April 11, 2019

By Ken Brafman, Image from ROWHS Collection

TITLE: GREEN VALLEY LAKE: Today’s image shows the entrance to Green Valley in 1919. On the left is a trading post, on the right a tollhouse and gas station. Timber claims for the Green Valley area were made in 1880 by Highland Lumber Company (later acquired by Brookings). Highland built City Creek Toll Road in 1891 to haul timber from Fredalba down the hill to a company that made orange crates. A year later the Bear Valley Wagon Road Company began work widening a horse trail to Big Bear. After the toll wagon road was built the entrance to the campground was created along with the new name, and the 11-room tollhouse seen in the image was built, along with the other amenities. While one-way tolls for vehicles and most animals were considered reasonable, sheep were charged at 25 cents to discourage having them invade the territory. When the county purchased the toll road in 1911 it became a free public route to Bear Valley, which put the toll booth out of business. The Green Valley area was mostly clear cut by 1912. When Brookings sold their shares in 1913 and moved to Oregon the region became home to cattle grazing. Deep Creek Cutoff (Highway 18) to Big Bear was completed in 1923. Also known as the Arctic Circle it essentially cut off Green Valley. A developer and sportsman named Harry McMullen secured financing for $85,000 to build a dam as well as roads for tourists, a water system and create a subdivision. In 1926 Green Valley Lake was born and the first buildable lots were sold. Soon the nine-acre lake would be stocked with trout and continued improvements to the area would be made. In 1939 Les Salm began operating an early ski run uphill from the Trading Post. A 300-foot rope was pulled by a 7HP Stratton engine. The run became known as Suicide Hill. Green Valley Lake continues to have a vibrant community and be a popular tourist destination.