| The History Of Big Bear Lake |  |
The Serrano Indians first came to Yahaviat ("pine place")
some 2,500 years ago; Big Bear Valley was a favorite hunting and food gathering
source for these people and there are many legends about this area in their
folklore.
In 1845, Benjamin Wilson
was on an expedition to the Mohave River. When he passed through the San Bernardino
Mountain range he accidentally discovered the mountain resort now called Big
Bear and Big Bear Lake. Wilson wrote that the area seemed alive with bear
and so Big Bear was originally named Bear Valley, because
of the huge, grizzly bears that roamed the area. The abundance of Bear, Beaver,
Mountain Lion, Deer, Foxes, Birds, and many other animals, attracted people
to Bear Valley for gaming.
About 15 years after Bear Valley was discovered by white men, prospector
Bill Holcomb discovered gold in nearby Holcomb Valley. Prospectors came to
Bear Valley in the hunt for gold and silver ore, and the Bear Valley Mining
District was founded. This major gold rush brought civilization to the area.
From 1861 until 1912, the San Bernardino Mountain communities were served
regularly by dependable horse-drawn stages, which took two days to reach Big
Bear from San Bernardino. By May of 1892, the Bear Valley Wagon Road was opened
from Hunsaker Flat (Runnign Springs) to Fawnskin, and in 1899 Gus Knight and
Hiram Clark built the Bear Valley and Redlands Toll Road via the Santa Ana
Canyon. In 1884 , a rock dam was built to provide water to the orange groves
near Redlands, and by 1924, a bridge was built across the dam, which enabled
motorists to drive around the lake for the first time. The Deep Creek Cut-off
was also completed, and this picturesque and cliff-hanging section of the
road became known as the "Artic Circle"  | The History Of Big Bear Lake |  |
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