Forest Lake Resort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Forest Lake
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Resort
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Forest Lake between Cobb (NW) and Whispering Pines (SE). Buildings on the SW side of Hwy 175, golf course and lake on the NE side
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 Forest Lake
Location in California
Forest Lake
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Lake County |
| Elevation | 2,631 ft (802 m) |
Forest Lake Resort was a fun vacation spot in the Cobb Mountain area of Lake County, California. It was located near Kelsey Creek, surrounded by beautiful wet meadows.
This resort started as a simple campground. In the 1930s, it grew into a popular resort. This was a time when more families were traveling by car for vacations. The resort was sold in 1963. By 1989, it was no longer open. People even thought about turning it into a community park.
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Where Was Forest Lake Resort Located?
Forest Lake Resort is about 0.25 miles (0.40 km) northwest of Whispering Pines. It sits at an elevation of 2,631 feet (802 meters). The area around Forest Lake is mostly made up of wet meadows and waterways.
Kelsey Creek, from Forest Lake down to Glenbrook, is known as a flood boundary. This means it's an area that might flood about once every 100 years.
How Forest Lake Resort Began
The land where Forest Lake Resort stood was first owned by James Hartford Smith. He bought the property in 1868. His son, Nate Smith, turned it into a campground. Nate and his wife ran the campground. Later, their son Will took over in 1900.
Will Smith eventually sold the campground to a man named Hugh Davey. Around this time, Jim McCauley, who used to run a brewery, needed a new business. This was because of a time called Prohibition (1920-1933). During Prohibition, it was illegal to make or sell alcohol.
McCauley lent money to Davey, using the campground and Boggs Mountain as a guarantee. Davey couldn't pay back the loan in 1922. So, McCauley's company, Calso Company, became the new owner of the land.
The Story of Calso Water
Jim McCauley started bottling "Calso Water" from a spring at the campground. This water was believed to help people feel refreshed. It was quite popular from 1924 to 1942.
In 1926, McCauley also created a neighborhood called Camp Calso. He hoped to sell many small plots of land there. However, these lots didn't have plans for water, sewers, or drainage.
Becoming a Popular Resort
McCauley decided to transform the campground into a full resort. At first, it was still called Camp Calso. He built the main resort building in 1930.
Forest Lake Resort was one of the new vacation spots designed for people traveling by car in the 1930s. Other similar resorts included Whispering Pines and Pine Grove. Many older resorts that didn't adapt to car travel had to close.
In 1935, McCauley built a dam on a part of Kelsey Creek. This created a new body of water called Lake McCauley. He also built cabins for guests. In 1937, a swimming pool was added. Guests at the resort enjoyed a game called Calso, named after the bottled water, which was similar to Bingo. Live music was often played by entertainers like Jimmy Catalano and his Band.
New Name, New Owners
In 1938, Camp Calso was renamed Forest Lake Resort. Jim McCauley and his niece's husband, Vince Emerson, ran the resort successfully. In 1939, Vince Emerson took over running the resort completely.
Jim McCauley passed away in 1942. His property was shared among his seven nieces and nephews. One of them was Don Emerson, Vince Emerson's son, who lived nearby in Cobb.
Vince and Marian Emerson continued to run the resort until Vince passed away in 1946. After that, Marian and their son Don kept the resort going. From 1950 to 1963, Don and his wife Dorothy owned and managed it. They even added the Hoberg's Forest Lake Golf Course in 1954.
The resort offered many activities for families, like horseback riding. There were also special supervised activities for children. These included swimming in the pool, playing games, going on hay rides, and having special meal times.
The Emersons sold the resort to Joe Breen and Vic Tamera in 1963. Later, Forest Lake became part of Calistoga Mineral Water, which is owned by Nestlé.
Future Plans for Forest Lake
By 1989, there were discussions about developing the Forest Lake area. Some vacant land nearby was planned for homes. Other areas along California State Route 175 were zoned for homes and businesses. However, many business spaces were empty.
Parts of Forest Lake were set aside to protect natural resources. In 1989, a plan for the Cobb Mountain Area suggested turning Forest Lake into a park. This plan recommended simple park features like picnic spots, trails, and walkways. It also suggested improving the area for outdoor activities like fishing and watching wildlife.
The Cobb Area Council held a public meeting in 2019. At this meeting, it was mentioned that the county was not yet planning to change Forest Lake into a park. However, many local people still supported the idea of it becoming a park.
