Arrowhead Resort
Arrowhead Resort is a resort hotel in the San Bernardino Mountain foothills, designed in 1939 by architects Paul R. Williams and Gordon Kaufmann. The main building has a white exterior with many windows, and the grounds feature an outdoor pool, tennis courts, and areas built around the natural hot springs.
In the 1860s, David Noble Smith opened a small sanatorium with baths and a health center, which burned down in 1886. After several rebuilding attempts, a new hotel opened in 1939 and was converted into a U.S. Navy hospital during World War II before returning to private resort use after the war.
The name comes from an arrow-shaped rock formation nearby that held significance for the Serrano people for generations. The hot springs attracted visitors who believed in their healing power and used the site for relaxation and recovery.
The resort sits in the mountains north of San Bernardino and is best reached by car. The surrounding area offers hiking trails, the nearby Arrowhead Lake, and opportunities to explore the natural hot springs.
During World War II, the resort served as a U.S. Navy hospital where hundreds of injured and recovering soldiers and sailors received care in the mountain setting with healing hot springs. Actress and swimmer Esther Williams filmed scenes for her movie there in 1945, giving the site a direct Hollywood connection during wartime.
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