About

Our Mansion

The Knickerbocker Mansion is located in the heart of Big Bear Lake. It is a Commercial Lodge capable of housing 33 people comfortably. This unique, well kept, renovated and large lodge is perfect for sizable family & friend groups, church retreats, and recreational groups.

  • Our two and a half acre property includes two homes and one apartment building; The Mansion, The Residence, & The Carriage House.
  • In total there are 14 Master Suites with their 15 Master Bathrooms.
  • Both homes contain full-sized kitchens, dining areas, laundry facilities, and living rooms.
  • There are many amenities and a recreation room to make your stay comfortable.
  • In the winter there is a sledding hill on the mansion grounds only a few feet from the courtyard.
  • It is only a 4 minute walk down to Big Bear Lake Village for shopping, food, and other entertainment.
  • There is mountain trailhead access directly from the mansion grounds for hiking, mountain biking, & other offroading activities.
View of Knickerbocker Mansion

The Mansion

  • Built in 1920 and can sleep up to 13 people.
  • There are five rooms in total including the Mansion Suite.
  • The Mansion Suite, located at the top, has 2 King size beds and a twin.
  • Has a complete kitchen, a large dining room that can seat 22, a large family room, a toy room, a Man Cave downstairs, and a sitting room.

The Residence

  • Has two bedrooms located in the home and one detached bedroom.
  • Has a large family room, dining room, complete kitchen, laundry room, private patio, private jacuzzi, and deck.
Residence house with forest trees all around it
Carriage house with kids toys and other courtyard items

The Carriage House

  • Is an apartment building that was built in 1920 which can accommodate up to 16 people.
  • There are six separate bedrooms including the Carriage Suite.
  • The Carriage Suite is 1,800 sq feet and contains one king bed along with one queen pullout sofa bed.
  • The Carriage Suite is connected by a small hallway to The Blacksmith room.
  • The Carriage Suite and The Blacksmith rooms have a shared and locked entrance.
  • The Carriage Suite and The Blacksmith rooms together can accommodate a family of six.

Mansion History

Built in 1920 The Knickerbocker Mansion stands proudly as a reminder of the amazing William (Bill) Edwin Knickerbocker: Big Bear’s own Paul Bunyan. Bill worked his way Westward from Pennsylvania in the early 1900s. He settled in a place called Pine Knot, now known as Big Bear Lake, and became the first dam keeper for the recently completed dam.

Along with his wife and five children he built a magnificent log mansion. Bill felled the trees for this historic home himself. The outside of the Mansion is constructed of halved logs that were installed vertically for the siding. The Mansion is built of all natural materials with extensive pine and cedar paneling throughout the home.

The Mansion and Carriage House were once part of an 85-acre estate that was converted to an Inn in the 1980s. The Mansion and Carriage House are two of the oldest and most historic structures in the region.

The Mansion fell into disrepair until the 1980’s when it became a Bed & Breakfast. In 1998 the entire property was restored and renovated. The Mansion continued to run as a Bed & Breakfast until 2017 when it became a private residence. All 4 buildings and the grounds were renovated in 2017.