1019 Robin Lane, Wrightwood, CA 1940 Today

1926
1019 Robin Lane, Wrightwood, CA
1940
Today
Albert and Grace Schobert
fell in love with Wrightwood in the late
1920’s. They married in 1930 and spent a lot of time in Wrightwood and Big
Pines Park. In 1933 they had a daughter, Willetta who would go by the
nickname “Billie”.
Grace had a sister, Ruth, who was married to Buck Walters. The Walters
also loved Wrightwood and in 1936 Al and Buck (who worked together at
Paramount Studios), along with Grace and Ruth’s father Issac High, set about
building the cabin that sits on the corner of Robin and Pine. Across the street
lived the Corpe family. (Pat Corpe Krig is a Wrightwood Historian today and
can often be found in the Wrightwood Museum on Saturdays.)
Buck and Ruth Walters would have twin girls, Carol and Laurel, also in 1933,
and along with their cousin, Billie Schobert, would grow up in Wrightwood on
the weekends and during the holidays.
On September 17th, 1940 Albert Schobert would buy two pie shaped
properties that make up 1019 Robin Lane from Esther Elliot for $1,000:
Lots 32 and 33 of Tract No. 2040, Wrightwood Subdivision No. 4, in the County of San
Bernardino, State of California, 21as per plat recorded in Book 22 of Maps, Page 51, records
of said County.
Al, working for Paramount Studios, worked 6 days a week. He’d get off at
midnight on Saturday night and immediately would load up the family and
head for Wrightwood. While Al and Grace worked on the cabin, Billie and
her cousins would spend much of their time riding horses they’d rent from the
stables or hanging out at Twin Lakes. During the winter months they spent
their time playing in the snow and sledding down Pine Street. The family
would pack up and head back down the mountain for home late on Sunday
nights. This ritual went on week after week, year after year.
During the war (WWII) there was gas rationing and the Schoberts could not
make it up to Wrightwood. They had Emil Blum handle the renting of the
property during this time. Usually the renters were service men out of
Edwards AFB.
Grace passed away in 1976. Al passed away in 1996. Willetta (“Billie”)
Schobert Morgan was given “Joint Tenancy” in October of 1973 and then
complete ownership in November of 1983. In April of 1998 the property went
into the 1998 Morgan Family Trust. Willetta died on December 28th, 2013 (in
Wrightwood, at the cabin) and upon the distribution of the Trust in 2014
Robert W. Morgan would inherit the property.
Here are the Grant Deeds tracing the property changes in ownership.
What follows are pictures depicting the progression that has taken place to
this property over the past 74 years, as well as family photos taken in
Wrightwood over the decades.
1940
1941
“Billie” Schobert building a snowman
“Billie” Schobert and a friend. Notice that they did not build on foundations
in 1926
1946
The Fireplace is added
“Billie” Schobert shows off the new fireplace and rock porch built by Joe
Meluso. While Al was an accomplished carpenter and mason, having built a
home and cabin from the ground up and many movie and television sets for
Paramount Studios, including sets for Cecil B. DeMille epics, “Road Trip”
movies for Bing Crosby and Bob Hope and many westerns including the
Gunsmoke TV series (Al was “Key Grip” for Paramount) he recognized the
need to get someone who really knew what they were doing when it came to a
chimney. Joe Meluso was the man.
1946
New Rock Porch is also added
Joe Meluso was the owner of the Wrightwood Construction Company and
built many of the fireplaces in town. The porch and fireplace are still in great
shape to this day. Al took the opportunity to build a foundation up under the
existing cabin which had built directly on the ground.
1946
“The Playhouse”
“Billie” Schobert stands on the new rock porch. All the cabins had names
back in the early days. As you can see from the sign above the door, 1019
Robin was known as “The Playhouse”. That sign would remain in place until
the 1970s.
1946
New Fireplace and Rock Porch
Winter 1947
“Billie” Schobert with Friends
Summer 1947
A New Gable is Built
The new fireplace had covered up the only window on the East side of the
upstairs loft. Al saw the need to add a gable, which would expand the area
and bring in more air and light.
Here “Billie” Schobert (center) and her cousins Carol and Laurel Walters
pose while horseback riding, which they often did.
Winter 1948
Winter 1948
Winter 1948
“Billie” Schobert and friends at the back door
Summer 1948
Fireplace, rock porch and gable all in place
“Billie” Schobert and her friend Barbara Fuerhelm head for Twin Lakes
1960
Robert and David Morgan (“Billie’s” sons)
1962
Al chops wood. Garage before Work Shed is added
1962
A single bedroom is added to the front of the cabin
1963
Work Shed is added to the back of the Garage
1963
Bob and Dave Morgan and Linda Wittrock
“The Playhouse” sign is still there in 1963
1963
The lighted lamp post with “The Schoberts” sign would last into the 1980’s
1963
Wrightwood’s Albino Squirrel (1963)
Al Schobert planned on retiring and moving to Wrightwood full time in 1965.
For the 25 years since the purchase of the property for $1,000 in 1940, he
continued to work and make improvements to “The Playhouse”.
Besides the obvious improvements to the outside, inside he had replaced the
ladder used to get up into the loft with a stairway, remodeled the bathroom
and kitchen with all new appliances, installed new aluminum windows and
replaced the septic tank.
In preparation for retirement he spent several years filling the garage with
wood and building a work shed.
1965
Wood Porch is Added
Al built the wood porch entirely from wood taken from the Gunsmoke set.
For years the railing of the porch was only varnished and not painted, so as to
display “Property of Gunsmoke” which had been stamped across each 2 x 4.
1966
The Cabin at Christmas time
Al Schobert always went all out for Christmas and usually won first place in
the Lion’s Club’s Christmas decoration contest.
Once retired, Al turned much of his attention to landscaping the property. He
made countless trips to the marble or dolomite deposits in Horse Canyon
(near the 5,000 ft marker on Hwy 2) and used the white rock for planters and
small walls around the property. He also installed speakers in the trees
around the property that were hooked up to a GE radio in the “den” so he
could listen to Vin Sculley and the Dodgers while he watered the plants during
the summer months.
For some 12 years after retiring, Al Schobert kept very busy around town. He
was very involved with The Timberline Lion’s Club and was “Lion of the
Year for 1966 and 1967. He received several awards from various
organizations in town including the Women’s Club.
Al worked at the Blue Ridge Restaurant and would be up at the crack of dawn
cleaning the restaurant. He and Chuck Lyons, the current owner became very
close friends. He also cleaned rental properties for some of the realtors in
town including Grant Cornelius. Al was in charge of getting the new
Community Building ready for various events, which included Friday night
movies and Saturday night teenage dances during the summer.
Al’s wife, Grace passed away in 1976 at the age of 76. After spending a little
over a year in Wrightwood after her death Al moved back to his hometown of
New Ulm, Minnesota, to live with his aging sister and help her out. After his
sister died in the 80’s, Al moved back to California. He stayed with his
daughter, “Billie” for several years in Burbank and eventually moved into his
own apartment at the Motion Picture Home in Woodland hills.
Al Schobert passed away in 1996 at the age of 96.
Grace Schobert and Ruth Walters (c. 1975)
Al Schobert (1900 – 1996)
1977
Bob and Kim Morgan (on the right) with friends
1981
A New Roof replaces the 55 year old original
On Labor Day Weekend, 1981, the original 1926 shingles were replaced
1981
East Side
1981
North Side
South Side
2002
2008
The Original Porch built in 1965 was Replaced in 2008
In August of 2008 a brand new composite porch would replace the one Al
built in 1965 using wood from the Gunsmoke TV series’ sets. Much of the
understructure was still in good shape and useable. Inside the cabin are two of
the six actual working kerosene lanterns used in the Gunsmoke TV series in
“Kitty’s bar”.
Schobert / Morgan
Wrightwood California
1930
Grace Schobert and her brother Chet High
Al and Grace Schobert between Wrightwood and Big Pines Park
1930
Al and Grace Schobert
c. 1940
This is a Wrightwood Postcard of Twin Lakes. “Billie”
Schobert is about 8 years old and is circled. Next to her is
Emily Risk who lived across the street from Twin Lakes.
c. 1941
“Billie” Schobert Sledding Down Pine St.
The whole gang Sledding Down Pine St. They’d sled all the way to the bottom
and turn in at the Wrightwood Lodge
1947
1947
1947
“Billie’s” Favorite Horse
1948
1948
Carol and Laurel Walters Head for Twin Lakes
Twin Lakes was the spot to hang out
1948
“Billie” Schobert and Barbara Fuerhelm
Twin Lakes
Carol and Laurel Walters with Barbara Fuerhelm
1948
1949
Brand New 1949 Olds
1962
1963
1965
1965
1966