Big Bear Ghosts & Ghoulish History

The Ghost of Captain's Anchorage

Local surf n' turf house, Captain’s Anchorage, was originally named the Sportsman’s Tavern and was owned by Andy Devine. A man called George served as the tavern's accountant. One day, George mysteriously died and the cause - or culprit - was never determined. Local lore suggests he was suspected of embezzling cash before his untimely demise. To this day, it is believed that George haunts the Captain's Anchorage restaurant, wandering in limbo between this world and the next. Employees - former and current - claim they have heard George rattling pots and pans and stomping around upstairs. While he is a friendly ghost, his habit of hiding silverware and glasses can be aggravating at times!

The Captain's Anchorage offers beautiful patio seating.

Wild West Ghost Towns

Soon after Bill Holcomb discovered gold in the valley that would later bear his name, wild west towns sprang up to support the eager miners who would pour into the area over the next years. Today, the Gold Fever Trail is a self-guided, off-road tour of Holcomb Valley offering a fascinating glimpse into a long-gone world. Find remnants of old mining activity and ominous reminders of the wild west days, like Hangman's Tree and the graves of Wilbur and Ross.

Doble Cemetery

In 1873, Big Bear's 'Second Gold Rush' was spearheaded by Elias 'Lucky' Baldwin in the area known today as Baldwin Lake. A new mining town called Bairdstown - later named Doble - included saloons, hotels, restaurants, blacksmith shops, and the like. Being the wild west, fist fights and shootings were regular events and a cemetery was soon needed. While few reminders of Doble exist - like the ruins of Lucky Baldwin Mine - the Doble Cemetery still sits just off of the east end of Holcomb Valley Road with about 25 marked graves. May their occupants rest in peace.

White crosses mark graves of the unknown at Doble Cemetery. Bending Energy Photography

The Legend of Castle Rock

Big Bear valley's indigenous peoples are known as Yuhaaviatam. One legend tells of the tragic story of a native woman named Wyhnemah. The young men of her tribe would compete for her attention, but she only cared for one young man named Pahwek. He was a hunter, and whenever he was away on tribal hunts, Wyhnemah would climb to the top of Castle Rock to watch for his return. When she would see him in the distance, she would climb down and run to meet him. One day, Pahwek left on his usual trip but never returned. As the days and weeks went by, Wyhnemah came to realize that something was terribly wrong and that Pahwek wouldn't be coming home. Not wanting to live without her true love, she climbed to the top of Castle Rock, and with a prayer on her lips, stepped off the edge to join Pahwek forever in the happy hunting ground. Sourced from KBHR933.com