Owning the Land

Schoepe Scout Reservation at Lost Valley now consists of just over 1,350 acres – well over two square miles. How the Orange County Council came to own the property is a story with several twists and turns. Here is a brief summary:

1883 – Willis and William Newton make the first known homestead entries at Lost Valley. Their claims are later denied.

1885 – Bill Fain files a homestead for 160 acres in the heart of Lost Valley (shown on the map below in green).

Topo Map of Lost Valley land claims.

1890 – Bill Fain transfers his rights to John Stone, brother of cattleman Jim Stone.

1891 – The government patent (deed) is issued for Bill Fain’s homestead.

1897 – Bill Fain’s patent is mailed directly to Jim Stone.

1897 or ‘98 – Jim Stone sells Lost Valley to Henry Bergman.

1914 – Arlie Bergman, Henry’s son, files a homestead for 80 adjoining acres in Lost Valley.

1915 – Arlie Bergman files on an additional 40 acres.

1919 – Arlie Bergman receives his patent for 120 acres (shown on the map in red).

1930 – Henry Bergman dies.

1948 – Arlie Bergman dies. Lost Valley is now owned by his widow, Annie Bergman, and her son, Ray.

1959 – (March) The Orange Empire Area Council (now the Orange County Council) signs an option to buy 280 acres in Lost Valley from the Bergmans.

1959 – (July) The Council enters escrow on the property. Two conditions must first be met – drilling wells and securing the easements for a road.

1959 – (November 16) Annie Bergman signs the deed transferring Lost Valley to the Boy Scouts. The price was $100,000, with $18,000 down. With interest, the total cost was about $106,000.

1959 – (December 31) The deed is filed with the county.

1972 – The Council purchases 920 acres above Coyote Canyon from cattleman Howard Bailey. The price was $180,000, with Bailey donating half back to the Council. This property was then offered in trade to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, in return for land adjoining the camp.

1975 – The Council deeds the Bailey property to the government.

1976 – The government issues a patent for 1,115 acres north and east of camp (shown on the map in yellow). Lost Valley Scout Reservation now totals 1,395 acres.

1980 – The government begins new surveys in the area.

1989 – A second survey finds that the original 1880 survey of Lost Valley was faulty, and shifts the boundaries of the camp, leaving a number of buildings off the property.

1992 – After several years of negotiations, the Council reaches a tentative agreement with the Forest Service to trade some vacant camp property for Forest Service land to solve the boundary dispute.

1995 – Congressman Chris Cox introduces H.R. 207 to authorize the land trade. It was approved by the House in November.

1996 – Congress approves the land trade. The Council agrees to turn over 94 acres in the south end of Section 34 (shown roughly by the dotted yellow area) in return for 52.5 acres in Section 28 (approximately the area in blue – the actual parcel is very complex).

2005 – The Council deeds 94 acres to the government. The land is valued at $160,000.

2005 – A patent is issued for the 52.5 adjoining acres. It includes the land under Beckman Hall, the Grace water tanks, the Ranger’s House, the Grace Trading Post, and the west end of Grace Pool.

2005 – (August 30) Official ceremony held at Lost Valley to mark the transfer.

Notice that the actual cost of purchasing the property (including the land bought from Howard Bailey to trade with the state park) was less than $200,000 – a pretty good bargain by any standard.

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