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| Landmark #725 | San Bernardino County | Visited: June 16, 2013 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | Two plaques along the submerged old dam! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: In 1884 Frank Brown built an unusual dam here to supply irrigation water for the Redlands area. The single-arch granite dam formed Big Bear Lake, then the world’s largest man-made lake. Engineers claimed the dam would not hold, and declared it “The Eighth Wonder of the World” when it did. The old dam is usually underwater because of the 20-foot higher dam built 200 feet west in 1912.
OTHER TIDBITS: Why did Frank E. Brown build this dam? Well, he was a citrus farmer, and citrus trees are thirsty! After two years of surveying the mountains, he stumbled upon lower Big Bear Lake and bought it for $500! Organizing the Bear Valley Land & Water Company, Mr. Brown and his team set to work and got their damn built in under a year, from 1883 to 1884! They built the damn out of rock and concrete. Picture it as a single wall arching inward toward the lake. Few people really suspected that it would hold a full reservoir, but it did, for 25 years until it was replaced by the Eastwood Dam! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: W edge of Big Bear Lake Intersection of State Hwys 18 and 38 4.8 mi W of Big Bear Lake Village, CA 92333 ANNOTATIONS: From Los Angeles: ~92mi (149km) — 1.6hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |