By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY – Staff Writer

The Mountain History Museum has been quite busy this summer in their air-conditioned building, both sharing local history with locals and entertaining and informing mountain visitors about the differences of living in a forest environment.

A popular event is coming up on Sunday, Aug. 6 as Smokey Bear celebrates his 79th birthday.

Smokey’s birthday party will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the museum, located at 27176 Peninsula Drive in Lake Arrowhead, around the corner from Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School, where extra parking will be available in their parking lot.

During the party, there will be free ice cream and cupcakes with lemonade served under the shade canopy in the patio area, while Smokey will be visiting his many guests inside the museum and taking selfies with them, plus giving big “bear hugs” to his fans. There will also be Smokey Bear giveaway items.

In the museum are numerous displays on local community histories. The central display features over 100 years of summer camps that attracted families and children sponsored by churches, communities and groups, such as Scouts and other organized clubs. Other displays include movies made on the mountain, a new display on Santa’s Village and the last 100 years of fire history and the Forest Service.

The museum is also doing a free, weekly history tour of the Lake Arrowhead area on the first Lake Arrowhead weekend trolley run on Saturday mornings. Get on the trolley at any point of their first run each Saturday morning and learn about the fascinating history of the Lake Arrowhead, Cedar Glen, Blue Jay and Twin Peaks areas. A docent from the museum will be on the trolley telling the story and answering questions on the Lake Arrowhead and surrounding area history.

The second Celebrity Cruise of Lake Arrowhead of the summer is swiftly approaching on Saturday, Aug. 19. This cruise on Lake Arrowhead begins with a wine and champagne reception on the dock, followed by a narrated and photo-enhanced tour of Lake Arrowhead aboard the Arrowhead Queen by Chandra Olivas and Russ Keller. Advance reservations should be made on the website, Mtnmuseum.org, or at the museum during open hours.

The free Mountain History Museum is open on Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. and weekends from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It has free off-street parking and a gift store, too. For more information, see their website, Facebook page or call them at (909) 744-8625.