LOCAL AREA HISTORY

The earliest inhabitants of the Pinon Hills dates back to approximately 4,000 years ago, aboriginal peoples occupied the higher elevations of the San Bernardino Mountains. The earliest uses were as gathering sites for food, both plants and animals. The Serrano Indians, approximately 1000 - 1,500 years ago, established permanent summer camps, coming down to the lower elevations in winter. The Shoshonian, primarily mountain Indians inhabited the Jaw Bone Canyon. For many centuries they used a trail which was later known as the Fort Tejon Road. The Barrel Springs received its name from the Indians who lived in the canyon because they would fill their barrels with water for the stagecoaches that came through the area. The first white man in recorded history appeared in the Mojave Desert in March 1776 when Francisco Garces, a Spanish Franciscan priest, followed an old Indian trail along the Mojave River looking for a practical route from Arizona to Northern California. In 1851, under the direction of Charles C. Rich, Mormon colonists from Utah were sent to found a settlement around this area

Tails A Lost Gold Mine of Pinon Hills

In the early 1700's several priests of the Jesuit Order discovered one of the richest gold mines of the southwest. This mine was said to be located somewhere between Pinon Hills and Littlerock, and great quantities of gold were taken from it. When the Jesuit priests were recalled in the 1730's they caused a landslide to cover the mine, and it has never been found.

A Town With Five Names (a.k.a. Pinon Hills)

An old map, printed before Highway 138 came through as a dirt road, showed the name of the town to be Border Town as it was located on the San Bernardino-Los Angeles county line.

Later the town was called Horine Springs for Merrie Horine who homesteaded the foothill region east of the county line. The Horines let people dip water from the end of the water line at their house and did not charge for dipping. A man named Smithson' ran cattle over most of the area, and the water company later created at the springs by Alfred Mondorf was named Smithson Springs Water Company. Naturally, the town inherited the name for a while. But the residents didn't like all the s's, so they changed the name to Desert Springs and they obtained a post office under that name. Winifred E. Ellison was their first postmaster.

There was trouble in the wings for Desert Springs. The San Bernardino Post Office mail sorting division, threw the mail too fast and letters directed to Desert Springs went to Desert Hot Springs much too frequently (today, the zip code method would keep that from happening - anyone want to go back to Desert Springs?)

The Area Receives its Final Official Name,
PINON HILLS
After a secret ballot by settlers at the Chamber of Commerce building the name Pinon Hills was the winner.

There aren't too many other locations with the distinction of having had five names in 20 years. The name Pinon Hills comes from the Pinus monophylla (pinyon pine) that dominate the desert-facing slopes.

Stagecoach Route
The Butterfield Stagecoach Route was an important stage line in the 19th century. It would stop at the old mailboxes on the Fort El Tejon Road, which ran through the Frontier Ranch. Catherine Schneider, aided by her father J.G. Schneider homesteaded the Frontier Ranch. In 1926 the 320-acre ranch was a frequent stop by school age students for the pear pies baked by Catherine's mother. The cement slab where the coach halted is in place today.

A few of the early homesteaders of the area were the Grettenbergs, Hale, Kunzel, Schneider and the Detless family. Forty acres on the northwest corner of Smoke Tree and Sheep Creek Road was purchased by Maud Grettenberg, and was known for many years as the Grettenberg Ranch. William Schwarts purchased the Smithson Springs Water Company, along with the Grettenberg Ranch and he was the sole owner of both for many years. Six hundred, forty acres where Deerhaven is now and where the Yucca Inn was permanently located. Mrs. Mabel Beekley, daughter of the Detless family and her husband, William Beekley built the Yucca Inn. Henry and Winnie Ellison, homesteaders, built the houses on Tamarack Road, east of Mountain Road. They also built the market building on Mountain Road and Highway 138.

In the 20's, Joseph Walker and Henry Anthony, Sr., were pioneers on Spring Road. Joe used to say that he could sit there on the hill and count 31 stills down on the flats during prohibitions. The settlers were in good shape until 1924, when dry years and the Depression forced many of the homesteaders out of the area.

When George Air Force base opened in the 40's many new people were once again attracted to the area

The First Chamber of Commerce
A World War II Quonset hut, north of Highway 138 on the homestead of John and Nettie Jane Hale was used as the first Chamber of Commerce. In 1934, people wanted something on the more populated south side to the highway so they wouldn't have to risk their necks getting across Highway 138. So the property was sold and Fred and Maude McGee donated land for anew building on Mountain Road. It took many years before contributions of money and muscle finally saw to the completion of the building in the late 1950's. Children living in Pinon Hills were educated in the Phelan School; a wood framed building now used as the Community Building.

Through out the 1950's, the Pinon Hills were growing with home seekers. So much that the San Bernardino County placed a building moratorium on meters for the old water system and restricted building even when the owners agreed to erect an acceptable water tank at a considerable cost to themselves. There were some dry years in the mid-70 when water was hauled in by outside suppliers.

Then in 1978 the Smithson Spring stockholders decided to offer to sell their company to San Bernardino County and seek annexation of the water company's jurisdiction to County Service Area 70, Area Land Zone L. The Zone L system went under a $3.5 million improvement and expansion. The Board of supervisors approved the annexation on April 26, 1978, and lifted the five-year building moratorium on Pinon Hills.

Emergency Volunteers Get Organized

The Pinon Hills continued to grow and prosper. But services were lacking. To assist during emergencies, the Pinon Hills area joined with Phelan to develop a Callman Volunteer Emergency Service in 1978. The call men and women received first aid and fire response training.

Today's' Pinon Hills
Today the community of Pinon Hills thrives. New homeowners are attracted to this area, may because of its beautiful open spaces, and clean air or who are just tired of the big city. What ever the reason may be to live in Pinon Hills, families will find a sense of days gone by, where time moves a little slower and you can appreciate nature's splendor.