HOLLYWOOD COMES TO LANCASTER LAKE As I mentioned in Parts 1 and 2 of the Lancaster Lake story, much of the economic viability of this carved-out-of-the-soil recreational lake depended on attracting the general public to rent boats or pay to go fishing. Another income source was the occasional use of Lancaster as a sort of…
MORE TO LANCASTER LAKE THAN JUST MUDDY WATERS When “Grandpa” Lancaster first opened his lake to the public in 1925, swimming, as well as fishing and boating, were the main attractions. To the dismay of most kids (and by the time I came along in the late 1930s), swimming was no longer allowed. This prohibition…
SUNLAND, CA: Lancaster Lake is a name that conjures up fond memories in the minds of many old-time Sunland-Tujunga residents. My own boyhood memories of the lake are no exception. Carved out of a swampy area in the lower Foothills just below Sunland Park by Edgar “Grandpa” Lancaster, the lake opened to the public for swimming, fishing…
Ever heard of a “kit house?” (NOT talking cats here.) Well, in the first half of the 20th Century, buying a DIY mail-order bungalow was not uncommon, especially in Southern California. The concept actually originated in the Midwest with a highly successful company called Aladdin Homes, of Bay City, Michigan. Aladdin is credited with introducing…
