Big
Bear is Rich With History . . . Centuries ago Big Bear
was well known only by the local Indians and the grizzly
bears that claimed the area as their own. Until the
mid 1800's, the Serrano Indians hunted and gathered
food throughout the Big Bear area. In 1845, Benjamin
D. Wilson led a group of rough-riding Californians through
the pine forest and into the valley. Once Wilson discovered
this "Island in the Sky", it became home
to trappers, hunters and prospectors.
The
face of the valley changed markedly with the discovery
of gold. The
solitude of the mountain-man paradise was forever
altered. In 1860, William F. Holcomb discovered gold
in a nearby valley, now called Holcomb Valley. Within
weeks, the
once isolated valley was teaming with activity. New roads
were built to accommodate the increased daily passenger
stages and the transport of supplies. Within one year,
Holcomb Valley's
population was second only to that of San Bernardino.
In
1952, the next major transformation occurred with the
development of two major ski resorts. Tommi and Jo
Tyndall
developed Snow Summit for the winter sports enthusiasts,
broadening Big Bear's recreational offering to
year-round activities, summer through winter.
An
ever-changing panorama of events is one consistent element
in Big
Bear's history. From the Indian and the grizzly
bear, to the mountain man and the miner, to the mountain
biker and the snowboarder, this beautiful mountain
valley, the "Island in the Sky", continues
to give much to many.
