Big Bear City, California

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Big Bear City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, United States along the east shore of Big Bear Lake and surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. It is Template:Convert northeast of the city of San Bernardino, and immediately east of the incorporated city of Big Bear Lake. Its population was 12,304 at the 2010 census, up from 5,779 at the 2000 census. Big Bear City is mostly residential, with smaller houses and cabins laid out in typical square block fashion. Big Bear is on the Pacific Crest Trail.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Standard Air Lines of Los Angeles began a regular airline service to the community in the summer of 1929. Its post office was founded as Van Duesen in 1927 but changed its name to Big Bear City six months later. The Big Bear City Post Office opened in 1928 and still operates.<ref>Garrett, Lewis (2000). Place Names of the San Bernardino Mountains. Big Bear City, CA: Big Bear Valley Historical Society. pp. 10-11.</ref>

Despite the name, Big Bear City is not an incorporated city, and should not be confused with the adjacent incorporated city of Big Bear Lake.

Etymology

Big Bear got its name due to the large number of grizzly bears that once roamed the area.<ref>Keller, Russell L. (2008). Big Bear (Postcard History: California). Arcadia Publishing. Page 9. Template:ISBN.</ref> Although grizzly bears were exterminated in the valley at the turn of the 20th century, there are still thousands of black bears found in Big Bear Valley.<ref>Hickman, Jim (2007). Big Bear Trails: A Guide to the Trails In and Around Big Bear Valley. Mojave Copy & Printing. Page 55.</ref>

History

Pre-colonial period

The first humans to inhabit Big Bear Valley were the Serrano Indians, who trace their beginnings to Bear Valley.<ref>Keller, Russell L. (2008). Big Bear (Postcard History: California). Arcadia Publishing. Page 7. Template:ISBN.</ref> Serrano means mountaineers, or those of the Sierras.<ref>Kroeber, Alfred Louis (1925). Handbook of the Indians of California. Courier Corporation. Page 611. Template:ISBN.</ref> The Serrano people that settled much of the San Bernardino Mountains, called themselves Yuhaviatam, or: people of the pines.

It is estimated that the Serrano natives first settled in Big Bear between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago.<ref>Hickman, Jim (2007). Big Bear Trails: A Guide to the Trails In and Around Big Bear Valley. Mojave Copy & Printing. Page 63.</ref> The Serranos had both winter and summer settlements throughout the area. While their winter village was located in Lucerne Valley, they relocated to villages in the San Bernardino mountains during summer, as the altitude provided cooler temperatures. Villages were often located by rivers and lakes, however, mountain hunting camps were also established on higher elevations. Besides hunting, they also consumed pinyon nuts, mesquite beans, screw-beans, juniper berries and seeds. One of four major Serrano ethnographic sites was located in Big Bear City, called: Kayah-pia-t. Big Bear, and Lucerne Valley clans, both belonged to the same tribe: the Coyote Pervetum.<ref>San Bernardino National Forest (N.F.), Lucerne Valley to Big Bear Valley Transmission Line/Substation Project, Construction and Operation of Three Electrical Power Facilities: Environmental Impact Statement (1998). United States Forest Service. Page 3-123.</ref>

Settling here because of the region's many natural resources, they harvested acorns and herbs, but also hunted deer, rabbits, and other wildlife. A number of mortar holes can be seen in Big Bear City; these holes made by the Serranos, were utilized to ground acorns into meals.<ref>Bellamy, Stanley E. (2007). Running Springs. Arcadia Publishing. Page 10. Template:ISBN.</ref> The oldest known remains of a human settlement in Big Bear Valley can be seen at the Indian Grinding Rocks in Big Bear City, called: The Eye of God, which is a sacred site to the Serrano people.<ref>Hickman, Jim (2007). Big Bear Trails: A Guide to the Trails In and Around Big Bear Valley. Mojave Copy & Printing. Pages 62-63.</ref> The Serrano's creation narrative took place at The Eye of God, which was known as Hatauva.<ref>Fincher-Reichardt, Barbara (1983). The Indians of Big Bear Valley. Big Bear City, CA: Big Bear Valley Historical Society. Page 2.</ref>

The earliest known contact with European settlers in Big Bear occurred when Spanish Father Francisco Garcés arrived during his 1774-1776 expedition.<ref>Fincher-Reichardt, Barbara (1983). The Indians of Big Bear Valley. Big Bear City, CA: Big Bear Valley Historical Society. Pages 22 and 1.</ref> Another source states, that the first contact happened in 1845 during a punitive expedition against the Native-Americans.<ref>San Bernardino National Forest (N.F.), Lucerne Valley to Big Bear Valley Transmission Line/Substation Project, Construction and Operation of Three Electrical Power Facilities: Environmental Impact Statement (1998). United States Forest Service. Page 3-124.</ref>

Geography

File:Big bear city airport.jpg

Big Bear City Airport.

For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Big Bear City as a census-designated place (CDP). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of Template:Convert, 99.95% of it land, and 0.05% of it water.

The nearby ski resorts consist of Snow Summit and Bear Mountain.

Most of the town and the business district are centered on Big Bear Boulevard. Its limits are defined on the west by Division Road and on the east by the left turn at Highway 38, which goes to Redlands and Highway 18 which goes south to San Bernardino and north to Lucerne Valley. Though its south boundary is loosely defined by the residential boundary, the north side is defined by North Shore Road. The east–west postal divider of Big Bear City is Green Way Drive. It is here that Highway 18 (Big Bear Boulevard) turns north and crosses over to North Shore Drive heading east toward Lucerne Valley, and Highway 38 coming from the east turns north to North Shore and heads west to Big Bear Dam in the city of Big Bear Lake, California.

Sugarloaf is a large residential area that lies to the south of Big Bear City.

Demographics

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2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Big Bear City had a population of 12,738. The population density was Template:Convert. The racial makeup of Big Bear City was 73.9% White, 0.9% African American, 1.5% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 9.4% from other races, and 12.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.6% of the population.<ref name=DP1>Template:Cite web</ref>

The census reported that 99.8% of the population lived in households, 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 5,523 households, out of which 22.3% included children under the age of 18, 43.5% were married-couple households, 7.6% were cohabiting couple households, 25.9% had a female householder with no partner present, and 23.0% had a male householder with no partner present. 31.3% of households were one person, and 14.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.3.<ref name=DP1/> There were 3,363 families (60.9% of all households).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The age distribution was 18.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% aged 18 to 24, 22.7% aged 25 to 44, 29.3% aged 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65Template:Nbspyears of age or older. The median age was 47.1Template:Nbspyears. For every 100 females, there were 101.9 males.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 12,086 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert, of which 5,523 (45.7%) were occupied. Of these, 71.8% were owner-occupied, and 28.2% were occupied by renters.<ref name=DP1/>

2023 estimates

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 4.9% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 85.0% spoke only English at home, 10.4% spoke Spanish, 2.6% spoke other Indo-European languages, 0.8% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 1.2% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 91.8% were high school graduates and 28.4% had a bachelor's degree.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The median household income was $72,457, and the per capita income was $38,030. About 11.0% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government

In the California State Legislature, Big Bear City is in Template:Representative, and in Template:Representative.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the United States House of Representatives, Big Bear City is in Template:Representative.<ref>Template:Cite GovTrack</ref>

Transportation

Big Bear City Airport is a general aviation airport in Big Bear City.<ref>"[[[:Template:Cite web]]</ref> There are no commercial air services to this airport, although at least two airlines, including Trans World Airlines, have served Big Bear in the past. This airport may also be used for medical evacuations, and as a base for forest-fighting aircraft when there are fires close by. The airport is very popular with local general aviation pilots.

Education

It is in the Bear Valley Unified School District.<ref name=CensusSDMap2020>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

Wildlife

Mammals such as squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, coyotes and skunks are commonly sighted, while black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, gray foxes and mule deer are more rarely observed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Potentially dangerous animals include mountain lions, black bears and coyotes. A mountain lion responsible for eating a dog was killed by the sheriff in Big Bear City in 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Although grizzly bears were previously common, they became extinct from Big Bear Valley in 1906.<ref>Bellamy, Stanley E. (2006). Big Bear (CA): Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. Page 10. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Keller, Russell L. (2008). Big Bear (Postcard History). Arcadia Publishing. Page 9. Template:ISBN.</ref>

References

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External links

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