Rim Of The World Historical Society

The area designated �Running Springs� includes Running Springs, Fredalba, Arrowbear Lake, Snow Valley and Green Valley Lake.

Running Springs, located at the intersection of State Highway 18 and State Highway 330, was once known as Hunsacker Flats. It is widely held that the name came from Abraham Hunsacker, a member of an early Mormon Battalion. Improvements of both state highways by the early 1920�s, resulted in the area being discovered. Restaurants, lodging and commercial land development � including a lake � brought the �flatlanders� to the area.

Fredalba is located approximately two miles below Running Springs. The Smiley brothers, Alfred and Albert from Redlands, purchased land in the area in 1895. They initially named the 262 acres - Fredalba Park, a name presumably derived from a combination of Alfred and Albert. The Smiley brothers envisioned a resort area where the folks from Redlands would come and enjoy the mountains. Fredalba was also the site of the Brookings Mill and lumberyard.

Arrowbear Lake is located on State Highway 18 east of Running Springs. The community of Arrowbear Lake dates to 1924 when M. P. Carlock leased a portion of former Brookings Sawmill land, dug a 5-acre lake, and developed the area. The post office dates to 1927 and was initially �Arrow Bear�. The name was changed to Arrowbear Lake a year later.

Snow Valley is located on State Highway 18 east of Arrowbear Lake. This area was known in earlier days as Fish Camp. Initially isolated, because the Rim of the World Drive originally went through Green Valley, the area was known only to fishermen and hunters. However, in 1923 when the Rim of the World Drive was realigned to a more direct route to Big Bear Lake, the new alignment sent the road through this valley. Soon Fish Camp grew into a busy roadside resort operated by the Swetkovich brothers. They also operated a small lumber mill there known as Six-Bits Lumber Mill � Swetkovich being somewhat difficult to remember. The hillside was ideal for winter sports and by 1934, tobogganing and skiing had taken hold. In 1937, the Arrowhead Springs Corporation began to develop the slopes for skiing and tobogganing and named it Snow Valley. In 1940 when the Arrowhead Springs Hotel was declared bankrupt, Johnny Elvrum, former United States ski jump champion, obtained the sports complex. Shortly after WWII Johnny began an expansion program that resulted in Snow Valley becoming one of Southern California�s leading winter sports centers.

The dam at Green Valley Lake was completed in August of 1926. With the completion of the dam - the reservoir and water system, along with the �new� lake and the Top O� the World Club clubhouse was presented to the propert y owners as a gift from the developers, DeWitt-Blair Realt y Company.

Click on images below to enlarge!

	Brookings Lumber Mill. In 1890, James and C.D. Danaher purchased 1600 acres of land from David Seely. Shortly after the purchase they organized the Highland Lumber Company and in 1892, the first sawmill in the Fredalba area was completed. In 1899, their holdings in Fredalba/Running Springs were sold to the Brookings Lumber Company. By 1915, the Brookings Company had moved to Oregon and the mill was dynamited into scrap.

	Wagon Wheel. In 1930, Percy Ball purchased these wagon wheels at an auction in Holcomb Valley north of Big Bear. He set them up at his new cafe in Running Springs on the Rim of the World Drive, where they became his trademark and provided the name for the famous Wagon Wheel Cafe. A few years later, Ball sold to George S. Case, who owned the cafe for 11 years before selling to Bill and Juanita Baker in 1949. The Wagon Wheel was torn down in the 1970's.

	Main Street Running Springs. This circa mid 1950�s photo shows the main street in Running Springs looking east. The famous Wagon Wheel restaurant is on the right in the foreground. It was torn down in the mid 1970�s and a vacant lot still remains where this once proud icon of Running Springs once stood.

	Running Springs Winter Wonderland. This early 1950�s image again shows the main street through town. Again, the famous Wagon Wheel restaurant is on the right. The scene shows the natural beauty of the town in winter.

	Enchanted Forest. Pictured here is the Hobbit-like snack bar at the Enchanted Forest amusement park. The park also included a �Castle in the Black Forest� which was an authentic masterpiece of European Chivalry. This spectacular and colorful setting was located on Highway 330 a few miles below Running Springs. The park opened in 1961, but by 1964 the enterprise failed. A post office that was located there closed on March 15, 1964.

	Arrowbear Trading Post. The Arrowbear Trading Post was located on State Highway 18 in Arrowbear. In the 1990�s this was the location of The Czech Inn Restaurant and earlier in the 1980�s, the Mountain Gourmet. More recently it was the location of Blondie�s Bar and Grille. The garage in the picture is gone. The proprietor of the Trading Post and garage was Charles E. Hawes. The Trading Post housed the Arrowbear post office, store and caf�.

	Emerald Inn. The Emerald Inn was located on State Highway 18 at Deep Creek Dr. D.A. McGlinchey was the proprietor in the 1930's. He was a salesman for Frank Seccombe Real Estate. It is believed he later sold the restaurant to Frank Holland, who also owned Rim Lumber in Rimforest. The original building was partly destroyed by fire. The Arrowbear Lake post office was also located here and McGlinchey was postmaster from 1932 until 1943.

	Top O the World Club House Postcard. The messages on the postcard shown here read, �Happy throng at Top O� the World Club,� and �Green Valley Lake May, 1928�. The �Top O� the World Club� opened on Memorial Day 1925. The opening featured a carnival and general fiesta � pancakes and coffee were served, �free of charge�. A cowboy band was also in attendance.

	Green Valley Lake. It was announced in May of 1925 that 60 workmen are rushing to complete the big dam that will store water for the new Green Valley Lake. C. F. DeWitt, one of the developers, also announced the hauling-in of material for the construction of an artistic three-room stucco boulder lodge on the shore. The dam at Green Valley Lake was completed in August of 1926.

	Green Valley Lake In Summer. This view shows a myriad of cars parked at Green Valley Lake in the summer during the 1950�s. No power boats were allowed but the public could swim and rent paddle boards. The lake remains a popular destination.

	Snow Valley. The Snow Valley ski resort area is depicted in this mid 1950�s image. During winter, the resort is opened to snow skiing and snow boarding. Located just a short distance from Running Springs, this is one of the closest ski resorts to the lower Inland Empire.