Most great buildings begin as one man's dream.
In the early part of this century, entrepreneur Harry Kiener conceived
of a plan that would make Big Bear the wealthiest and most beautiful
resort in all of the west.

He hired Guy Sherman Maltby, contractor and owner of the Bear Valley Milling and Lumber Co., to build the Peter Pan Woodland Club, a magnificent log and stone lodge equipped with the finest amenities the roaring twenties could offer: a full movie theater, ballroom, banquet room, five gigantic fireplaces; and countless beautifully appointed guest rooms.

At the end of the 20's, on the nearby North Shore, Maltby built his largest home, GOLD MOUNTAIN MANOR, a private mansion for Alexander Buchanan Barret, a wealthy Los Angeles movie investor, and his beautiful new bride, Bessie. When it was finished, the mansion was even more beautiful than the Lodge.

In the pictures to the right, you can see Bessie relaxing on the front veranda and Alexander and Bessie cooking dinner over the open hearth.

Set in a forest of pine trees, the house was three stories high with gleaming bird's eye maple floors and beamed ceilings. All this was home to nine bedrooms, eight fireplaces, a wine cellar, a billiard room, chauffeur's quarters, and three deluxe donkey stables!