CEDAR LAKE CAMP (Part 2)
In the late forties and early fifties, Mr. Bartlett decided that the lake should become even more commercialized. he enlarged the south end of the lake by about one-half acre. He started building two cottages and built a house. He stocked the lake with fish. Visitors could rent row boats and fish for a fee. The whole plan appeared to be a prosperous venture. For some reason, which is not clearly understood, Mr. Bartlett lost over $12,000 worth of fish in a period of twenty-four hours. It is assumed that, because of overstocking which led to a lack of oxygen in the water, the fish drowned. Fishing was ended in Cedar lake until the church took it over in 1955.5
As was mentioned previously, one of the attractions of Cedar Lake was the movie industry's connection with the property. The history of the movie industry in the Big Bear area is not new. the Big Bear area has been used for movies for almost half a century. Many of the more mature people of today can recall seeing Tom Mix galloping along through the trees around Big Bear lake. So it was natural that the movie men should move to Cedar Lake, because of the landscape and availability.
The first major movie to come from the land of the Bartletts was Trail of the Lonesome Pine. this was the first feature-length, color movie ever produced. Some of the other movies made on the property include: "Mr. and Mrs. Mike", "Shephard of the Hills", "Untamed" "My First Romance", "Belle of the Yukon", " Having a Wonderful Time", "Moberly", "Wild Bill Hickock", "Ma Miller" and "Hound Dog Man" (more recently-see also "The parent Trap" starring Haley Mills." A few of the companies filming at Cedar lake include: Columbia, Broidy, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, RKO Productions, Republic Pictures, and Warner Brothers (Also Walt Disney Company)
The movie men built extensive sets on the property. In 1937 RKO Pictures built sets completely around the lake. They employed fifty carpenters and over one hundred twenty-five helpers for the entire summer. In 1938 Warner Brothers removed all the sets installed by RKO.7 A Mississippi river boat once sailed on Cedar Lake. Two eighty-year-old log cabins were hold in log by log from Big Bear and assembled on the property to remain as permanent structures.8 The movie men built a sound stage which is about sixty-feet square and is a permanent structure (now gone) At the present time there are approximately twenty sets, including the three permanent structures, the "Old Mill" (rebuilt), a "mine" (now gone) and an "outlaw's shack" (may be the current storage building) and many other building fronts. (now gone).
The lake has now been discovered by the television industry. Some of the television series filmed at Cedar lake include Rin-Tin-Tin, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, and in 1959, Lassie. Incidentally, a recent Lassie series shot at Cedar Lake took over five days to shoot. This filming was for one twenty-five minute adventure.
Before going any further it is fitting to mention a man who was as much of a landmark at Cedar Lake as the "old mill." This was Mr. Robert Childers. He went to Cedar Lake in 1934 in the capacity of a caretaker. He remained at Cedar lake, except when he would visit his son in Redlands or when he would leave to get his hair cut, until his death on 1 March 1958.9 He was eighty-five (?) when he died, and had spent almost a quarter of a century at Cedar Lake. Mr. Childers was a spry, colorful old man who had a marvelous sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye. He was somewhat shriveled with age, but he worked longer hours than anyone on the property. Every morning he would rise at 6:00, eat, pick up trash around the lake, and do any other general maintenance that he could handle. By 7:00 he was on duty at the entrance to the property, where he would collect the admission fees. He would remain at the gate until 7:00 at night, after which he would again walk around the lake, eat, and retire. Mr. Childers chewed tobacco, and ate no lunch. He saw many changes in "his" property, and probably knew more about Cedar Lake than any other man. He became part of Cedar Lake, and Cedar Lake became part of him. When Mr. Childers died, part of Cedar Lake died with him. He left a hole in the hearts of all who knew him.
The church has realized that the problem of what should be done with the many leisure hours this country is enjoying is ever increasing. Families are going on outings. The church feels it should go with these families on their outings.10
The answer for these and for many other problems lies in a camping program. For the First Congregational Church the answer in camping does not lie in belonging to a conference camp. The reasons opposing a conference camp are 1) the church's position on the so-called "merger," 2) the fact that the use of a conference camp for one given church is extremely limited and 3) difficulties of finding a week-end camp in which the outside environment will not hinder the atmosphere that is strived for at the camp.11 All of these factors, coupled with the need for a camp, led to the church's decision to purchase a camp of its own.
The question arose as to what type of property to buy. After much aimless investigation, it was finally decided that what was needed was a camp which was within one hundred miles of the church, had tall trees, plenty of land, and a body of water with sufficient water rights. The field was narrowed considerably. The restriction of tall trees forced the investigating parties above five thousand feet.
The searching parties now had a yardstick for judging camps. The search was started again with new vigor. They looked at Big Bear Boys' Camp; it lacked water. Snow White Lodge in Big Bear was investigated; it lacked adequate sanitation facilities. Several other properties in the Big Bear/Lake Arrowhead area were looked at, all to no avail.12
On Tuesday, 16 November, 1954, a party consisting of Dr. Fifield; his secretary, Mrs. Adair; his chauffer, the church business manager, Mr. Baker (Sr.), and three of the church trustees, Mr. Fred Ballin, Mr. William Stoufer, and Mr. Charles Welsh, went to look at some property at Lake Arrowhead which might be donated to the church. It was agreed to accept the donation, but the donation was never made. However, Mr. Welsh, who was Guy Bartlett's accountant, suggested that Cedar Lake might be offered for sale, and they might drive over and look at the property. They did just that. Cedar Lake fulfilled all the requirements, except that it was a little more than one hundred miles from the church, a fact which was set aside. The investigation party unanimously approved the purchase of the land. Dr. Fifield was so taken by the property that he commented, "If we cannot agree on Cedar lake, we cannot agree on any camp."13
The purchase of the property was soon approved by church, and the deal was closed in January of 1953. The cost was $160,000, of which $76,000 was raised by a special fund. The closing of the deal marked the end of the five-year search, which the church put on its effort to own the finest campgrounds in Southern California. The First Congregational Church was now owner of 109.8 acres of virgin forest in the San Bernardino mountains.
This, however, was not the last purchase. later in 1955 the adjacent quarter-section, owned by Guy and Dorothy Bartlett, Maude Bartlett, and Dorras C. Martin, was offered to the church for $22,000. The offer was immediately accepted as the additional land would insure the future expansion of the property. Escrow ended on 17 October, 1955 and brought the total acreage, called "Cedar lake" and owned by the church, up to 269.8 acres.