Big Bear Lake, California
Encyclopedia
Big Bear Lake is a city
in San Bernardino County
, California
along the south shore of Big Bear Lake
, located 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast of the city of San Bernardino
. The population was 5,019 at the 2010 census, down from 5,438 at the 2000 census. However, being a four-seasons resort, the actual number of people staying in total accommodations, residences, and campgrounds in the greater Big Bear Valley surges to over 100,000 many weekends per year. Surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest
, Big Bear Lake is a year-around resort destination for Southern California
.
was inhabited by the indigenous Serrano Indians for over 2,000 years before it was explored by Benjamin Wilson and his party. Once populated by only the natives and the Grizzly bears
, from which the area received its name, Big Bear Valley grew rapidly during the Southern California Gold Rush
from 1861 to 1912. Grizzly bears were not found in the region after 1908. However there are black bears in the region, introduced in 1933, and they are sometimes sighted in residential areas.
A trip to Big Bear Lake from San Bernardino
took two days on horse-drawn coaches. Kirk Phillips was a local who took a trip to New York City
and saw the world's first bus line. This inspired him to create the world's second bus line from San Bernardino
to Big Bear Valley using White trucks with several rows of seats. This made it possible for the villages to grow and for Big Bear Lake to become the first mountain recreation area in Southern California
.
Many people traveled to enjoy recreation on the lake, however, another major draw was the natural hot spring. Emile Jesserun bought 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) of land that included the hot spring and built the first major resort in Big Bear, the Pan Hot Springs Hotel, in 1921.
This resort was followed with others that strived to be the best by creating a country club atmosphere complete with the amenities required to lure the Hollywood celebrities of the time including Cecil B. DeMille
, Shirley Temple
, and Ginger Rogers
.
It was also a popular place for shooting on location, as they did for the filming of the 1920 version of Last of the Mohicans and a number of Bonanza
episodes in the 1960s at Cedar lake
. 1924 saw Big Bear populated with 44 resorts and a constant stream of vacationers. The Pan Hot Springs Hotel, like many of the other resorts and hotels in Big Bear, was extensively damaged by fire in 1933.
Big Bear Lake was one of the filming locations for Disney's Old Yeller
, the 1969 musical film Paint Your Wagon
, the 1983 movie War Games
, and hte ending scene in Better Off Dead.
Winter activities are also popular in Big Bear. The first ski jump in Big Bear was erected in 1929 and quickly claimed a world ski jump record. More jumps were built in Big Bear Lake and the Viking Ski Club of Los Angeles
began to use them for competition and events. The move to a winter resort town was solidified in 1952 when Tommy Tyndall opened a resort in Big Bear Lake now known as Snow Summit
.
Big Bear Lake was incorporated as a city on November 28, 1980.
Since 1970 Big Bear Lake has held its annual Oktoberfest
. The Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest also sports the highest Biergarten in the U.S. (in elevation).
During the 1990s
, the city became famous as a spot for boxing
champions who need to train, Oscar de la Hoya
, Fernando Vargas
and Shane Mosley
being among the famous boxers who have trained at Big Bear.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 6.5 square miles (16.8 km²). 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (2.88%) is water.
According to the National Weather Service, the warmest month at Big Bear is July, when the average high is 80.7°F (27.1°C) and the average low is 47.1°F (8.4°C). The coolest month is January, with an average high of 47.1°F (8.4°C) and an average low of 20.7°F (-6.3°C). There are an average of 1.2 days each year with highs of 90°F (32°C) or higher. Freezing temperatures have occurred in every month and occur on an average of 193.0 days each year. Lows of 0°F (-18°C) or lower average 1.1 days each year. The highest temperature recorded at Big Bear was 94°F (34°C), last recorded on July 15, 1998. The record lowest temperature was -25°F (-32°C), on January 29, 1979.
Due to the 6,790-7,200 foot (2,069 m) elevation of the weather station, precipitation is greater than in the lowlands of San Bernardino County, averaging 21.15 in (537.21 mm) a year. The maximum 24-hour precipitation was 9.43 in (239.52 mm) on December 6, 1966. Measurable precipitation normally occurs 44.9 days a year. Mountain thunderstorms occasionally produce heavy rainfall, even in midsummer (when most southern California lowland locations are quite dry).
The Big Bear Lake region is unique among populated areas in Southern California in that, because of the elevation, it normally receives significant winter snow. Snowfall, as measured at lake level, averages 61.8 inches (157 cm) each year (although upwards of 100 inches (254 cm) can accumulate on the forested ridges bordering the lake, above 8,000 feet (2,400 m)). In February 1990, 59.5 inches (151 cm) of snow were recorded. The most snow in 24 hours was 27.0 inches (69 cm) on March 27, 1991. The greatest snow depth was 58 inches (147 cm) on February 3, 1979. Snow has fallen in every month except July and August. There are normally 16.5 days each year with measurable snow (0.1 inch (2.5 mm) or more).
was 768.1 people per square mile (296.6/km²). The racial makeup of Big Bear Lake was 4,204 (83.8%) White, 22 (0.4%) African American, 48 (1.0%) Native American, 78 (1.6%) Asian, 10 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 491 (9.8%) from other races
, and 166 (3.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,076 persons (21.4%).
The Census reported that 4,993 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 5 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 21 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 2,187 households, out of which 563 (25.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,007 (46.0%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 195 (8.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 119 (5.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 159 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 24 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 675 households (30.9%) were made up of individuals and 298 (13.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28. There were 1,321 families
(60.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.83.
The population was spread out with 993 people (19.8%) under the age of 18, 417 people (8.3%) aged 18 to 24, 1,021 people (20.3%) aged 25 to 44, 1,563 people (31.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,025 people (20.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.1 years. For every 100 females there were 104.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.8 males.
There were 9,705 housing units at an average density of 1,485.3 per square mile (573.5/km²), of which 1,271 (58.1%) were owner-occupied, and 916 (41.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 14.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 45.2%. 2,708 people (54.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,285 people (45.5%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 5,438 people, 2,343 households, and 1,494 families residing in the city. The population density
was 860.1 inhabitants per square mile (332.2/km²). There were 8,705 housing units at an average density of 1,376.8 per square mile (531.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.2% White, 0.7% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.8% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races
, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.7% of the population.
There were 2,343 households out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 2.8.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,447, and the median income for a family was $41,848. Males had a median income of $36,316 versus $21,404 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $21,517. About 11.1% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
, a general aviation
airport in the Big Bear City
section of unincorporated San Bernardino County
, serves Big Bear Lake.
Local bus service is provided by the Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority
(MARTA). The MARTA Provides Service from downtown
San Bernardino
to Big Bear Lake.
The Big Bear Valley offers three highways. One going towards Highland, California
, another one going towards Victorville, California
and the last one goes to Redlands, California
.
Big Bear Lake is located in the 31st Senate
District, represented by Republican
Robert Dutton
, and in the 65th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Paul Cook
. Federally, Big Bear Lake is located in California's 41st congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +9 and is represented by Republican Jerry Lewis
.
largest recreation lake. It is about seven miles long and about one mile at its widest. The primary summer attraction in Big Bear was fishing
and it still is one of the most common activities there. The most abundant types of fish
are trout
, bass
and catfish
.Hiking
, mountain biking
and horse riding are also very popular. San Bernardino National Forest
offers many trails in varying degrees of difficulty. During winter season Big Bear Lake becomes a skiing
and snowboarding
destination for Southern California
. There are two major ski resorts: Snow Summit
and Bear Mountain
. The town is also home to the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival
, in operation since 1999.
Ryan Hall
(born October 14, 1982 in Big Bear Lake, California) is an American long distance runner. He won the marathon at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials and placed tenth in the Olympic marathon in Beijing. He also holds the U.S. record in the half marathon with a time of 59:43, becoming the first U.S. runner to break the one hour barrier in the event.
Heather O'Rourke, of Poltergeist (1982) fame, lived here for a brief period of time in her childhood. circa. 1984-1987
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
along the south shore of Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains, in San Bernardino County, California, United States. At a surface elevation of , it has an east-west length of approximately 7 miles and is approximately 2.5 miles at its widest measurement, though the lake's width mostly averages a...
, located 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast of the city of San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
. The population was 5,019 at the 2010 census, down from 5,438 at the 2000 census. However, being a four-seasons resort, the actual number of people staying in total accommodations, residences, and campgrounds in the greater Big Bear Valley surges to over 100,000 many weekends per year. Surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest
San Bernardino National Forest
San Bernardino National Forest is a federally-managed forest covering more than 800,000 acres . There are two main divisions which are the San Bernardino Mountains on the easternmost of the Transverse Range, and the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains on the northernmost of the Peninsular...
, Big Bear Lake is a year-around resort destination for Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
.
History
Big Bear LakeBig Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains, in San Bernardino County, California, United States. At a surface elevation of , it has an east-west length of approximately 7 miles and is approximately 2.5 miles at its widest measurement, though the lake's width mostly averages a...
was inhabited by the indigenous Serrano Indians for over 2,000 years before it was explored by Benjamin Wilson and his party. Once populated by only the natives and the Grizzly bears
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
, from which the area received its name, Big Bear Valley grew rapidly during the Southern California Gold Rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
from 1861 to 1912. Grizzly bears were not found in the region after 1908. However there are black bears in the region, introduced in 1933, and they are sometimes sighted in residential areas.
A trip to Big Bear Lake from San Bernardino
San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California is a large city in the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California.San Bernardino may also refer to:-Landforms:*San Bernardino , a torrent that flows through the Italian province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola...
took two days on horse-drawn coaches. Kirk Phillips was a local who took a trip to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and saw the world's first bus line. This inspired him to create the world's second bus line from San Bernardino
San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California is a large city in the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California.San Bernardino may also refer to:-Landforms:*San Bernardino , a torrent that flows through the Italian province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola...
to Big Bear Valley using White trucks with several rows of seats. This made it possible for the villages to grow and for Big Bear Lake to become the first mountain recreation area in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
.
Many people traveled to enjoy recreation on the lake, however, another major draw was the natural hot spring. Emile Jesserun bought 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) of land that included the hot spring and built the first major resort in Big Bear, the Pan Hot Springs Hotel, in 1921.
This resort was followed with others that strived to be the best by creating a country club atmosphere complete with the amenities required to lure the Hollywood celebrities of the time including Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
, Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...
, and Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
.
It was also a popular place for shooting on location, as they did for the filming of the 1920 version of Last of the Mohicans and a number of Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
episodes in the 1960s at Cedar lake
Cedar Lake (California)
Cedar Lake is a small artificial lake in the San Bernardino Mountains of California, U.S.A. which has appeared in dozens of Western films. It is the centerpiece of Cedar Lake Camp, a private retreat center owned and operated by the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles.Located south of the...
. 1924 saw Big Bear populated with 44 resorts and a constant stream of vacationers. The Pan Hot Springs Hotel, like many of the other resorts and hotels in Big Bear, was extensively damaged by fire in 1933.
Big Bear Lake was one of the filming locations for Disney's Old Yeller
Old Yeller (1957 film)
Old Yeller is a 1957 Walt Disney Productions film starring Tommy Kirk, Dorothy McGuire and Beverly Washburn, and directed by Robert Stevenson. It is about a boy and a stray dog in post-Civil War Texas. The story is based upon the 1956 Newbery Honor-winning book Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. Gipson...
, the 1969 musical film Paint Your Wagon
Paint Your Wagon (film)
Paint Your Wagon is a 1969 American musical film starring Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood. The movie was adapted by Paddy Chayefsky from the 1951 stage musical by Lerner and Loewe, set in a mining camp in Gold Rush-era California.-Plot:...
, the 1983 movie War Games
WarGames
WarGames is a 1983 American Cold War suspense/science-fiction film written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and directed by John Badham. The film stars Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy....
, and hte ending scene in Better Off Dead.
Winter activities are also popular in Big Bear. The first ski jump in Big Bear was erected in 1929 and quickly claimed a world ski jump record. More jumps were built in Big Bear Lake and the Viking Ski Club of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
began to use them for competition and events. The move to a winter resort town was solidified in 1952 when Tommy Tyndall opened a resort in Big Bear Lake now known as Snow Summit
Snow Summit
Snow Summit is a ski resort that was established in 1952 and is in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California. It is located by Big Bear Lake along with its sister resort Bear Mountain; these two resorts which operate under the same management are collectively known as Big Bear Mountain...
.
Big Bear Lake was incorporated as a city on November 28, 1980.
Since 1970 Big Bear Lake has held its annual Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
. The Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest also sports the highest Biergarten in the U.S. (in elevation).
During the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, the city became famous as a spot for boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
champions who need to train, Oscar de la Hoya
Oscar de la Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...
, Fernando Vargas
Fernando Vargas
Fernando Vargas is a retired Mexican American boxer and two-time world champion, who won a bronze medal as an amateur at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata. His nicknames include "Ferocious", "The Aztec Warrior" and "El Feroz"...
and Shane Mosley
Shane Mosley
“Sugar” Shane Mosley is an American professional boxer from Pomona, California who has held world titles in three weight divisions.-Amateur career:Mosley was an amateur standout, capturing various amateur titles, including:...
being among the famous boxers who have trained at Big Bear.
Geography
Big Bear Lake is located at 34°14′29"N 116°54′12"W (34.241295, -116.903289).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 6.5 square miles (16.8 km²). 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (2.88%) is water.
Surrounding areas
Climate
Due to the 6,790-7,200 foot (2,069 m) elevation of the weather station, precipitation is greater than in the lowlands of San Bernardino County, averaging 21.15 in (537.21 mm) a year. The maximum 24-hour precipitation was 9.43 in (239.52 mm) on December 6, 1966. Measurable precipitation normally occurs 44.9 days a year. Mountain thunderstorms occasionally produce heavy rainfall, even in midsummer (when most southern California lowland locations are quite dry).
The Big Bear Lake region is unique among populated areas in Southern California in that, because of the elevation, it normally receives significant winter snow. Snowfall, as measured at lake level, averages 61.8 inches (157 cm) each year (although upwards of 100 inches (254 cm) can accumulate on the forested ridges bordering the lake, above 8,000 feet (2,400 m)). In February 1990, 59.5 inches (151 cm) of snow were recorded. The most snow in 24 hours was 27.0 inches (69 cm) on March 27, 1991. The greatest snow depth was 58 inches (147 cm) on February 3, 1979. Snow has fallen in every month except July and August. There are normally 16.5 days each year with measurable snow (0.1 inch (2.5 mm) or more).
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Big Bear Lake had a population of 5,019. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 768.1 people per square mile (296.6/km²). The racial makeup of Big Bear Lake was 4,204 (83.8%) White, 22 (0.4%) African American, 48 (1.0%) Native American, 78 (1.6%) Asian, 10 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 491 (9.8%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 166 (3.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,076 persons (21.4%).
The Census reported that 4,993 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 5 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 21 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 2,187 households, out of which 563 (25.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,007 (46.0%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 195 (8.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 119 (5.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 159 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 24 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 675 households (30.9%) were made up of individuals and 298 (13.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28. There were 1,321 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(60.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.83.
The population was spread out with 993 people (19.8%) under the age of 18, 417 people (8.3%) aged 18 to 24, 1,021 people (20.3%) aged 25 to 44, 1,563 people (31.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,025 people (20.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.1 years. For every 100 females there were 104.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.8 males.
There were 9,705 housing units at an average density of 1,485.3 per square mile (573.5/km²), of which 1,271 (58.1%) were owner-occupied, and 916 (41.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 14.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 45.2%. 2,708 people (54.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,285 people (45.5%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 5,438 people, 2,343 households, and 1,494 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 860.1 inhabitants per square mile (332.2/km²). There were 8,705 housing units at an average density of 1,376.8 per square mile (531.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.2% White, 0.7% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.8% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.7% of the population.
There were 2,343 households out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 2.8.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,447, and the median income for a family was $41,848. Males had a median income of $36,316 versus $21,404 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $21,517. About 11.1% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Big Bear City AirportBig Bear City Airport
Big Bear City Airport is a public airport located in Big Bear City, San Bernardino County, California, United States.- Arrival and Departure :...
, a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport in the Big Bear City
Big Bear City, California
Big Bear City is an unincorporated, census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California immediately east of Big Bear Lake. The population was 12,304 at the 2010 census, up from 5,779 at the 2000 census...
section of unincorporated San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
, serves Big Bear Lake.
Local bus service is provided by the Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority
Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority
Not to be confused with the primary public transportation agency serving Atlanta, Georgia, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit AuthorityMountain Area Regional Transit Authority is the third largest regional transit agency in San Bernardino county...
(MARTA). The MARTA Provides Service from downtown
Downtown San Bernardino
Downtown San Bernardino is a district in San Bernardino, California, United States. It is home to city and county government buildings, as well as the city's central business district...
San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
to Big Bear Lake.
The Big Bear Valley offers three highways. One going towards Highland, California
Highland, California
Highland is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population in 2010 was 53,104, up from 44,605 at the 2000 census...
, another one going towards Victorville, California
Victorville, California
Victorville is a city located in the Victor Valley of southwestern San Bernardino County, California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:...
and the last one goes to Redlands, California
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Big Bear Lake is located in the 31st Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Robert Dutton
Robert Dutton
Robert D. Dutton is an American politician. He has served as the California State Senate Republican Leader since 2010 and as a Senator representing the 31st Senate District since 2004, after serving two years as a State Assemblyman for the 63rd Assembly District.-Biography:Robert Dutton was born...
, and in the 65th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Paul Cook
Paul Cook (politician)
Paul Cook has represented California's 65th Assembly district since December 2006. Prior to his election he served as a member of the Yucca Valley city council from 1998 until 2006. He is a Republican.-Military career:...
. Federally, Big Bear Lake is located in California's 41st congressional district
California's 41st congressional district
California's 41st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in San Bernardino County. The district encompasses the eastern region of the Greater Los Angeles Area known as the Inland Empire...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +9 and is represented by Republican Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis (politician)
Charles Jeremy Lewis is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 40th, 35th and 37th, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, serving in the role during the 109th Congress.-Early life, education, and...
.
Attractions and activities
Big Bear Lake is Southern California'sSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
largest recreation lake. It is about seven miles long and about one mile at its widest. The primary summer attraction in Big Bear was fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and it still is one of the most common activities there. The most abundant types of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
are trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
, bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
and catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
.Hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
and horse riding are also very popular. San Bernardino National Forest
San Bernardino National Forest
San Bernardino National Forest is a federally-managed forest covering more than 800,000 acres . There are two main divisions which are the San Bernardino Mountains on the easternmost of the Transverse Range, and the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains on the northernmost of the Peninsular...
offers many trails in varying degrees of difficulty. During winter season Big Bear Lake becomes a skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
destination for Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. There are two major ski resorts: Snow Summit
Snow Summit
Snow Summit is a ski resort that was established in 1952 and is in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California. It is located by Big Bear Lake along with its sister resort Bear Mountain; these two resorts which operate under the same management are collectively known as Big Bear Mountain...
and Bear Mountain
Bear Mountain (Ski Area)
Bear Mountain , formerly Goldmine Mountain, is a ski area in Southern California. It is the sister resort of Snow Summit, together known as Big Bear Mountain Resorts. In 2002 Bear Mountain was purchased by Snow Summit, and the two resorts are now accessible with a single lift ticket...
. The town is also home to the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival
Big Bear Lake International Film Festival
The Big Bear International Film Festival has been held in the mountain community of Big Bear Lake, California, United States since 2000. Every year, the festival expands with number of submissions and the prestige of their honorees. The festival hosts both film and screenplay...
, in operation since 1999.
Notable residents
Jordan Romero, 13, son of Paul Romero of Big Bear Lake, CA, is the youngest person to climb Mt.Everest.Ryan Hall
Ryan Hall (runner)
Ryan Hall is an American long distance runner. He won the marathon at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials and placed tenth in the Olympic marathon in Beijing. He holds the U.S. record in the half marathon . With his half marathon record time, he became the first U.S...
(born October 14, 1982 in Big Bear Lake, California) is an American long distance runner. He won the marathon at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials and placed tenth in the Olympic marathon in Beijing. He also holds the U.S. record in the half marathon with a time of 59:43, becoming the first U.S. runner to break the one hour barrier in the event.
Heather O'Rourke, of Poltergeist (1982) fame, lived here for a brief period of time in her childhood. circa. 1984-1987