Malibou Lake, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Malibou Lake
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Malibou Lake in Los Angeles
Location	Los Angeles County, California, United States
Coordinates	34°06′25″N 118°45′25″W / 34.107°N 118.757°W / 34.107; -118.757
Lake type	reservoir
Primary inflows	From the Medea and the Triunfo creeks
Primary outflows	Outlet from dam into Malibu Creek
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	350 acres (140 ha)
Max. depth	27 feet (8.2 m)
Shore length1	1.9 mi (3 km)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Malibou Dam in 2011, as seen from Malibu Creek State Park

Fishing on Malibou Lake, 1975. Photo by Charles O'Rear.

Malibou Lake is a small lake in the Santa Monica Mountains in California. It is a reservoir, which means it's a lake made by people. It is surrounded by homes and is a private community.

The lake is next to Malibu Creek State Park. It is also part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Malibou Lake sits between Malibu Beach and the Conejo Valley. It was created in 1922 when a dam was built where two creeks meet. The lake and its community of about 250 homes are private.

The area covers about 350 acres (140 ha). It has mountains, ranch houses, cabins, and a club. Malibou Lake has been a very popular spot for filming movies and TV shows. This is because it is close to Hollywood studios. More than 100 films have been made here since the early days of movies.

What's in a Name?

The land around Malibou Lake once belonged to the Chumash people. They are Native Americans. Their territory stretched from the San Joaquin Valley to San Luis Obispo and Malibu. It also included some islands off the coast.

The Chumash named this area "Humaliwo." This name means "the surf sounds loudly." The "o" was added to the name later. This was done to avoid confusion with Malibu Lagoon.

How Malibou Lake Was Made

In 1922, two men named George Wilson and Bertram Lackey bought land. They wanted to build a community around a new lake. They started the Malibou Lake Club that same year. It was later called the Malibou Lake Mountain Club.

For almost four years, Malibou "Lake" was just a dry area. People who bought land there were not happy. They had paid good money for properties on roads like "Lakeside Drive."

The Lake Fills Up

Finally, on April 5, 1926, a big storm hit. It rained almost five inches (130 mm). Millions of gallons of water flowed from the hills into Medea and Triunfo creeks. This filled Malibou Lake for the very first time! The people who started the club had a big party that lasted for days.

The land around the club has many beautiful trees. These include live oak and Sycamore trees.

The Clubhouse Story

The first Malibou Lake Clubhouse was built in 1924. It was very large, with 24 bedrooms. It also had a lounge, a dining room, and a stage. There were locker rooms, a trading post, and a tennis court. People could also use rowboats and swimming areas.

Sadly, this clubhouse burned down in 1936. A new, smaller clubhouse was built to replace it. This new clubhouse was designed by Russell and Alpaugh. It is still standing today. It has a big ballroom and a patio. There are also gardens, a swimming pool, and a tennis court.

Keeping the Lake Alive

In late 1959, the lake had to be partly drained. This was so state officials could check the dam for safety. There was not enough rain to refill it at first. People even tried to make it rain!

Finally, in 1961, heavy rains came. The lake filled up again. The people of Malibou Lake have worked hard to protect the lake. They have stopped many plans for large buildings in the area.

Woolsey Fire Impact

In 2018, the Woolsey Fire swept through the area. This large wildfire destroyed more than 30 homes around Malibou Lake.

Where is Malibou Lake?

Malibou Lake is in the Santa Monica Mountains. It is about half a mile south of Mulholland Highway. It is also north of Malibu. The Ventura (101) Freeway is about 3 miles (4.8 km) to the north.

The lake sits in a deep valley. This is where Medea and Triunfo Creeks meet to form Malibu Creek. The valley widens out to hold the lake. Sometimes, the lake can dry out if there isn't enough rain.

The lake is surrounded by the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area. The edge of the lake is about 1.9 mi (3 km) long. Homes are built all along the shore. The deepest part of the lake is about 25 feet.

The mountains and hills around the lake collect rainwater. This water then flows into the lake through the creeks. These areas are next to Malibu Creek State Park. This park was used as a filming location for the TV show M*A*S*H. It was also a ranch where former President Ronald Reagan used to relax.

At the south end of the lake, there is a dam with gates. If the area gets 4 inches (100 mm) or more of rain, the lake often overflows. The extra water flows down Malibu Creek to the ocean. It reaches the ocean at the Malibu Lagoon.

Malibou Lake in Movies and TV

A scene from Frankenstein was filmed near this Malibou Lake location

Malibou Lake has been a popular spot for filming movies and TV shows for a long time. It is close to Hollywood studios. This made it easy for filmmakers to use. It has been used since the silent movie era.

One famous movie filmed here was the 1931 version of Frankenstein. In the movie, Frankenstein's monster accidentally drowns a little girl in a lake. That scene was filmed at Malibou Lake.

Other well-known films include The Ring (2002), a scary psychological horror film. The 1956 movie The Bad Seed, which was nominated for an Oscar, also filmed here. Famous actresses like Claudette Colbert and Betty Grable shot movies at Malibou Lake.

The heroes of the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid jumped from a cliff into the lake. Actor James Coburn did a similar stunt for the movie Our Man Flint.

Many other films and TV shows have used Malibou Lake as a setting:

Malibou Lake has been featured in over 100 movies and TV shows!

Famous People Connected to Malibou Lake

• Arthur Edeson: A famous American movie camera operator.
• Elizabeth Montgomery: An American actress known for film and TV.
• Ronald Reagan: He was a President of the United States. He owned a large ranch nearby, which is now a State Park. In 1953, he was named the honorary mayor of the area.
• Robert Hays: An actor.