The history of how Lake Arrowhead came to be is a sweet story filled with rich imagination and some real life stars...

There is a legend on how the famous "Arrowhead" formation ended up on the side of the mountain, it can be seen as you are driving toward our wonderful area.  Legend has it that a Great Spirit fired an arrow at healing hot springs along the baseline, to mark the spot for local Indian tribes.  I will leave that to your imagination.

Originally called Little Bear Valley which had mostly loggers living in the area, became a weekend getaway area for the tourist and stars of the 1920's.  They came up to stay at the lake-front hotels and lake-front homes.  Lake Arrowhead became a year round destination with skiing, hiking and shopping.  I remember my grandparents telling me how they came up for vacations for the summer in the 1930's and 1940's.  Many Hollywood movies  have been filmed right on the banks of Lake Arrowhead and Lake Gregory.  In 1938 Of Human Hearts with Jimmy Stewart was filmed primarily at Lake Arrowhead, An American Tragedy filmed in 1931, the following years have brought many production companies up the hill to film this American Classic atmosphere and bring it into hearts around the world.

There are many magical stories of the history of Lake Arrowhead, from the super elite, to  gangsters like  Bugsy Seagel, to my very own grandparents.  The past will ignite your intrigue and the reality will make you come back and stay awhile.

• The earliest settlements by Europeans in this area were due to the logging industry.
• In the 1800's, Chinese work crews dug a series of tunnels through the San Bernardino mountains connecting to Lake Arrowhead.
• A narrow gauge steam train ran along what is now "Rim of the World" highway, through Running Springs and into Grass Valley.
• The tower that stands in the middle of Lake Arrowhead is 195 feet high and is an outlet for water to the desert below.
• The charming Willow Woods, a local shopping community, includes log cabin buildings still in use that date back to the early 1900's.
• Tour companies from all over the United States include Lake Arrowhead on their itineraries.
• The San Bernardino Mountains present a spectacular showcase of life by offering visitors over 2,000 species of flora and nearly 400 species of fauna.
• The business district of Lake Arrowhead was burned to the ground in the late 1970's and was rebuilt to current status. The pavilion, which stands in the center of the village, was the only original building preserved.
• Many, many movies have been filmed in lake Arrowhead, including "Heidi", "Magnificent Obsession", "The American President," "Space Jam," and "The Parent Trap."

Almost all of the private land surrounding Lake Arrowhead has been subdivided into residential lots. About 10,000 lots are in Arrowhead Woods where property ownership carries with it the right to use Lake Arrowhead. 10,000 lots have been improved with residences ranging from modest cabins to some of the most expensive homes in the world. 4,200 of these homes are occupied full time by the permanent population of nearly 12,000. The 6,000 second homes are used on weekends, holidays and in the summer. On a summer holiday weekend, the population swells to forty thousand.

The permanent population is growing rapidly from 6,300 in 1980 to the 10,000 estimated in 1992, a 4% annual growth rate. Ultimate build-out population is projected to be about 33,500. Assuming the 4% growth rate continues, the permanent population will be approximately 14,000 in the year 2000, 20,500 in the year 2010 and 30,000 in the year 2020.

The demographics of the Lake Arrowhead population are not well documented. There are a number of retired residents but probably not more than 20% of the population. School attendance continues to grow and it is estimated that 50% of the permanent households have children in grade K-12. Income and education levels are higher than those of surrounding communities.