Cedar Lake is an artificial lake in the San Bernardino Mountains of California that has appeared in dozens of Western films. It is the centerpiece of Cedar Lake Camp, a private retreat center owned and operated by Cedar Lake Camp, Inc., a non profit public benefit corporation.[3]
In 1913, the Talmadge brothers purchased the property where the lake, dam, and camp are now situated. They used the land to graze cattle, then sold it in 1922 to the Bartlett brothers, who built the dam in 1928 (96 years ago) (1928). They in turn sold it in 1937 to family member Guy Bartlett, who charged visitors 25¢ for admission to the property. In January 1955, the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles bought 110 acres (45 ha). The church later increased its holdings to 270 acres (110 ha).[5]
Amish log cabins. About 125 years old. Procured by the movie industry and moved to the lake
Filming location
The lake's scenery and proximity to Hollywood made it a popular filming location. It appeared in more than forty films,[6] including:
On May 19, 2010, a 29-year-old man drowned in the lake after his canoe capsized.[13]
Cedar Lake Dam
Cedar Lake and Sawmill. The dam is at the waterline to the left.
Cedar Lake Dam was built in 1928 across Talmadge Creek. It is a variable-radius arch dam 28 ft (8.5 m) high and 220 ft (67 m) long containing 650 cubic yards (500 m3) of material. Its crest is 7,101 ft (2,164 m) above sea level.[2]
The old mill house and water wheel can be seen in the Bonanza episode "Thornton's Account".