Big Pines History Photos

[Wrightwood]

A view of the Swartout Valley Lodge at Big Pines Camp in September, 1926. There is a sign on top of the building with the name of the lodge and the words 'Cafe' and 'Store' underneath. The building contained a store, restaurant, soda fountain, and post office. Several automobiles are parked in front of the lodge, with people walking past. They are dressed in knit hats, mittens, snow boots and warm coats. Snow is on the ground and on the hill behind the lodge. One man is carrying a toboggan.





A parade through the arch entryway at Big Pines Camp to begin the Winter Sports Carnival, February 3 & 4, 1934. A man in front is carrying the American flag and several others are carrying skis.



1925 Los Angeles County Superintendent Fred E. Wadsworth (center) talks with two women at a viewpoint located at the summit of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Big Pines Camp. The San Gabriel Valley is present down below in the background.

[Wrightwood]

1927 A construction crew is working on the beginnings of the Big Pines swimming pool. The pool is surrounded by hills with pine trees. A pipe runs across the front view.







1925 Campers dance the Virginia Reel near the fireplace of the main lodge at Big Pines Camp. A crowd in the background looks on.



1925 Four men survey in preparation for the masonry construction of the large entrance into Big Pines Camp. From left to right: Los Angeles County Superintendent Fred E. Wadsworth, Los Angeles County supervisor R. F. McClellan, C.J. Herbold, and chief mechanical engineer William Davidson.

[Wrightwood]

Plowing 1928



Plowing 1930





Hockey 1930





1927 Christmas Tree



1925



1928



Smithsonian (now JPL)

[RobertW]

[My pictures are smaller.  Please feel free to replace with larger ones if you have them...]

Playgrounds equipped with approved apparatus:
 


The name was changed from Big Pine to Big Pines because of the Post Office confusing it with Big Pine, CA off of 395 up north.







Dances were held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays.  Moving Pictures were shown on Wednesday at the Recreation Hall:









Some campsites had metered Hot Plates.  For 25 cents a camper could get two hours of heat:

[Wrightwood]

1934 Winter sports carnival at Big Pines



Ski jump at Big Pines Camp during the Winter Sports Carnival, February 3 & 4, 1934



1928 Ranger on horseback on a tree-lined dirt road with his five dogs following along in Big Pines.



A close-up view of the swimming pool at Big Pines in September 1926



1938 Big Pines Recreation Camp gate attendant



1938 Swartout Valley





1938 Swartout Valley Lodge parking lot



1925

[Wrightwood]

Sheep Canyon

[Wrightwood]

[Wrightwood]

[Wrightwood]

[Wrightwood]

[Wrightwood]

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

Wow..... marvelous pictures!!!! Some here I have never seen before. Grand views!

[RobertW]

[sage]

Oh, how I wish it was still like these pictures today! It looks like such a wonderful place for everyone. The pool, the dogs, the ice pageant, all of it. Wish I could have lived here when it was like that!!!!

[Wrightwood]

Ruben F. McClellan, left, and Alfred F. Moore at groundbreaking for a solar observatory on Table Mountain near Big Pines Recreation Camp in 1925.



Big Pines Recreation Camp Supervisor R.F. McClellan with his horse in 1925.



Big Pines Recreation Camp Supervisor R.F. McClellan on horseback in 1925.



1925



Dogsledding at Big Pines



Photograph caption dated March 10, 1956 reads, "Practicing forward lean technique - With aid of ski poles, Mrs. Bob Crunlund of Van Nuys, novice skier, practices forward lean position. Her husband gives instruction at Table Mountain, Big Pines, beginners' paradise."



A woman putting on snow shoes at Big Pines Winter Sports Carnival, February 3 & 4, 1934.



1935 "Let 'er go. There is no age limit for tobogganists at Big Pines camp, los Angeles county playground. Note the smile" affixed to the front of the image.



1925 Crowds watch as ski jumpers compete at Big Pines Camp.





1925 The stone arch entrance to Big Pines Camp. Two large columns with parapets at the top support the arch on either side. Small, rectangular windows can be seen near the top of each column.

[Wrightwood]

1938 View of the community kitchen at the Big Pines camp in Los Angeles County.



1938 Big Pines Recreation Camp building



1938 People gather around a car at Big Pines Recreation Camp



1938 People gather around a fallen skier at Big Pines Recreation Camp



1938 People push a car that is stuck in the snow at Big Pines Recreation Camp. Another car has a rack on the top and two sets of skis and a sled next to it.



1938 People mill about five cars at Big Pines Recreation Camp



1938 Five people walk along the icy Angeles Crest Highway, just past a stone bridge that reads "Big Pines LA County Camp." The bridge towers originally located at the end of the Swartout Valley Lodge, mark the highest point on the San Andreas fault at 6862 feet. Only one tower remains because one was taken out when Highway 2 was widened.

[Wrightwood]

1938 Cars park right up to a snow bank in a parking lot by the Swartout Valley Lodge in the Big Pines Recreation Camp



1938 Ethel Schultheis (left) walks with friends who own a dachshund along the icy Angeles Crest Highway, just past a stone bridge that reads "Big Pines LA County Camp



1938 People unpack in the parking lot of the Swartout Valley Lodge, and a sign for the cafe can be seen on the porch. The icy Angeles Crest Highway and Big Pines Recreation Camp bridge are in the background



1938 People walk up the steps to the Swartout Valley Lodge porch



1938 Cars are parked in the lot in front of the Swartout Valley Lodge in the Big Pines Recreation Camp. Cabins can bee seen in the background



1925 A group of people stand in front of the entrance holding their toboggans upright beside them. Other people without toboggans are walking through the entrance.



1925 Three women, each wearing a different outfit, pose together in what appears to be a congratulatory event at Big Pines Camp.



A crowd is gathered at a grandstand for the dedication of the arch at Big Pines Camp

[RobertW]

Before Big Pines Hwy or N4 it was more difficult to reach Big Pines:

[RobertW]

[Wrightwood]

We can thank Bob C for creating a web page that includes many more Big Pine photos from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

Click here for more Big Pine photos on the Los Angeles Public Library website 

With much thanks to: Los Angeles Public Library for hosting the photos