Bob Carroll

A Private Gambling Resort In Lake Arrowhead

2010-03-03T19:15:00Z

IN AND ABOUT LAKE ARROWHEAD WITH

BOB CARROLL

A Private Gambling Resort In Lake Arrowhead

Dedie and I were talking, wondering what my next blog should cover and it came to us we should write about historical moments and people of the area. Arrowhead’s history always comes back to the rich and famous and a particular time period. One famous person, who had a good deal to do with the history of Lake Arrowhead, was a gangster. Guess who? If you guessed Bugsy Siegel, you’re 100% right!

When Siegel left New York as a member of the New York Mafia he was directed by the mob to come to Los Angeles and set up a syndicated gambling operation with the Los Angeles mobster Jack Dragna. Arriving in Los Angeles in 1937, he met and appointed Mickey Cohen as his lieutenant and began conducting business. Using syndicated money he set up a national wire service to help the East Coast mob quicken their returns in the business. Siegel had always been on the lookout for new business ventures.

As early as 1925, Bugsy got the idea to build a private gambling resort in the San Bernardino Mountains in the Lake Arrowhead area. Siegel presented the idea to the Chicago bosses and they were surprise when he wanted $1.3 million to build the resort. Obtaining the money, Siegel completed the project naming the club Club Arrowhead of the Pines.

The club became very popular with the rich and famous of Hollywood and opened on July 4, 1929. The club included many state of the art conveniences, including electricity. In the clubhouse, gin was distilled, dice rolled and starlets were available to party with. The club was built in Arrowhead Villas, a short distance south of Lake Arrowhead. Artesian well water was available and used in the Villas, ideal for both drinking and making spirits.

There was a second piece of property associated with the Club known as the Market. The Market contained a soda fountain and butcher shop on the first floor and those starlets mentioned above were located on the second floor to provide entertainment for the gentlemen club members. On the lower level was the icehouse. The icehouse had a discreet entrance to an underground tunnel connecting the speakeasy and the girls living quarters.

In addition, there was a bathhouse with an Olympic-size swimming pool fed from a natural mineral spring. There was also a ski tow, tennis courts, horseback riding, barbershop and a gas station. Thirteen one-room cabins were built for the girls and there were 80 time-share cabins for the guests.

Due to the success of the Club Arrowhead of the Pines, the New York mob directed Siegel to go to the small desert town of Las Vegas and open a resort there. The facilities continued to operate in the Lake Arrowhead area through World War II. During that time Mickey Cohen tried to take over but was unsuccessful. The first floor Market continued to operate several more years after the mob lost control.

The Market is now known as Bracken Fern Manor and is a bed and breakfast. While Club Arrowhead of the Pines is now called the Tudor House and is a private residence.

Bob Carroll is a Broker Associate with Coldwell Banker Sky Ridge Realty in Lake Arrowhead California, and has been working in the Lake Arrowhead area since 1998.

To contact Bob go to www.carrollonline.com.

HIKING IN LAKE ARROWHEAD

2010-02-17T21:45:00Z

IN AND ABOUT LAKE ARROWHEAD

WITH BOB CARROLL

Hiking:

When Dedie and I drive up the mountain on Highway 18 we are in awe of the magnificent view. There is the city of San Bernardino and Redlands directly below and the city of Colton in the distance. It is breathtaking.

As we proceed further up the highway and reach the tree line, and enter the village of Rim Forest we realize we’re in a special place. A place, we call home, that needs to be explored and discovered anew. And you ask your self how can I get better acquainted with the mountains and the lake? Well, one answer is hiking.

There are numerous trails through out the mountains from Crestline to Big Bear to explore and enjoy the area. For starters the Pacific Crest Trail coming out of the Colorado Desert at San Gorgonio Pass and crosses the San Andreas Fault, then climbs to the top of and runs the entire length of the San Bernardino Mountains crest. It passes Onyx Summit and popular Big Bear Lake as it makes its way west to Little Bear Springs Trail Camp, Holcomb Creek, and Deep Creek Bridge near Lake Arrowhead. It then turns north past Deep Creek Hot Springs on its way to Mojave River Forks. There are more moderate trails in the area that allow you to see the beauty of the mountains. To name a few in and around Lake Arrowhead, there is the Crest Trail that goes from Lake Silverwood to Splinter’s Cabin above Cedar Glen; the North Shore Trail goes from the North Shore camp ground to Papoose Lake. If you are in to easy then there are several trails that allow you to explore without taxing your stamina. Later I plan to write an article on the hot springs accessible from a trailhead in Deer Lodge Park. I’ve yet to visit the springs, but I hear it is well worth the hike.

Dedie, Misty and I just enjoy walking through the trees in the summer and enjoying the mountain air, the outdoors and each other near our home. We have found that having a home in Lake Arrowhead allows us to explore the area at our liesure. If you are looking for a vacation home or a full time residence consider Lake Arrowhead and the surrounding communities. There are many beautiful properties for sale in Arrowhead Woods.

If you have an interest in hiking and would like more information and trail maps on the Lake Arrowhead area contact me at www.carrollonline.com and I will get the information to you.

Bob Carroll is a broker associate with Coldwell Banker Sky Ridge Realty in Lake Arrowhead California, and has been working in the Lake Arrowhead area since 1998.

To contact Bob go to www.carrollonline.com.

In and About Lake Arrowhead With Bob Carroll

2010-01-29T18:50:00Z

GETTING STARTED:

Wondering how I should proceed in real estate in 2010 I decided writing a blog on Lake Arrowhead and the surrounding communities would be fun, helpful and informative. This being my first attempt at blogging and not being a literary genius, I just hope you bear with me and enjoy the material.

My plans for subject matter are to explore the area and report on its highlights, little known facts, real estate and history of the area. There is a wealth of subject matter for this approach and I hope you, the readers, enjoy it as much as I do preparing and learning the area.

Today I am sitting at my computer at home looking out at a winter wonderland. There are approximately three feet of snow on the ground and not a sign of a snowplow, but that’s Arrowhead living. The bummer is my hot tub; it has the same amount of snow on top of it as do the streets and surrounding hillsides. You see, the tub sits on my lower deck totally exposed to the sky, the elements and the casual passer by. My wife and I love to be in it in any type of weather and just enjoy the beauty of the surrounding forest and hills. But today that’s not going to happen unless I get my handy snow shovel and go to work. Oh well, I’ll think about that later.

My other problem is our dog Misty. Misty is a miniature schnauzer who loves the snow until she sinks in up to her stomach. Then it’s not fun! So relieving herself is a problem in this weather and that means I’ve got to figure out a solution. Dog owner’s blues!

You might be wondering what is going on in real estate in Lake Arrowhead home sales currently. Well, we are seeing a slight change. There are more buyers in the higher price ranges than in the past several months and this is encouraging. Indications are that people are wanting to set some of their problems aside and come to the mountains and enjoy the beauty, the weather, the lake an our life style. This is good! Prices are down as are mortgage rates. For how long, that’s anybody’s guess. So come up and see for your selves. Until next time, remember “Experience Counts”.

Bob Carroll is a broker associate with Coldwell Banker Sky Ridge Realty in Lake Arrowhead California, and has been working in the Lake Arrowhead area since 1998.

To contact Bob go to www.carrollonline.com.