Paradise Springs Hosts Author Justin Chapman’s Book Talk

Altadena/Pasadena writer and Pasadena’s District 6 Council Liaison Justin Chapman delivered a second presentation about his book Paradise Springs on June 28, this time at Paradise Springs itself, following the June 7 event at Pasadena’s Linda Vista Library.

The book, which was published in 2024 by Huttopia, was a finalist in the LA Press Club’s National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards last year in the Non-Fiction Book category. It chronicles the history of Paradise Springs, a historic mountain retreat that evolved from a 1920s hedonistic playground for Hollywood stars to a Christian camp to a modern French “glamping” (glamorous camping) resort.

A secluded Southern California retreat nestled in Fenner Canyon, the property has evolved through dramatic reinventions since its 1910 founding by Pasadena attorney Louis Luckel.

Paradise Springs’ colorful past includes hosting Prohibition-era parties for celebrities like Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson and William Randolph Hearst during the 1920s.

Under the ownership of silent film stars Noah and Wallace Beery, the retreat featured an opulent ballroom with a 45-foot redwood bar and orchestra stage.

The property’s Jazz Age heyday included legendary parties with bootleg liquor, gambling, trout fishing and secret romantic trysts. Chaplin famously built a winding staircase in Beery’s cabin for clandestine affairs, while Hearst allegedly orchestrated nine arson attempts to sabotage the rival venue and once let loose a buffalo in the ballroom during a shindig attended by celebrities and starlets.

A fire eventually destroyed the ballroom, a flood destroyed much of the original resort, and the Beery brothers went bankrupt, reverting the property back into the ownership of Luckel, the Pasadena attorney. His daughter Adelaide—who preferred the gentility of Pasadena over the rugged wilderness of Paradise Springs—entrusted it into the care of her nephew, Lawrence “Gunner” Payne.

Payne transformed it into a family-friendly Christian camp with strict bans on alcohol and dancing, in stark contrast to its racy past. A group of four families continued the Christian camp emphasis under the name Big Rock Creek Camp for decades before French glamping company Huttopia acquired it in 2017—rather than Nestlé, which was eyeing the property for its spring water.

Now operating as Huttopia Paradise Springs, the 71-tent resort charges between $220 and $450 per night for canvas tents. The property preserves its Hollywood heritage through attractions like the meticulously preserved Charlie Chaplin cabin (and the staircase inside hand-built by Chaplin himself), where guests can stay overnight.

Chapman’s book chronicles this century-spanning legacy, exploring how the site evolved from an elite hunting and fishing escape with portable tents to its current status as a high-end glamping destination.

Chapman is an award-winning journalist, author, and TV show host. He writes, produces, and hosts “Pasadena Monthly” and “Well Read,” both award-winning talk shows that air on Pasadena Media’s cable channels, streaming apps, and YouTube. He has won a dozen LA Press Club journalism awards, including three 1st place awards. “Well Read” won a 1st place Hometown Media Award from the Alliance for Community Media this year.

Chapman was the youngest elected official in LA County when he served on the Altadena Town Council at age 19. He has served on a number of local boards and wrote hundreds of articles for dozens of print and digital publications, including KPCC/LAist, Alta Journal, Huffington Post, LA Weekly, Irish Post, Berkeley Political Review, Pasadena Weekly, Pasadena Star-News, Pasadena Now and many others. He was a professional child actor who starred in dozens of movies, TV shows, commercials and plays. He currently serves as the District 6 Council Liaison/Field Representative to Pasadena Councilmember Steve Madison.

Chapman’s presentations at Linda Vista Library and at Paradise Springs itself last month illuminated the paradoxical history of a site whose history reveals its past incarnations as both a debaucherous hideaway and a spiritual sanctuary.

The video of the Linda Vista Library event is available here, courtesy of Pasadena Media. The video of the Paradise Springs event is available here. Learn more at justindouglaschapman.com.