Information provided by the Wrightwood Chamber of Commerce:

A Brief History of Wrightwood

Wrightwood is nestled 6,000 feet high in the east end of the San Gabriel Mountains. Its recorded history is as old as 1776 when Spanish Padres met the Serrano Indians gathering food in these mountains. A mission was formed in San Bernardino where the Serrano were taught agriculture. When the mission was given to the Lujo family in the 1830's, many of the Serrano moved back into these mountains.

In 1851, the Lujo holdings were sold to a branch of the Mormon church (after who the incredible Mormon Rocks just off the 15 freeway were named). Two of these Mormons, Nathan and Truman Swarthout, homesteaded in Lone Pine Canyon, eventually extended their holdings to include the valley that now bears their name, and in which Wrightwood is situated. When the Mormons returned to Salt Lake City in 1857, the Swarthouts abandoned their holdings.

Almon Clyde filed a patent on the Lone Pine Canyon area in 1883 where he established a cattle ranch. The orchard that he developed adjacent to his ranch is still owned and operated by the Clyde family. Some of the original buildings of Almon's holdings can be seen from Lone Pine Canyon road.

Between 1886 and 1926, the Swarthout Valley was homesteaded by many men, among them Harry Heath, Earl Schuyler and Sumner and Buford Wright. The Wrights eventually obtained two thirds of the valley, and it is, of course, from their name that Wrightwood got its. They established the 1,000 head Circle Mountain Ranch at the eastern end of the valley, and an apple orchard, the trees of which can still be found among the homes on Mountain View and Apple Streets. This period also saw mining and lumbering come to this area.

In 1923,Los Angeles county established a major recreational facility at Big Pines. Many of the buildings still stand (most notably one of the two stone towers that once supported a pedestrian overpass across Highway 2, west of Wrightwood). Now administered by the U.S. Forest Service, Big Pines continues to be a popular recreation area encompassing two ski resorts, several campgrounds and Jackson Lake.

In 1926, the Smithsonian Institute opened a facility on Table Mountain to conduct solar research. Thirty-five years later the Jet Propulsion Lab opened the facility under contract by N.A.S.A.

The National Forest Scenic Byway starts just east of Wrightwood. It winds westward through the Angeles National Forest for 52 breathtaking miles, terminating in La Canada. About a two hour trip, the Byway offers vast mountain vistas like Inspiration Point and sprawling views of the high desert.

Come and visit this peaceful wonderland, for a day, a weekend, a week, or for a lifetime of beauty four seasons of the year.