By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY Historian Gus Knight Sr. and Jr. are prominent in mountain history because they were early pioneers who, when they saw a need, did something and were not afraid of a challenge or failure. Augustus (Gus) Knight Sr. came to the San...
Those Were The Days
Those Were The Days
Those Were The Days: Early mountain summer resorts
By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY Historian Summertime on the mountain is the best time to experience the great outdoors and go fishing and hiking. The difficulty in the early days was getting up the mountains but it was well rewarded by pleasant temperatures and cool...
Those Were The Days — The Squirrel Inn continues to be exclusive and private
By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY Historian The Squirrel Inn was a private resort owned by members of the Arrowhead Mountain Club, which opened in 1893 and had yearly dues of $500, which kept it exclusive. The members were the powerful and rich of that Gilded Age, including...
Those Were The Days — The Squirrel Inn: private & exclusive
During The Gilded Age, persons of wealth had access to most anything they wanted; they created clubs and organizations to associate with others of their class and interests. As the Arrowhead Reservoir irrigation project was begun, the creation of the Arrowhead...
Those Were The Days — The transition of Little Bear Valley
By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY Historian The lumbering industry in the Little Bear Valley area was moving forward full speed in the 1880s and the steam-powered lumber mills were cutting the larger trees that the earlier mills couldn’t handle. The lumbermen usually left...
Those Were The Days — Danahers’ Highland sawmill sold to Brookings
By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY Historian Logging in the San Bernardino Mountains started during the 1840s Mexican era using primitive sawpit methods, followed by David Seely who built a water-powered sawmill on Seely Flats in the 1850s. Lumbering moved into Little Bear...




