HISTORY
THE MASTER PLAN
Pine Mountain Club was developed in 1971 by Tenneco West based in Bakersfield, a subsidiary of Houston-based Tenneco, to develop 3,200 acres of land inside the Los Padres National Forest at the base of Mount Pinos and Sawmill Mountain.
The master plan called for 1,000 acres of residential and recreational development and 2,200 acres of open space to preserve the natural balance of the environment and way of life for future generations. The surrounding Los Padres National Forest would provide Pine Mountain Club residents with additional protection from future development.
The plan for residential development included 1-3 bedroom custom and modular homes for vacations and weekend getaways. Part of the residential plan included an area on the northwestern side of Pine Mountain Club for mobile homes. Prices started at around $13,500 for a one-bedroom house on a lot.
The last residential phase to open in Pine Mountain Club was located at the highest points in the development. These properties began selling in March of 1973.
The plan for recreational development included an executive PGA rated nine-hole golf course with water features, clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis courts, archery range, lake stocked with fish, community park, and an equestrian center with 16 miles of connecting bridle trails for short and all-day horseback riding adventures.
Tenneco's vision for Pine Mountain Club was brought to life through a full suite of marketing and promotional materials. These brochures, newspaper ads, and sales documents captured the spirit of the early 1970s and the promise of a tranquil mountain lifestyle.
Full-color print flyers and tri-fold brochures described the development's custom homes, recreational amenities, and easy access from Los Angeles.
The following typewritten sales sheets from the early 1970s detail the base prices and optional upgrades for modular and custom homes offered in Pine Mountain Club at the time of development. They provide a fascinating glimpse into the cost of mountain living in the and how Tenneco marketed Pine Mountain Club as an all-inclusive, turnkey retreat.
Prices varied depending on the model, lot location, and upgrades selected. Options like wood-burning fireplaces, wood flooring, and extra bedrooms or bathrooms were available for additional cost.
The local newspaper and Los Angeles area newspapers covered the announcement of the development, progress, open house weekends, and pricing promotions.
By the late 1980's the population of Pine Mountain Club grew and business owners had established a thriving commercial center, residents still refer to as the "Village", with all the essentials for weekend getaways and year-round living that included a general store, various retail shops, real estate offices, eating establishments, and a full-service gas station.
Pine Mountain Club celebrated its 50th birthday on July 31, 2021.
PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB
AREA HISTORY
HISTORY
Unique to Central California is a traverse range of mountains, running east to west, known since 1806 as the San Emigdio Mountains. These mountains were at the southern end of a gigantic horseshoe that extended around the San Joaquin Valley.
This valley was once an inland sea. In time, the valley was slowly cut off from the ocean and became a huge fresh water lake. Over time the lake filled with sediments and became the valley it is today.
High above the inland sea, the earliest humans lived and traveled on these mountaintops as early as possibly 35,000 years ago. The people moved downward from the higher elevations as the lake and then the marshes drained from the mountains and valleys below.
The beautiful deep valley of Pine Mountain Club was also once a lake and probably would still be if not for an ancient earthquake that opened the north end of the valley and allowed the lake to drain. You can demonstrate this yourself by poking around in the soft silty clay banks along Mil Potrero Highway at the “S Curves,” where you can still find tiny shell fragments.
The territories of several great nations of people came together in the San Emigdio Mountains, the northeastern territory of the Chumash people. Before any contact with non-Indian people, the population of these mountains numbered from five to ten thousand. Many small camps were located up in our local mountains where time was spent in the summer and fall hunting, gathering, escaping the heat and searching for better sources of water.
The area of Mount Pinos (Iwihinmu), Cuddy Valley (Valley of the Shaman/Antaps) and Frazier Mountain (Toshololo) was the sacred center of the universe for the Chumash Indians. Mt. Pinos was their sacred shrine and no Indian would approach the summit except to make an offering.
In 1806, the Spanish Governor of Alta California sent on an expedition from Santa Barbara through the mountainous region to the east. On August 5, 1806, he named the canyon for the patron saint that happened to be celebrated that day - Saint Emigdios, the patron saint to invoke protection against catastrophes.
The Spaniards established an inland trail between Santa Fe, in the future state of New Mexico, and Monterey, in what would become California. (The Old Road) went through the San Emigdio Mountain Range and legend has it that this area was the location of the “Lost Los Padres Mine” established by Jesuit Priests.
The Spanish Mission Period lasted some 60 years, after which Alta, California became part of Mexico and eventually the United States. Large land grants and ranchos were made, including the San Emigdio Land Grant in 1842 and the grants and purchases that formed the massive Tejon Ranch.
The area of today’s Pine Mountain Club changed hands a few times over the years. There was a Sawmill in the valley to harvest lumber for area residents and Fort Tejon before the Civil War.
The Kern Land Company, incorporated in 1890, owned the property known as Mil Potrero Ranch and there are photos of cattle grazing in the location of today’s Pine Mountain Club Golf Course.
The Los Padres National Forest was established in 1908, but Mil Potrero Ranch remained in private hands and cattle grazing continued in the deep valley that would become Pine Mountain Club.
Tenneco Corporation purchased the Kern County Land Company in 1967 and in 1971 began development of Pine Mountain Club.
Once the development was finished and all of the lots were sold, Tenneco turned over the community to the Pine Mountain Club Property Owners Association – owned and governed by Pine Mountain Club property owners.