Can anyone point me to the history of this place? I've been riding over there lately and was just wondering. Who was Hal? What happen to him and his awesome view lot there?? Thanks !
So strange I was just wondering the same when I was up at old camp this morning. Log in to STR and wha-da-ya-know... My kind of forum
I think he was a lawyer, his house did burn down in a fire in the early 1900's. That is all I know, from my fire fighter buddy's.
My buddies and I used to hike up and skate the pool there. Been there a few times when some "locals" showed up on dirt bikes and could have sworn I heard dueling banjos start to play....
I shot an email to David Whiting at the OC Register about it. I'll let you guys know if I get a reply.
In the last year I've some reports of attempts to stop acess to the area. Any updates on this? I've never been there, but it is on my todo list.
I went up there a couple weeks back, no problems. A few people on GL are posting rides through there pretty frequently too.
I got a reply from David Whiting at the OC Register today... I sent him directions and a map and offered to guide him there on a weekend if he needed me to. Hopefully he'll be able to crack this "mystery"!
I have always understood that the dirt road from Live Oak Canyon Road that connects to Trabuco Oaks Drive is legal, County Road. When you go over to the pool you are on private property which is posted if you follow the fire road down to the gate across from the Fire Station. I don't know Hal but he did have one hell of a view. Living up there or in the canyon is a risk because I do not believe you can get fire insurance.
A couple of years ago I talked to a hiker in O’Neill Park who claimed to know the story: Many years ago that property was owned by a couple with the last name of Howell. They didn’t have any kids, but would let local kids, I guess from the canyon, use their pool. One time while out of town, the Howells allowed some of these kids use their pool and keep tabs on the house. The kids ‘accidentally’ set the property on fire and everything burned down. The Howells moved away and never rebuilt.