MILEPOSTS #1024

By Bill Pumford, Image from ROWHS Collection

TITLE: PETER PAN WOODLAND CLUB: One of the best-known resorts in Big Bear was the Peter Pan Woodland Club which was built in the mid-1920s and offered exclusive resort services such as a figure eight shaped swimming pool, lodge, movie theater, tennis courts, bridal paths, and a nine-hole golf course. The lounge was famous for its huge rock fireplace. The Woodland Club was located near where the Big Bear City Airport is now. A large amount of property was purchased in the area by Harry Kiener and the Big Bear Land & Water Company in 1925 with the intent of establishing a resort like Pan Hot Springs in addition to selling lots which included membership in the Peter Pan Woodland Club. The lots included streets, water, and electricity.  Much of this land was once part of the “Lucky” Baldwin estate. The Woodland Club was very popular and during the 1931 Memorial Day weekend had to turn away several hundred requests for reservations as did many other of the large resorts in the Big Bear area. In 1948 a fire destroyed the Woodland Club which was soon replaced by the Peter Pan Rancho Club (this week’s image) which included the building of a new lodge in 1949. The Rancho Club sustained the resort but without the same elegance displayed by the Woodland Club resort. After the loss of the Woodland Club buildings in the 1948 fire the sales of lots in the Peter Pan Rancho Club were handled by the Realty Company of America. The Realty Company also offered construction plans for small cabins to members at no charge. The Peter Pan Rancho Club did not last very long, and all that is left to mark the resorts are some pieces of stone walls and pillars. But the Peter Pan Woodland Club remains a strong part of Big Bear history.

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