Reply #6 on: Sep 26, 11, 06:25:14 AM »
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.
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firefightersteve

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« Reply #7 on: Sep 27, 11, 12:14:58 PM »
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.

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firefightersteve

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« Reply #8 on: Sep 27, 11, 12:41:56 PM »
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.
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Offline Surfer_Dude

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« Reply #9 on: Sep 27, 11, 01:15:37 PM »





(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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Offline Surfer_Dude

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« Reply #10 on: Sep 27, 11, 01:43:16 PM »
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CNMmom

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« Reply #11 on: Sep 27, 11, 02:42:05 PM »
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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Offline WWMtnGal

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« Reply #12 on: Sep 27, 11, 02:57:59 PM »
What a beautiful place for a wedding!
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Offline K9luvr

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« Reply #13 on: Sep 27, 11, 05:18:05 PM »
Quote from: firefightersteve on Sep 27, 11, 12:14:58 PM
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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Offline Bob C

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« Reply #14 on: Sep 27, 11, 05:40:50 PM »
In another thread, 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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Offline RobertW

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« Reply #15 on: Sep 27, 11, 07:27:00 PM »
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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firefightersteve

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« Reply #16 on: Sep 27, 11, 10:22:32 PM »
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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firefightersteve

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« Reply #17 on: Sep 28, 11, 03:18:09 PM »
I was pretty excited to find this. I'm guessing this was before the Angels Crest Highway was open.
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Offline RobertW

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« Reply #18 on: Sep 28, 11, 05:18:03 PM »
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kawasaki_girl

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« Reply #19 on: Sep 28, 11, 08:14:51 PM »
I just love that old history. thank you all for the photos and info posted here :)
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