By Ken Brafman, Image from ROWHS Collection
TITLE: LAKE ARROWHEAD’S HAPPY LANDING: For 100 years Lake Arrowhead has been known as a beautiful, cozy, and quaint mountain resort paradise, boasting countless outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, water and snow skiing, fishing, and much more. No wonder scores of Hollywood celebrities and members of the entertainment industry bought homes or retreats on its shores. Along with those entertainers and artists came titans of industry. An early arrival to Lake Arrowhead was Edward L. Doheny. He was born August 10, 1856, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. In the mid-1870 Doheny became interested in prospecting but had little success and eventually moved to Los Angeles in 1891. It’s on record that the first oil well was dug in Los Angeles in 1863, but that the oil industry began in 1892 with the completion of Doheny’s first well. He would become the wealthiest man in America, with family homes such as the Doheny Mansion in Beverly Hills. In 1933 the Doheny family began construction of a mountain retreat, this week’s image, on the north shore consisting of 14 bedrooms, 11 baths on a 7,661 square foot compound situated more than nine acres of land. Additional structures within the property include two matching self-contained guest residences which are located at the property entrance, and the Dock House located on the water. It is in a class of its own as, due to today’s shoreline regulations, it cannot be replicated. The Dock House includes two bedrooms, dual changing bathrooms, patios, volleyball court, sports court, and two boat docks. Known as “Happy Landing” the property is said to encompass all the beauty, history, and tranquility that Lake Arrowhead has to offer. It was last listed in 2019 for $10 million.