BRCC - The History of Big Rock Creek Camp

The History of Big Rock Creek Camp

Big Rock Creek Camp has a rich and somewhat racy history. Throughout the decades this property has changed hands and missions many times. Join us and see how Paradise Springs (a hedonistic Hollywood retreat) became Big Rock Creek Camp (a Christian Retreat and Outdoor Education Center).

The original 165 acres was purchased by a successful Pasadena attorney by the name of Louis Luckell. Mr. Luckell bought the land with the intent of using it as a weekend getaway. He dreamed of having a place to escape the rigors of daily courtroom drama. His daughter Adelaide, preferring the social graces of Pasadena to the rugged wilderness of Paradise Springs, encouraged her father to sell the property.

An Actor by the name of Noah Beery Sr. made an offer on the property after happening upon it during a hunting trip to the San Gabriel Mountains. With the financial aid of his brother Wallace Beery they purchased “Paradise Springs” with the intent of catering to Hollywood’s elite. The Beery brothers built 27 stone cabins, an elegant ballroom and dining hall, and a series of trout ponds with a natural spring cascading through them.

In its heyday Paradise Springs boasted up to 1,000 guests in a weekend. The guest list included such silent film stars as Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson, W.C. Fields, Marion Davies, W. Randolph Hearst, Francis X. Bushman and Mary Pickford. Later in its history Paradise Springs played host to John Wayne, Noah Beery Jr., and Johnny Weissmuller as well as many others.

Aside from being a posh weekend getaway, enjoying nature, and catching fresh rainbow trout, Paradise Springs offered a few extra amenities. These included bathtub gin (during the prohibition), gambling, and a slew of “would be starlets” that engaged in weekend romances with some of the visiting actors. Spouses were usually not on the invite.

As one can imagine, there are many wild tales that were spawned from this era of the Camps history. Perhaps the most famous is the story of a buffalo that ran loose in the ballroom. How the buffalo got into the ballroom in the first place is a subject of debate. Some say it was a prank by the staff, others say it was done by vengeful Hollywood rivals. Regardless, the confused animal entered through a red door in the ballroom reserved for the “lady of the night” and began a rampage. As Hollywood’s A-list scattered in hysteria, Noah Berry Sr. pulled a 38 from behind the bar and put the animal down in two shots. As an apology to the guests for the mishap, Mr. Beery offered to have everyone back the next weekend for a free buffalo bar-b-q.

As the great depression came down on the nation, the money at Paradise Springs dried up. In attempt to salvage his dream getaway Noah Berry went into partnership with Phil DeMerce, and opened Paradise Springs as a public recreation area. He also tried his hand at selling the fish raised in the hatchery to restaurants in Hollywood such as The Brown Derby. After a fire, of a suspicious origin, destroyed the ballroom, and a flood that destroyed many of the cabins, Beery went bankrupt.

The property then reverted to its original owner Louis Luckell. Adelaide Luckell (now Adelaide Pettijohn), approached her nephew Gunner Payne in 1965 about doing something with Paradise Springs. Several entrepreneurs leased Paradise Springs over the years with little success at running a profitable business.

In 1971 Gunner Payne and a group of 20 Quakers formed a partnership, and reopened Paradise Springs. The new owners operated in stark contrast to the camp's racy past. The new rules were no alcohol, attend Sunday service around the pool, love one another, and share that love with others. Everyone was welcome.

Gunner and his wife Helen made tremendous improvements, and blessed many people in their time at Paradise Springs. As they “matured” in age their front porch in Oregon beckoned them more and more. In 1981 a group of five families purchased the property and continued Gunner's dream of providing a fun, safe, secure camping experience for anyone to come and enjoy God’s beautiful creation.

We ask that you come on up, bringing your love for the outdoors and for each other. Rainbow trout still await to grace your palate. Our high and low ropes courses, as well as our teambuilding program want to challenge you. These majestic mountains want you to learn about them in our outdoor science programs. A glass of lemonade awaits to quench your thirst while our shade trees provide refuge from the sun. Our guests still enjoy a wholesome family oriented atmosphere with no alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs. Leave you boom boxes behind and enjoy the symphony of the mountains.

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