Mining
It was the Big Bear Gold Rush of 1860 that first brought people to Big Bear valley in significant numbers. This historical category has information, stories, and photos from that early era. This includes information on Bill Holcomb, Gold Mountain, Belleville, Union Town, and the Rose Mine.
The Gold Rush – Part 3
VALLEY GOLD COMPANY - 1896 In 1894, about the same time that the Gold Mountain operations at Big Bear Lake were struggling along, another interesting big money venture for extracting gold from the Big Bear area was being carried out by the “Valley Gold Company Ltd.”....
The Gold Rush – Part 2
In 1860, Bill Holcomb started a Gold Rush that began bringing people into the Big Bear valley in significant numbers for the first time. Within just a few months of his discovery, the once secluded Big Bear/Holcomb valley area had the highest concentration people in...
The Gold Rush – Part 1
BILL HOLCOMB The story of Big Bear’s gold rush begins at the corner of Stanfield Cutoff and Big Bear Boulevard. Back in 1859, this area was known as Starvation Flats. It was home to a small group of prospectors who were searching these hills for gold. One of those...