MY NAME IS TERRY GRAHAM AND MY FAMILY LIVED AT AND CARETAKEN ACORN LODGE IN THE EARLY 1960'. SAM SUTHERLAND BOUGHT IT FROM THE SON OF MR. "B" -BRISTOL. THEN THE CHURCH OF THE OPEN DOOR IN LOS ANGELES BOUGHT IT FROM HIM, IT WAS USED FOR CHURCH GROUPS, CHURCH CAMPS AND PASTOR GETAWAYS. LOCAL WRITTEN HISTORY SAID THAT WHEN THE CHURCH BOUGHT IT THEY BURNED ALL THE UNIQUE FURNITURE THAT BRISTOL HAD INSIDE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT INFORMATION CAME FROM. WHEN WE LIVED THERE IN THE 60'S, A LOT OF THE FURNITURE WAS STILL THERE. THERE WERE BED FRAMES MADE OUT OF ROUGH OAK BRANCHES, OAK/YUCCA LAMPSHADES AND TOWEL RACKS IN THE BEDROOMS OF THE MAIN LODGE AND AN OLD TWISTED OAK LAMP STAND AND SMALL OAK BED FRAME IN THE HONEYMOON TREE HOUSE.. SOME PIECES OF ODD&ENDS CHAIRS WERE ON THE FRONT PORCH AND IN THE COLD STORAGE LEAN-TO BEHIND THE KITCHEN. IN THE CORNERS OF THE MAIN LODGE, ADJACENT TO THE GREAT STONE FIREPLACE, GLASS HAD BEEN PUT UP TO PROTECT SMALL PAINTING AND MORALS THAT WERE BEHIND IT. THE FIREPLACE HAD A LARGE SWING-OUT METAL POP THAT WE USED TO COOK IN. WE HAD SUCH A GRAND TIME LIVING THERE. MANY OLD FRIENDS HELPED US RESURFACE THE POOL DECK AND I STILL REMEMBER THE PLAYFUL NOISES OF CAMP GROUPS AS THEY SWAM IN THE DEEP POOR....IT WAS THE VERY SAME POOL THAT I WAS BAPTIZED IN. THE FAMILY HORSES WERE KEPTIN A LARGE CORRAL AT THE CORNER OF EAGLE AND ACORN, WHERE A LARGE HOUSE CURRENTLY SETS. OUR SMALL CABIN HAS LONG BEEN TORN DOWN, IN ITS PLACE SITS THE LARGE WALSH HOUSE. THE LODGE WAS A MARVELOUS PLACE TO LIVE. THE LAST CARETAKERS WERE THE BAILY'S AND THEN DELORES WITT, WHO CURRENTLY LIVES IN A REST HOME IN VICTORVILLE. THE LODGE REMAINED EMPTY FOR QUITE AWHILE. I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE 70'S THAT CHURCH OF THE OPEN DOOR QUIT USING IT. WE MET OWNER KAREN IN 2002, WHEN SHE WAS TRYING TO SELL THE LODGE. SHE GAVE MY DAUGHTER AND I A TOUR OF THE PLACE, AND EVEN THOUGH SO MUCH HAS CHANGED INSIDE THE MAIN LODGE, IT STILL BROUGHT BACK GOOD MEMORIES. A FEW YEARS AGO WE WERE BLESSED ENOUGH TO MEET THE NEW OWNERS, WHO ARE REALITORS IN SHERMAN OAKS. THEY SEEM LIKE GREAT PEOPLE, AND THEIR GOAL IS TO KEEP ACORN LODGE IN ONE PIECE. TG, WRIGHTWOOD